For 61 years people young and old have been trying to hit strikes at REVS Burnaby Bowling Centre, but now the end is in sight.
“Being here since day one, it’s really sad,” Margaret Lee said.
Lee started playing here in 1963 as a teenager in the Chinese Bowling League.
“There were a lot of people here. It was so crowded and it was very hard to get in,” she told Global BC. “If we didn’t have a special time to come in our league, we’d be waiting. There’d be a waitlist.”
Much like the pins in REVS’ 48 lanes, the building itself will soon be knocked down.
“I bowled here and met so many friends, then I ended up working here for the last 25 years.” Rob Taylor said, REVS’ vice president.
It brings passionate bowler and REVS’ vice president no joy to close the doors. But he says the building can’t be spared.
Behind the scenes, the largest 10-pin bowling alley in Western Canada said it has been losing money for years because of unaffordable property taxes.
“(It’s) an astronomical amount. It’s based on highest and best use,” Taylor said. “They’re applying residential tower and commercial property taxes to use which we unfortunately can’t bear.”
Keltic Canada Development bought the four-acre property with plans to build up to three residential towers.
There will also be commercial space and Keltic isn’t ruling out another bowling alley.
“If financially feasible and mutually beneficial in the future, Keltic will gladly consider partnering with REVS or another bowling operator when we begin programming the proposed commercial space,” Keltic staff said in a statement.
REVS will stay open for at least one more year as the new owners go through the permitting process.
So there’s still some time to throw one last ball down memory lane.
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