On April 7, the board of the Colinton Community Club (CCC) met with close to 30 users of the Colinton Lanes bowling alley to discuss the future management and operation of the lanes.
The bowlers had requested a meeting to discuss their concerns and the possibility of reaching an agreement between current manager Tracy Blundon and the CCC regarding the lanes lease.
The group made a petition for the cause, which garnered 42 signatures.
Earlier this year, Blundon had reached a lanes lease agreement with CCC president Cindy Lamoureux. However, this agreement was turned down by the CCC board. Talks have been stagnant for the past few months.
According to long-time bowler Shirley Backstrom, the CCC turned down the requests of the bowlers at the meeting.
“Everything we asked for, they said they couldn’t do it,” Backstrom said. Along with keeping Blundon on, the group wanted to see more renovations done to the building.
According to Lamoureux, the meeting was a great opportunity to hear the concerns of the Colinton citizens.
“They were very good and they had some very legitimate concerns.
“We assured them that no matter what happens with the manager, the bowling alleys are not going to shut down,” Lamoureux said.
The CCC is working to acquire grant funding and hopes to deal with some of the group’s concerns about the building.
“We just don’t have enough money to do it all at once,” said Lamoureux. “We tried to assure them that with the funds we have, we’re doing the best we can.”
Blundon’s resignation is effective at the end of the month, and Lamoureux said the CCC is starting to advertise for a replacement. It is unclear how the lanes will operate over the summer.
Lamoureux said summer operation is somewhat contingent “on if, and when, we get a new manager and whether they choose to start in the summer or in August.”
Lamoureux said Blundon is welcome to apply for the position.
However, Blundon said she has no intention of doing so.
“Why should I have to apply if I’m already here?” Blundon said. “I don’t see why they can’t come to a compromise on the contract.”
Lamoureux stated the club has volunteers who are prepared to operate the lanes until a manager is hired.
“We will find someone to run the lanes,” Lamoureux said.
Backstrom, who has been bowling at Colinton since 1991, said it will be hard for volunteers to operate the lanes as they won’t know how to work the computers that operate the mechanisms effectively.
“I don’t think that’s going to go over well,” Backstrom said.
According to Backstrom, some bowlers planned to put their names forward for spots on the CCC’s board when positions opened up at the club’s annual general meeting on April 14. Open spots included CCC president, as Lamoureux confirmed she would be stepping down.
As of press time, changes to the CCC board were not known.
