Brantford residents can look forward to the return of lawn bowling this spring, as the city facility at the Walter Gretzky Municipal Golf Course is set to reopen for the 2026 season on Tuesday, May 19, 2026. Located at 320 Balmoral Drive, the site provides a tournament-standard venue for one of the oldest sporting traditions in Ontario.
The facility features eight bowling rinks equipped with lighting, seating, and a 6 by 6 metre sheltered area. The grounds are fully fenced and enclosed to ensure a consistent playing environment for community members. This site serves as the new home for the local lawn bowling tradition, which was relocated from its historic location at Dufferin Park following a recent redevelopment project.
Annual memberships for the 2026 season are now available for purchase at the Pro Shop inside the Walter Gretzky Municipal Golf Course. The cost for a membership is $175 per person, including tax. Once registered, residents can enjoy unlimited play during the site’s operating hours, which include Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., as well as Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday evenings from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
For those looking to support the program, the City of Brantford is offering rink sponsorship opportunities for $565 per season, including tax. Sponsors will receive logo placement on signage located at both ends of a rink. The city is also seeking volunteers to help with the lawn bowling program; residents interested in assisting can reach out by email at [email protected].
Lawn bowling has been a fixture in the community since before 1910, when the Dufferin Tennis and Lawn Bowling Club was first established. While the club has a long history in the city, it recently made the decision to discontinue tennis and pickleball programming, citing unsustainable court rental fees charged by the city for the use of those facilities.
