With fall on the doorstep and winter rapidly approaching, it’s time to start thinking about fun and fit indoor activities to get residents through the cold, dark nights - and bowling just might be the answer.
The Beaver Valley Lanes are up and rolling with a shiny new coat of paint, state-of-the-art laser show and a new juke box to add to their already superb facility.
“It’s so much cooler than last year, it’s much more welcoming, you can choose your own music and the light show is awesome,” said Lanes manager Kris MacGillivray.
The Fruitvale resident is pushing for participants to join the various bowling leagues, which have seen a decline.
“If people don’t use it, eventually we’re going to lose it.”
The Lanes offer everything from youth bowling to mixed adult and public bowl, in addition to hosting functions and parties for any occasion.
But the manager is most concerned about the once thriving youth program.
“We’re once again promoting our YBC kids bowling program. We had a drop in numbers this year and we’d really like to encourage ages four to 18 to come out.”
For the first time in years, the youth club is without any senior youth bowlers, which is unfortunate from a mentoring standpoint but also a competitive one, says MacGillivray.
“Younger kids look up to the older bowlers, and it’s really great in tournaments for the combo teams, (a bowler from each age group) where the older kid is their rock.”
B.V. Lanes would also like to fill up their adult bowling leagues that started last week - and continue to accept individuals and teams.
As an added incentive local sponsors like Kootenay Savings, Fruitvale Pharmacy, PriAmerica, Champion Lakes Golf Course and Summit Subaru have all pledged to participate in the perfect game initiative.
For any league bowler that bowls a 450-perfect game, they will receive over $500 in cash and prizes.
“They have to be a league bowler, but it can be a YBC child all the way up to adult.”
Bowl B.C. is also a huge supporter of the Variety of Hearts Club telethon and last year B.V. Lanes raised close to $1,500 for the charity.
MacGillivray is back at it this year and bowling patrons have already filled a large water jug full of change and is working on the second.
Bowl B.C. is celebrating its 25th year of involvement with Variety and has raised over $2 million in pledges in that time thanks to contributors like the Beaver Valley Lanes.
“If we can improve on that this year, even better,” she added. “The beautiful thing about bowling is that it doesn’t discriminate. It doesn’t matter if you’re old or young, big or small, athletic or not, anyone can bowl. But most of all it’s fun, and that’s the most important thing.”
Public bowling goes Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Call 367-9111 for times.