Another Bowling Centre Gone...

Gee, I'm beginning to think I'm jinxing tenpin bowling centres here in Perth.

Fairlanes closed at the end of 2006. Now, Craigie Bowl is closing today (Friday). Here's a few pictures I took during my last shift there last night:











AMF's new, 32 lane centre in Joondalup, about 5km from Craigie, is opening today (Friday). I'll be going over there later today to have a look and take some pictures.

Hehe... I finally managed to snag the official opening plaque as you can see in the last picture. Took ages to remove it from the pillar near the control counter where its been since 1989. Craigie Bowl was built (converted from a roller skating rink) and owned by the Fairlanes group until it was sold to AMF in September, 1998.

I've noticed that with smaller screen resolutions, for example, with laptops, the right hand side of the pictures is cropped. Presumably by the forum software. I'll post the direct links here for anyone who sees that happening to them.

https://2img.net/h/oi43.tinypic.com/23kta2x.jpg

https://2img.net/h/oi42.tinypic.com/wmb1g1.jpg

https://2img.net/h/oi44.tinypic.com/11b55a9.jpg

https://2img.net/h/oi40.tinypic.com/20hq92p.jpg

https://2img.net/h/oi43.tinypic.com/1256tqd.jpg

There's a bit of a humorous story attached to the unveiling of that plaque in 1989. I was there at the time.

Here's some background information about Graham Edwards: http://www.awm.gov.au/exhibitions/fiftyaustralians/16.asp

He lost both of his legs in the Vietnam war and has been in a wheelchair ever since.

After he unveiled the plaque, he was given a present which was wrapped up in gift paper. One of the guys there, who was, and still is a top bowler said: "What is it? Bowling shoes?"

Everybody saw the funny side of it and had a laugh, even Graham Edwards.

you stole a piece of history

so not a day off between, one closes and you are going to work at the new location on Friday?

Doreen wrote:you stole a piece of history

so not a day off between, one closes and you are going to work at the new location on Friday?

Nah, the manager and even the assistant manager at Craigie said I could have it. It probably would have been thrown out when the new owners take possession and convert the building into a medical centre.

Just going to Joondalup to have a look and take some pictures later. At this stage, I'm not going to be working there. I'm taking a break after 21 years in that industry. They only had 2 shifts a week for me at the moment, not worth the 70km round trip from where I live. They may have more shifts available when they do an assessment after the first month and they see how many problems they have.

Carol the manager says she'll keep me on the books and I can go back and start working at Joondalup whenever I like. But, I think I might be moving on to something else outside the bowling industry. Different pinsetting machines at Joondalup, never worked on them before so I'd have to learn them. They look fairly easy though.

Oh noes! He is moving to Canada!!!

shanaya wrote:Oh noes! He is moving to Canada!!!

you can run, but you cannot hide!

shanaya wrote:Oh noes! He is moving to Canada!!!

Got any jobs going there at the moment?

Doreen wrote:you stole a piece of history

Most of the staff didn't even know that plaque was there until I told them. It was on the brick column behind and below the top of the ticket prize machine on the right in this picture (behind the girl):



That's the café on the left, the reception desk and lanes are off to the right.

Take a nice rest Carl you deserve it.

sharber60 wrote:Take a nice rest Carl you deserve it.

Thanks, Sharon.

Here's a few pictures I took at the new Joondalup Bowl tonight:







The lanes look like they glow blue under the ultraviolet lights.

The scorer screens at the top of the first and third pictures are 40 inch LCD monitors (NEC TV's, actually). The large screens at the pins end of the lanes are projector screens which can be raised or lowered - 16 of them, one for each pair of lanes. The images are provided by 16 LCD projectors.

I'll be back there on Sunday to take some more pictures of the outside of the building and more of the inside. I'll try to get some with the projector screens up and the normal lane lighting on.

Here's the direct links in case the images are cropped:

https://2img.net/h/oi42.tinypic.com/bi5rph.jpg
https://2img.net/h/oi40.tinypic.com/e84bk1.jpg
https://2img.net/h/oi44.tinypic.com/nd0e42.jpg

bowling is high tech since I've been to a bowling alley...

great place, Are you going to take us on the tour when we get to Australia?


I think it was almost 30 years ago I was in a league in Point Edward, Ontario. Canada. lol

Doreen wrote:
Are you going to take us on the tour when we get to Australia?

Uh-oh! *Carl checks his passport in case he needs to leave Australia in a hurry*

Here's a few more I took yesterday (Sunday). I'll just post them as links this time.

https://2img.net/h/oi40.tinypic.com/2b48ht.jpg
https://2img.net/h/oi41.tinypic.com/fu8bps.jpg
https://2img.net/h/oi40.tinypic.com/292txjt.jpg
https://2img.net/h/oi44.tinypic.com/2vmyd6u.jpg
https://2img.net/h/oi43.tinypic.com/5b36uw.jpg
https://2img.net/h/oi41.tinypic.com/2btrbn.jpg

Got there at 10am and the place was already packed with people.

I'll try and get some pictures of the inside with the video screens up and the 'normal' lights on when I go back there on Wednesday afternoon.

are you going to go to work for them? When do you start?

Doreen wrote:are you going to go to work for them? When do you start?

Maybe.

I'm taking a break for the moment. A long break. Haven't had a holiday for nearly three and a half years.

Finally managed to get some pictures at Joondalup with the video screens up, here's one:

https://2img.net/h/oi39.tinypic.com/20h0e8o.jpg

I like this idea:

https://2img.net/h/oi44.tinypic.com/2h5l7d0.jpg

Bowling shoe sizes are usually a size different to 'normal' shoes. Everyone can check their shoe sizes with that.

that is a cute way to measure your feet.