About Us

History of the Arno Bay Community Sporting Association

The following is quoted from “Arno Bay and District 1883-1983” Editor Janice Clements, Assistant Editor Mavis Smith. Published by Arno Bay Centenary Committee, November 1982.

The Association was formed in January 1980 at a public meeting where the matter of upgrading condemned facilities at the oval was the prime moving force. The (Arno Bay) Football Club had studied a proposal to build new change rooms and had decided if possible to include other sports clubs at the oval. The major object of the association is to provide improved recreational facilities for the community of Arno Bay. 

The new association was formed with Ray Kanofski as President, Boyd Noble as Secretary, Mal Ramsey Vice-President, Don Hauschild Treasurer, and two delegates from each of the Cricket, Football, Netball, Squash and Tennis Clubs. During the first twelve months the major tasks were to become incorporated, to raise funds and to investigate ways of upgrading accommodation at the oval. The association realised that to achieve this end it would be necessary to form a social or fundraising committee. The first committee was headed by Shirley Ramsey with Gwenda Dunning as Secretary with two delegates from each of the above clubs.

At our first Annual General Meeting, R Kanofski and B Noble were re-elected as President and Secretary with Peter Rehn as Vice-President and Robin Nankivell as Treasurer. At this stage, preliminary investigations were completed and it was decided to go ahead and have plans drawn up to include change rooms, toilets, kitchen, meeting area and squash courts. 

At a general meeting in August 1981 the decision was made to go ahead with stage one being the main area and to lay the foundations for stage two which was to be squash courts. However stage two was subsequently shelved because of problems with building approvals.

In November 1981 the foundations were laid with bricklaying and other building commencing in February 1982. Where necessary, building sub-contractors were used but a large proportion of the construction was done by members’ voluntary labour. 

The actual cash spent on the building was $65,000 and with the voluntary labour component a conservative estimate of replacement value would be $100,000.

The Arno Bay Community was quite proud of this project which was conceived, achieved and opened debt-free within three years. The project was only able to be achieved through the hard work and generosity of the association members and members of the Arno Bay Community. 

The then committee of Ray Kanofski, President, Meredith Ramsey Secretary, Peter Rehn Vice-President, and Ern and Gwenda Dunning as Treasurers, were quite confident that this new association was now well established, paving the way forward to an active and achieving future for the Arno Bay Sporting Community. 

The ABCSA building was officially opened on 1 August 1982 by Mr J.W. (Joe) Rehn