Ovalau Club Reopening

The Ovalau Club was closed in 2014 due to bankruptcy, and reopening efforts have been hampered due to damage caused by Cyclone Winston in 2016 and subsequent looting in the cyclone's aftermath. With tourism being an important local industry Covid-19 further hindered attempts to revitalise the Club. With an eye to the future a new Ovalau Club Committee has now been formed with a strong emphasis on governance, inclusivity, and community ownership and management. 

 

Having been born in Levuka and completed all my education at the Levuka Public School I, like most people familiar with the town have a great love for its unique past, and passionate, resilient community. The town of Levuka (including the Ovalau Club) is UNESCO World Heritage listed, it was the old/first Capital of Fiji, and is where Fiji was ceded to Britain in 1874. 

 

Built in 1904 as an exclusive men's only club, the Ovalau Club was the social centre of Levuka for more than 100 years. With the closure of the Ovalau Club there is a significant gap in the social fabric of Levuka. Whilst the Levuka Club is open periodically this is a public bar and not suitable for familes, as such at present there is no licenced premises for families in Levuka to meet and socialise, or for tourists to unwind in a family-friendly setting whilst taking in the natural beauty of the island. 

 

With a population of approximately 1,200 in the Levuka township and a further 4,300 people in surrounding rural areas it is essential that the community (who own the Club premises) have a family friendly social centre in which to meet.

 

Foreign-owned entities have expressed interest in purchasing the Club as a business, however, it is the strong desire of the Levuka community to maintain the historic Club as a community owned and operated enterprise. Unfortunately Covid-19 has had a significant impact on the economic position of Levuka. Retaining the Club as a community owned and operated enterprise would do much to revitalise the Levuka community and, with post-Covid tourism restarting will bolster economic outcomes for the community.

 

We would be incredibly grateful for any assistance you can give to complete this worthy project.

 

Rosalind Pratt

Fundraising Coordinator (on behalf of the Ovalau Club Committee)