By Jess Baker
Expansion works at the Warwick Condamine Sports Club are well and truly underway as management gears up to handle increased foot traffic.
Demolition and concreting has begun at the site next door to the pub, where real estate agency Property Specialists Warwick once stood.
Condamine Sports Club manager Stephen Domjahn said renovations will be completed in six stages, with the first stages to focus on creating new function and gaming rooms at the club’s newly-acquired next-door site.
“The coronavirus killed us. I’m losing 40 seats, so (building next door) is going to increase that back up again,” Stephen said.
“I’m moving the pokie room around, rearranging that. I’m not increasing in pokie size, we’ve got 74 machines … I’m just changing the layout of it.”
Stephen said the new function area will accommodate an additional 60 to 100 people, which should alleviate the effects of the Covid-19 physical distancing requirements currently imposed on the club.
“On a Wednesday night before Covid, we were getting up to 180 meals,” he said.
“It’s kind of building back up. We’re at 130 meals now because we’ve had to drop 40 chairs … spacing is my biggest thing at the moment.”
Stephen said the build next door will be finished by October this year, with other upgrades to the existing lower level to be completed by the end of 2022.
He said a top priority for the club has always been, and continues to be, supporting locals.
Construction of the build will therefore be completed by mostly local tradies and subcontractors alongside leading construction company, Hutchinson Builders.
Stephen said the existing building has a rich history that dates back to 1912, when it was first opened as the Langham Hotel.
“(The sports club) originated with a couple of people going around and asking all sporting communities if they would like to get involved,” Stephen said.
“There were five clubs in the end that actually said yes. There was hockey, netball, cricket, cowboys and union … and I think they chipped in about $10,000 each.
“They bought the Langham … and turned it into the Condamine Sports Club.”
Stephen said the expansion works will allow for growth at the club, as local demand increases with the Warwick population.
Once works are completed, Stephen plans to embark on some more mega projects for the club’s development – but he won’t give away any details just yet.
“Be on the lookout for something else in the future … this right now is the stepping stone to it,” he said.
