The lawn bowls Australian Open hit the Gold Coast in June and Matthew Kennedy, the CEO of Bowls Australia, took time out of his busy schedule to visit John Rovera from MakMax Australia at the construction site of the new MakMax TensoSport-MAX canopy, currently being built at Club Helensvale.

As a sponsor and preferred partner of Bowls Australia for more than a decade, MakMax Australia was proud to show off our latest work-in-progress to the Bowls Australia team.

This one-of-a-kind PTFE canopy will feature a bespoke raised geometry to allow unrivalled viewing from the new player lounge, plus a clear ETFE walkway along one side, the first use of this high-tech material in a bowls structure.

As well as being impressed by the size and scope of the new Club Helensvale development, Kennedy also spoke about the value of long term sponsors;

“Bowls Australia works with all of its sponsors really closely and without them we wouldn’t be able to put on great events like the Australian Open. Having long term partners like MakMax enables us to work together to design the needs and structures for all types of clubs, of all a range of sizes, right throughout all states of Australia.

MakMax is been the preferred supplier of canopy structures for Bowls Australia since 2011, and over that time they’ve really developed a great understanding of grassroots bowls and their needs, from the community level all the way up. At the club level, MakMax has worked with some of our premier clubs, including the great home of the Bowls Premier League, Moama Bowling Club and Club Pine Rivers.”

The MakMax TensoSport-MAX canopy at Club Helensvale is part of a major re-development. Designed by BSPN Architecture and being built by Ashley Cooper Construction, the project also includes a renovation to the existing club house, plus a brand new double-story player lounge in front of the canopy. A new synthetic bowling green is being installed by BIOSCAPES Group.