It’s A Step Back In Time As Circa-1958 Bowling Alley Will Soon Get the Ball Rolling Again in Oakridge

Look for Pinball Machines, Pool Table, Video Poker, Food, Beverages

By GARY CARL/The Herald

Many years ago — and some may remember this — Oakridge had a bowling alley: “Willamette Lanes.”

It was a real bowling alley providing a place for young and old to enjoy the semi-social sport of bowling.  It beckoned travelers on Highway 58 with a lighted 7-Up sign topped by a flashing arrow pointing to the welcoming roadside attraction.

It boasted eight lanes consisting of real hardwood lanes, pin spotting  and scoring equipment and a relaxing environment for the community.

But that was long ago.  And, the bowling alley, which was built in 1958, closed about 10 years ago.  With its closing, our community lost an important asset.

The building and property had been sitting empty on Highway 58 for years,  looking sad and forlorn.  And then, along came Ben Ward – not in a flash, mind you, but Ward, whose parents had moved to Oakridge from California several years ago, would come to visit them. and he had his eye on the bowling alley as an opportunity to start up a business of his own.

And just as important, he saw it would create an opportunity to move his family from Roseburg to Oakridge.  He patiently watched and waited hoping that some day the property and building might be offered for sale.  And then it was.

Ward acted immediately. His dream was about to come alive.

Still, it took several months of negotiations before a deal could be worked out. Ward and his partner Amber and their baby girl, now 10 months old, had been living in Roseburg where he was the assistant store manager for Sherm’s Thunderbird, a grocery chain.

Ward, 38, had been employed for about 12 years at Sherm’s, where he supervised about 250 employees. Prior to moving to Oakridge he was offered and accepted a management position in Oakridge with Tannerite Sports LLC, the Pleasant Hill-based target company.

While the current COVID-19 pandemic obviously is not a good time to start up a bowling alley, or almost any other business that depends on indoor patrons, Ward’s attitude is that things are so tough now it’s hard to imagine they could get worse.  In a counterintuitive sort of way, he decided this is actually an ideal time to launch a bowling alley.

And so, with a tremendous amount support and encouragement from the Oakridge community, he is working hard to renovate and restore   the vintage but now quite modern bowling alley.

At the start he plans to be open Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and he will organize leagues.  He would also like to develop a high school program once COVID-19 restrictions are relaxed.

He will offer food and beer and wine in a casual bowling alley setting.  His plans include some pinball machines, a pool table and video poker.

And while lots of work lies ahead, a great deal has already been accomplished.  Ward was quick to express appreciation for the local artisans and trades people who have helped him get things back into working order.

The heat is on. The black and white scoring screens are operational as well as the mechanical pinsetters.

So stay tuned for more information.  Bowling will soon return to Oakridge at the big, blue building with the vintage 7-Up sign calling you to pull off Highway 58 and enjoy a step back in time.

Gary Carl is a retired attorney living in Oakridge with his partner, Lynda Kamerrer and two cats, Lucy and Blondie.