Bowling alley to become seniors home

A popular bowling alley on the South Shore will get new life as a seniors residence — with a bowling alley inside.

Opened in 1960, Champion Lanes on Taschereau Blvd. is situated across the street from the Charles LeMoyne Hospital. And though it was still popular, the building needs to undergo extensive renovations, the owner told Presse Canadienne.

Corporation immobilière CôteSt-Luc, which built the bowling alley, said it is partnering with developer Bâtimo to build the new complex, which will continue to have a scaled-down bowling area, said Champion Lanes director general Michel Vallières.

“There was so much money that had to be invested in the building, because of how old it is, that we had to look at other options,” Vallières said.

He said the company decided to sell the building and the land around it. The building will be demolished and replaced by a new one estimated to cost $104 million. The new building will have a 24-lane alley, compared with the 77 lanes in the current building. However, the bowling alley will use only small pins. The large pins will be abandoned, because they are too noisy to be used in a seniors residence, Vallières said.

Champion Lanes employs 60 people, including the workers at the restaurant, the bar and the pool hall. With the new configuration, there won’t be as many employees needed for the bowling alley, but a total of 100 employees will be required. Vallières said those who wish to stay on with new jobs in the seniors residence will be able to do so.

According to the bowling alley’s website, the building will close at the end of May and reopen in the fall of 2018.