Pop superstar Beyonce may well have played a part in saving an Australian bowls club.
Melbourne bowls-lovers Terry, Janine and Wyn decided to cover a Queen B classic, Single Ladies, in an effort to battle their local council’s plans to replace their beloved Chadstone Bowls Club – and it’s something rather special.
The ladies – consisting of Wyn Hewett, 72, and Terry Foster and Janine Hall, who are both 82 – put the video together after Stonnington Council recommended their club to be replaced with an indoor basketball and netball stadium, which would result in the bowlers being evicted and the site bulldozed.
The campaigners have set up a petition opposing the council’s decision, which has over 6,400 signatures online.
“We are not against netballers/basketballers or a stadium,” they wrote on their Change petition page. “We are just saying this is has been our sporting home for 60 years and we matter too!”
Community campaign to save the Chadstone Bowls Club – worth watching! https://t.co/XqVGaCsiOf
— Swinburne HP (@Swinburne_HP) July 30, 2017
All the Bowling Ladies – Chadstone Bowls Club-👏🏼🤣👏🏼🤣👏🏼🤣👏🏼🤣👏🏼 https://t.co/8QlAaQCexs
— 🐝Lisa Servadei🐝 (@lisaserv22) July 30, 2017
Their sassy performance may well prove to be decisive in them getting their wish too, as it has already become a massive hit online – amassing over 840,000 views on Facebook.
Melbourne’s Herald Sun reported that, despite garnering support for their campaign, a final decision has not been made on the club’s future – but they are taking the club’s needs into account.
“An analysis of potential participation in indoor court sports shows that Stonnington requires at least four additional courts to meet current demand,” said the mayor.
“The council is engaging all stakeholder groups and is working closely with the Chadstone Bowls Club and its members to develop a plan that caters for their future needs, should the project go ahead.”
