City to investigate options for preserving Vernon bowling alley

On behalf of Lincoln Lanes, Leask started an online petition to garner support on a proposition to have the city purchase the bowling facility on 25th Avenue, which garnered nearly 2,700 signatures ahead of her presentation Monday.

“We are requesting the City of Vernon form a committee to investigate the opportunity purchasing Lincoln Lanes provides to the expansion of its active living facilities and services,” Leask stated.

The owners of the bowling alley, the Wiffen family, have been trying to sell Lincoln Lanes for the past year, but as the land they are situated on is zoned as residential, any potential buyer would not be able to do much needed renovations and expansions to the bar and restaurant portion of the facility.

The zoning, according the owner, has also resulted in the majority of people who have shown interest in the property expressing a want to knock the building down and build housing at the site.

Leask told council that the owner had previously written the City of Vernon’s real estate manager to propose the sale, but she said a brief email reply stating the administration was not interested was the only response they received.

According to Leask, the owners were willing to sell the bowling alley to the city for $1.9-million, which she said was the cost of the land.

Following her presentation, Coun. Kelly Fehr stated he recognized that bowling is an accessible and affordable recreation option, but added, as it’s not currently a service through Vernon Recreation, there may need to be a tax increase, and that the location of the lanes is “absolutely perfect for housing.”

In response, Leask pointed to how the City of Port Coquitlam was purchasing, dismantling and relocating a bowling alley that was up for sale, stating while bowling was historically a 100 per cent private owned enterprise, “[Bowling’s] not going to exist here in Vernon and in many places across B.C. under that [private] model. So Port Coquitlam took that move to do something new and I think Vernon can learn from that.”

Acting Mayor Akbal Mund acknowledged the accessibility and affordability of bowling but also the need for housing and interest in moving the lanes elsewhere so the property is suitable for housing. He also told Vernon Matters after the meeting an option could be rezoning the land so the upgrades to the restaurant and bar could be made by new owners.

Coun. Kari Gares also recognized the accessibility of bowling, but noted a deeper dive was needed to investigate options.

Council then voted unanimously in favour of accepting the delegation for information and with tasking staff with investigating options of purchasing the bowling alley.

A report with options, be it purchase the facility, purchase and move the lanes, rezone the property so a private developer could expand on the facility, or other potential opportunities, will be presented to council at the next regular meeting Monday, August 14.

by Liam Verster

City to investigate options for preserving Vernon bowling alley

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