Councillor Tommy McVey on opening day at bowling greens

These events are very well attended and lot of hard work goes into getting the greens and the clubhouses in tip top condition for the opening day.

I always enjoy having a blether with members and to hear their aspirations for the coming season. It’s also a really good opportunity to talk to local residents and to listen to any concerns they may have.

Over at Rankin Park, club stalwarts Jim and Jackie McElwee continue to drive the club forward. It has been a pleasure to work with Jim and Jackie over the years, and in 2023 we managed to secure £25,000 of council funding for the club.

This money has been well spent on the clubhouse and the adjoining grounds with the improvements being there for all to see.

Opening day at Lady Alice Bowling Club in Greenock. (Image: alex craig) At Lady Alice, the club are now benefiting from the new extension which was completed a couple of years ago. This represented a significant investment by the council and I worked very closely with Joe Carruthers and Jim Gallacher to get the project over the line.

The amount of work these guys put into the project, over many years, cannot be underestimated. They really do deserve a tremendous amount of credit for that.

Joe and Jim have now taken a step back, and the current committee have been very successful in taking the club to the next level, with their bingo nights, poker nights and the line dancing proving very popular with members and the local community, as is the monthly Northern Soul night. Well done to all involved!

READ MORE: Councillor Tommy McVey calls out fly-tippers and praises pantry in his latest Tele column

Elsewhere, I'm happy to provide Tele readers and residents with an update on a number of issues that have been raised by people and groups in my ward.

First, the stairs between Nimmo Street and Thom Street have recently been cleaned up. This was in response to a request from a resident via the Cowdenknowes Residents Association. Thanks to the grounds maintenance team for dealing with this request so quickly.

​The footpaths on Finch Road, between Kestrel Crescent and Auchneagh Farm Road, will be resurfaced on April 14 and 15.

Councillor Tommy McVey (Independent, Inverclyde South) (Image: George Munro) Fly-tipping and littering continues to be a problem on the embankment between Woodstock Road and Holefarm Road. I am currently in discussions with council officers and River Clyde Homes to try and resolve this issue.

Work has now started on the new playpark at Smithston. This has been a long time coming and the park will be a great asset for the local community. All going well, the works are due to be completed by the end of the month.

Finally, the stairs between Stafford Road and Westmoreland Road were needing attention and remedial works have now been completed.