Bowling has returned to Golden, with Alley Cat Bowling Alley opening its doors to the public earlier this month.
The bowling alley, which had sat closed for years, has undergone a major facelift and renovation.
Owner Jason Hardy hopes the alley can be a rallying spot for the community.
“I hope this can become a meeting spot for after other activities, or on a rainy day, or when you’ve played enough games on your phone or Xbox,” said Hardy.
“We’re really psyched that we’ve been able to open, when we watch people using stuff that we thought of and have been working on for two years.
“Seeing it in reality is awesome.”
Hardy and his crew have spent two years renovating the bowling alley, updating the washrooms and lounge area, as well as painting a mural on the outside of the building.
He was first inspired to take on the project, he says, because he loves Golden and jumped at the opportunity to help revitalize the downtown core with a business of his own.
“We love Golden, we love the hill, coming from Banff, it’s beautiful there but it doesn’t have the same heart,” said Hardy.
“This community is coming along.
“With the brewery and the skybridge and the development of the dike, we want to bring back that community stuff.”
Hardy says the bowling alley building is full of history, and how throughout the process of renovating it he felt like he could visualize and here the kids who used to set the pins and the voice of patrons past.
It’s something he tried to stay true to with his vision for the business.
“When we finally opened our doors, to hear voices and people again, the building had a memory as a community building and we’re carrying on that legacy,” said Hardy.
The response to the alley has been phenomenal so far, according to Hardy.
Moving forward, he said wants to introduce leagues, but the primary clientele will be remain the casual bowler.
The bowling alley has a liquor primary license, which means that those of age can enjoy a beverage from the bar, with the alley bringing in cocktails and craft beers for their clientele.
While the original intent was to serve food, Hardy says they elected not to as there are plenty of great local spots for food right around the corner.
He doesn’t want to cannibalize anyone’s business, instead desiring to work in harmony with the existing downtown core.
Alley Cat Bowling has eight refurbished lanes and is open from 5 to 10 p.m. daily.
