HISTORY OF HONOLULU LAWN BOWLS CLUB

    Honolulu Lawn Bowls Club is situated on prime real estate in Ala Moana Beach Park.  The park itself was created from the dredging of the Ala Wai Canal.  It began in the early 1930’s as the city’s original refuge site with its coral foundation and soil top made the perfect location for a park.   Later named Ala Moana Beach Park, it was designed by Harry Sims Bent.   In 1934, President Roosevelt came to the park for its ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony.  It is believed the idea of the bowling greens began in 1935 by Dr. Richard Ebsworth from Australia when he petitioned the city to build the greens.   Together with the architect landscaper Harry Sims Bent and supervised by Lester McCoy the bowling green was built in 1937.  In 1939 the club was officially recognized as HLBC and became a welcoming site for Bowlers from all over the world.   

    It was the outbreak of WWII the city of Honolulu turned the club over to the United States military.  The military used this whole area as a storage and training facility.  It remained part of the military until after the Korean war into the early 1960’s where it was no longer cared for and became overgrown and in disrepair.   Later in the 1960s Mr. Kirk Gilam, an interested bowler from Seattle, petitioned the parks department to restore the greens.  As part of the senior citizen’s club, Mr. Gilman was instrumental in reviving the Honolulu Lawn Bowls Club.   The HLBC is in the historic register of places in the State of Hawaii.   Today, the HLBC remains active with over 50 members and welcomes players from all over the world.