Lizzie Lanes already earning strikes

Windsor Park

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This article was published 08/01/2025 (503 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A staple of neighbourhood life in Windsor Park has been pulled out of the gutter by a local couple.

The refurbished Lizzie Lanes bowling alley opened its doors on Dec. 14, almost 10 years since its predecessor, Windsor Lanes, was closed for good.

While the entrance to the lanes is a side door — marked by a sign in the shape of a bowling pin — in Windsor Park strip mall at 678 Elizabeth Rd., it is an inarguable landmark to many who have lived or grew up in the area.

The new venture is run by owner Jeffery Patrick and his wife, Jodie. The two have been “Windsor Parkians” for 18 years, with Jeffery’s family heritage running even deeper.

“I’ve seen it (the lanes) closed for almost a decade,” said Jeffery, 51. “And our neighbourhood doesn’t have anything like this, for just regular people to go and enjoy at a decent price. So I think our neighbourhood needed somebody to do it, and I figured I might as well be that one.”

Neither have previously run a business, which has led to a lot of “‘Oh my God’ moments,” Jodie said, but the space has also paved the way for a lot of collaboration. There were 11 employees at Lizzie Lanes at time of this publication, and most of them — including two of the Patricks’ five daughters — are working their first jobs.

“We can’t do it on our own,” said Jodie, 45. “There’s no way … family and friends have definitely helped us. The painting was done by friends and family. It was a big job, getting everything done in here before we could open.”

The space has been completely overhauled. Not only are the walls a fresh shade of purple — aside from the classic neon lettering overlooking the lanes — there’s now a larger lounge area, a place to throw darts, and a brand-new stage for jam nights, open mics, and more.

“People can walk down with, like, their violin and play on the stage,” Jodie said. “All genres, we don’t care … We’re not going to say ‘no’ to anything. So it’ll be really low key, just for people to come and have fun.”

Lizzie Lanes is just finding its footing at the moment, but there are big plans for the future. The couple aims to make it a “50/50 space” — half bowling and half lounge, where people from the area can come by and simply enjoy themselves.

That was the best part to see during the first three weeks of operation, according to Jeffery: “Watching people.”

Business got off to a slow start, but boomed during Lizzie Lanes’ third week of operation, the week of New Year’s Day, which brought a party of approximately 60 graduates of Windsor Park Collegiate to a bowling bash on New Year’s Eve.

“That was really neat to see them all come together and have a blast in their old neighbourhood. Half of them don’t live here anymore, but they all grew up here. So it was really neat,” Jodie said.

“It’s been really great,” she added, in more general terms, and Jeffery agreed.

“A lot of people didn’t know that we were open. So the more people that walk through here, when they leave, (the more people) talk about us. Word of mouth is still the best way for us to get business, especially if they had a good time, and I don’t think anyone has been disappointed so far.”

Lizzie Lanes is active on Facebook and Instagram (@lizzie_lanes). To reserve lanes or ask questions, you can send a message to either social media account, email lizzielanes678@hotmail.com, or call 204-594-8250.

Lizzie Lanes is open Tuesday to Thursday from 3 to 10 p.m., Friday from 3 to 11 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.