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The Mosgiel Memorial RSA will put its bowling club property on the market in an about-face as it battles to get back in the black.
The national Returned and Services Association president, B.J. Clark, said he was saddened by the possibility the RSA could be left with no physical presence in Dunedin.
At its annual meeting in June, the Mosgiel RSA proposed selling its main building, including clubrooms and restaurant, at 6 Church St and extending the existing building across the road at 3 Church St, on property used by the RSA bowling club, to accommodate the downsized club.
That move came after the club's precipitous financial decline from a $14,000 surplus to a deficit of more than $100,000 in the space of two years, which was blamed on a lack of patronage at its bar and restaurant.
But during an extraordinary general meeting on Sunday, members present voted to place the bowling club property on the market as well.
Mosgiel Memorial RSA chairman Major Peter Amyes said there had been no firm decisions made on the sale of 3 Church St, and the results of the marketing would be brought back to the membership for a decision on what would happen to the assets.
"There's no concrete decisions here - it's just a decision to market the properties in order to create information and knowledge to look at options for what we may look like in the future.
"Everyone has different views on what should or should not have happened, but the board is very clear we are going back to the members of the club to get the direction.''
Tenders have not closed on the clubrooms and restaurant at 6 Church St.
Some members of the Mosgiel Memorial RSA bowling club had been vocal in their opposition to the club locking the doors of the club and preventing them playing, but Maj Amyes said the move to sell 3 Church St reflected the overall mood of the Mosgiel RSA.
"We can't follow one small element of the club - we have to take into account the whole membership, and what they wish to do.''
National president Mr Clark said he was not involved in discussions at the Mosgiel Memorial RSA, though he had been briefed.
"It's the responsibility of the national body to monitor what is happening with our RSAs.''
In some cases, when RSAs in other areas had fallen into strife they had ceased to have a physical presence.
"There are a number of RSAs around the country that do not operate from their own buildings but still carry out the care and the duty of their RSA.''
Those clubs might meet in a pub, club or office loaned to them, but still carried out their role, Mr Clark said.
"It saddens me that we might have no RSA based in Dunedin.''