Alley owner gets rolling on new vision for lanes

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 01/06/2020 (2104 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Tod Hughes has the ball rolling on a plan to revitalize an iconic South Osborne business.

The Winnipegger has purchased Park Alleys, a nearly 75-year-old bowling business in the 700 block of Osborne Street near Ashland Avenue.

His plan is to redefine it as a vibrant live-music venue, with a restaurant, bar and six lanes of bowling.

While other small businesses in the province have been forced to shutter permanently owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, it seems like an odd time to forge ahead with a new venture. On Sunday, Hughes said the process of transferring ownership of Park Alleys actually began before the health crisis.

“It is an oddity, so it takes an odd person to do it,” he said, laughing. “But in full disclosure, we actually started all this pre-COVID-19. The closing (of the sale) was set for April 15, but at the end of March no one was leaving their house and we got it extended. The seller was really co-operative.”

Hughes, who has been in commercial real estate for much of his career, was based in Calgary for the last 27 years but just recently moved back to the Manitoba capital.

“People need some good news, and the response has been remarkable. I just put it out there on Facebook for fun. I don’t usually announce my business on Facebook, but we received hundreds of comments, people sharing it, private messages and just a ton of positive feedback,” he said.

“People are anxious for good news and they’re anxious for something interesting to do.”

Hughes envisions six lanes, a full kitchen, indoor and outdoor bar with a garage door that slides open to a narrow patio, and new washrooms, all wheelchair-accessible. The stage will be the focus point.

“I’m a musician and I had a band in Calgary and I’m setting up a new band here. I’m always looking for new, fun venues for musicians to play in. I’m a big believer in live music, so I thought this would be great for that,” he said.

‘People need some good news, and the response has been remarkable’– Tod Hughes, on his decision to renovate Park Alleys during a pandemic

The plan includes new signage and a revamp of the colourful mural of giant pins and bowling balls on the front of the building.

The classic name of the 5,600-square-foot business won’t change, and staff won’t be hired for at least a few months.

“We’re not in a big rush to open it and we’re not going to open it under restricted rules. We’re going to wait until the situation is under control, and we’ve got a lot of work to do in it, anyway. We’re building with an architect and contractor to get the work done inside. Probably, six months or so,” Hughes said.

Something struck Hughes about the intriguing building when he drove past it nearly two years ago.

“At the time I was watching (TV show) Ray Donovan and the bad guy, the mayor, has his meetings in a closed bowling alley, and I thought the place would be perfect for my office. It was kind of a joke,” he said. “But I really did like the building. I inquired about the building but never did anything about it.”

There’s sentimentality attached to the five-pin lanes for Tod and his wife, Laura. She grew up in Riverview and bowled recreationally at Park Alleys, while her mother, Elaine Willows, was a league member there.

Just last November, a family gathering turned into a fun night of hunting strikes and spares at the neighbourhood alleys.

“We walked over there because my sister-in-law lives very close, and went bowling. The guy said it was sold and was going to be closed down and become something else, maybe a gym or something. I thought, ‘Well, that’s too bad. We missed out on that chance.’”

The next day he received a call from the agent saying the deal had fallen apart, and negotiations began almost immediately. The deal closed Friday and Hughes gets the keys today.

“One of the interesting things to me is that they built the alley in 1946, right after the war when people were optimistic and having kids and building families in working-class neighbourhoods,” Hughes said. “This will sound corny but our real motivation is to do something positive for the community — the neighbourhood and music community — as well as providing a place where people can have some fun.

“As a family, we really believe in rescuing old buildings and bringing them back to life. We’re lucky in Winnipeg to have this heritage right in front of us. It’s important to preserve it, to keep the unique vibe that Winnipeg has.”

jason.bell@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPJasonBell