Ken Skelding joined us in about 1975.  Having previously been playing hockey in George we were invited to take part in their Easter tournament that year.  Ken felt we should reciprocate and invite George and Saasveld to Durbanville for the 1976 Easter weekend.  Invitations were sent out to at least four other clubs.  The cost to all participating members was R2-00 which covered “Saturday night dinner dance and a contribution towards the costs of meat for the visitors as well as other expenses which the club would incur”.

We had quite a number of annual visits to George during the month of September and were almost always washed out.  The tournaments were changed to Easter and the venue changed to Durbanville.  Year after year these tournaments became more and more popular and successful.  Upwards of twenty invitation sides from all over the country took part.  We had sides from Windhoek, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Kleinzee, both ladies and men, who participated.  They really were very successful tournaments which benefited the financial coffers substantially.  Unfortunately rising costs began to put a break on the visiting teams and the tournament eventually petered out.

In the mid-seventies we were fortunately able to go ahead with the installation of overhead floodlights to our main hockey field.  Much of the investigation and ground works having been done by our secretary at the time, Sandy Veitch.  Three floodlight poles were erected on the one side of the field and could be termed permanent.  Unfortunately three poles had to be temporarily erected in line with the cricket pitch.  It was the task of the members to remove these three poles at the end of each playing season and before the start of the cricket season.  This procedure had to be reversed before the start of the next hockey season.  There were always enough willing hands to undertake these tasks.  Acquiring floodlights was certainly a godsend for the club.

The Durbanville Sports Club, viz. Cricket Club, mens’ and ladies hockey sections and Table Tennis were pushing our tiny clubhouse to its limit.  We only had two change rooms, one kitchen and one lounge where table tennis had to be played.

We always endeavoured to remain on friendly terms with the municipality who assisted us when they could.  Through their efforts, the Department of Sport and Recreation granted us R5,000-00 for extensions to the clubhouse.  In addition, a R2,000-00 loan from the Council was granted for labour.  At times we thought the municipality was slow in coming forward with help, but they really were on our side and interested in our progress.

To the earlier Town Clerk, Mr Sam Squires followed by Mr Dennis Smit, Mayors Gene Louw and Gideon Basson, town engineer Maurice Pollet with assistant John Potgieter, who was one of our playing members, we must say – “We could not have done it without you”.

The same thanks must go to our own playing member stalwarts, viz.  John Veglia (as previously mentioned), Brian Hynes, Ronnie Mathews, who kept the pressure on the municipality.

The new extensions to the clubhouse got underway – the municipality undertaking to do the building work, while many of our members were able to secure much of the material requirements at competitive prices.  All purchases were handled by the municipality.  Completion costs were within budget.

A cheese and wine official opening was arranged and invitations were sent to the then Minister of Sport, the honourable Pieter Koornhof and MP and Cape Administrator, Mr Gene Louw (who had been a former mayor of Durbanville).  Both happily accepted.  This was in May 1978.  Those who attended the function will remember it as an extremely happy and hilarious evening – both guests were in top form and had everyone in stitches.