The balls were rolling and the pins were dropping on January 17 at the grand "re-opening" of the Bruno and District Bowling Alley.
About 20 members of the community came out to witness the opening, and to get back into the swing of things by trying out the new "glow-balls" and the refurbished lanes.
Before the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Bruno mayor Audrey Ludwig gave an official welcome speech, and read a personal congratulatory note from MLA Donna Harpauer who couldn't attend.
"A project like this takes a lot of dedication and commitment of community members," Harpauer wrote in her note to the mayor. "At this time, I would like to thank you for making the project a reality."
The facility has undergone a total renovation over the past six months. Gone are the oranges and browns that featured so predominantly in 1970s design.
"We've done a lot of updates," Ludwig said. "We changed the colours, put down new carpeting, replaced the old ceiling tiles, and had the lanes redone."
Part of the interior has been repainted in a warm gold tone, with a contrasting lighter shade of yellow in other areas. Smart, navy blue chairs replace the old brown ones that lined the long, white tables in the snack bar area. It can seat 50 people for a meal, making it an ideal place for catered functions.
"It's a great place to entertain family and friends," Ludwig said. "We'll be using it a lot now, gradually getting people back in for birthday and anniversary parties."
Along with the popcorn and beverages normally available from the snack bar, Bruno resident Angela Rivet made and decorated a cake for the occasion. It was a work of art, with miniature bowling pins, a simulated bowling lane, and the words "Bruno Bowling Alley" spelled out on individual stars.
It is unusual these days for a small town the size of Bruno, population 600, to have its own bowling alley with three lanes. Now that it has been renovated, the facility will once again serve the community as a place to hold many different functions, at reasonable rates.
