Local lanes open again

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This article was published 25/03/2021 (1879 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

With spring break here, and summer on the way, local bowling centres are hoping a free program will entice local families to come and play a game or two.

The Kids Bowl for Free program is gearing up to get kids back in bowling centres across northeast Winnipeg this spring and summer.

The program, which originated in and is based out of the US, provides families who register with two free games of bowling at participating centres, including Chateau Lanes (1145 Nairn Ave.) and Rossmere Lanes (1042 Henderson Hwy.). The objective of the program is to give kids a taste of bowling, in order to foster a long-term relationship with the game.

Melody Savage, co-owner of Chateau Lanes, said her experience with the program over the past seven years has been a positive one.

“Anyone can bowl,” she said. “It’s an opportunity for those kids and families to try out our facility.”

Chateau Lanes, which is a 10-pin bowling centre, aims to provide young bowlers with a number of options to pursue the sport.

“Some just want to have fun,” Savage said. “Some want coaching to get better, and some want to excel, compete and from there, 10-pin offers them the opportunity to represent their province and their country at international events. There’s a higher level that they can get to if they want.”

Rossmere Lanes is also a longtime participant in the Kids Bowl Free program.

“It’s an excellent way to try the sport of bowling,” said Jamie Newton, owner of Rossmere Lanes, which is a five-pin centre. “Ultimately, we hope to get people to come and be involved in our youth program, even groups in scenarios where you’ll bring your family down a couple times a year.”

Families can register online, and either print coupons off at home or download on a mobile app. The program also provides other incentives throughout the year.

“It’s not just a summer program,” Newton noted, adding that Rossmere’s summer program begins June 1. “Any kid who was a member the last two seasons will receive an email for coupons for spring break. There’s some birthday stuff that comes out.”

Many kids who get their first taste of bowling through the summer program sign up for fall programming as well.

“Families are finding out it’s a fairly affordable sport, relative to hockey and even indoor soccer,” Newton said.

While last summer saw numbers at Chateau Lanes drop owing to COVID-19, Savage said in 2019 over 1,000 kids took advantage of the program between April and August.

“Normally, this program produces a lot of sign-ups for our youth bowling program,” Savage added.

For kids who are new to bowling, each fall Chateau Lanes runs an introductory offer, where new recruits to the youth program receive a custom, 10-pin bowling ball to call their own.

“That’s been really successful for us,” Savage said, adding, “It’s priceless to see the look on their face” when the kids are presented with their ball each year.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has not been kind to bowling centres across Manitoba.

“Last year, we were closed for 217 days by health order,” Newton said. “Of that, we were only able to get two months of league play in September and October, which is critical for us.”

Both Rossmere and Chateau Lanes have had to make changes to how their centres operate, in light of the ongoing  pandemic. Usage of balls is limited to single lanes, with full cleaning following each use, while many lanes are left dark with plastic dividers between all seating areas, so as to permit social distancing. Disposable footwear (known as “Darbsters”) can even be purchased, though Newton noted that bowling centres mastered the art of sanitizing bowling shoes years ago.

“You can’t make someone comfortable if they’re not comfortable,” Newton added. “But we’re doing everything we can.”

For more information, or to register at a local lane, visit www.kidsbowlfree.com

Sheldon Birnie
Community Journalist

Sheldon Birnie is a reporter/photographer for the Free Press Community Review. Email him at sheldon.birnie@freepress.mb.ca or call him at 204-697-7112

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