Tranmere Bowls Retractable Shade Reskin
Project Details
Location: Tranmere, SA
Completion Date: September 2026
Size: 60m x 38m (2280 sqm)
Fabric: HDPE - SunTamer Premium HDPE Shade Mesh
Client: Tranmere Bowling & Tennis Club
As the only bowling club and lawn tennis club in the Campbelltown City Council area, Tranmere Bowling & Tennis Club has long recognised the importance of protecting its members, visitors and community users from the harsh Australian sun. To support patron comfort and sun safety, the club first invested in a double-green retractable shade system in 2013, followed by an additional covered green in 2016.
The Tranmere Bowls Retractable Shade has provided valuable all-weather flexibility for more than a decade, allowing the club to extend usable playing time, improve player comfort and create a safer environment for bowls activity throughout the year.
The Brief
After years of regular use, the original HDPE shade mesh was ready for replacement. While the fabric had performed well and remained reasonably durable over its service life, normal wear and tear had become visible, particularly in the cable friction zones where the retractable shade fabric moves across the support system.
This type of wear is expected in retractable shade systems over time. Importantly, the reskin project did not require a full structural replacement. The steel frame, mechanical system, motors, gearboxes and control board were still in excellent working condition, allowing the project scope to focus on renewing the shade fabric and selected non-mechanical hardware.
The Materials
For the reskin, the club was able to benefit from continued improvements in shade-mesh technology by upgrading to SunTamer Premium HDPE Shade Mesh. Developed specifically by Shadex, the original designers of the SunTamer retractable shade system, the upgraded fabric offers improved durability and higher UV protection than the original specification.
Where the previous fabric delivered approximately 78% UV protection, the new SunTamer Premium HDPE Shade Mesh provides approximately 85% UV protection, helping improve sun-safety outcomes for the club’s bowlers and guests. The replacement fabric was also patterned with large green PVC reinforcing patches, double stitched to the underside of the shade mesh at the cable contact points to provide additional protection in areas exposed to repeated movement and friction.
Along with the new fabric, selected non-mechanical components were replaced, including pull-blocks and sliders. These components help the retractable fabric glide smoothly along the support cables and play an important role in maintaining reliable day-to-day system operation.
The Result
The completed reskin extended the life of the existing retractable shade system while preserving the value of the club’s original investment. By retaining the still-serviceable steel structure and mechanical components, the project delivered a practical and cost-effective upgrade focused on the areas that needed renewal most.
With upgraded SunTamer Premium HDPE Shade Mesh, reinforced wear zones and refreshed operating hardware, Tranmere Bowling & Tennis Club now has a renewed retractable shade solution that offers improved UV protection, smoother operation and continued comfort for players and visitors. The Tranmere Bowls Retractable Shade reskin demonstrates how a well-designed shade structure can be refurbished and upgraded to keep serving a community facility for many years to come.
Is your bowls club retractable shade system showing signs of wear? Talk to the MakMax team about a practical reskin or fabric upgrade to extend the life of your existing structure and improve shade performance for your club facility.
