A local family is looking for a passing lane from council to build a bowling alley in Sooke.
The Almhanna family fled war-torn Syria and originally moved to Calgary before settling in Sooke in 2016, said Luis Almhanna, one of the principles involved in the plan - along with his father, Ayman, an electrical engineer in Syria, and his uncle, Bahaa, a medical doctor - for a bowling alley, cafe and restaurant.
The family, which owns Homeyland Childcare, wants to add a 12 to 16-lane five and 10-pin bowling alley, cafe, and restaurant to the property they own at 6727 West Coast Rd. near the intersection of Otter Point Road. The .67-acre property, roughly 2,400 square metres, is currently zoned for a single family home.
"We have met with the senior planner for the District of Sooke to get familiar with what's involved in rezoning," Almhanna said. "We're doing the paperwork, completing some studies and hope to put the proposal forward to the district by the end of September."
He believes Sooke is ready ro embrace bowling as a recreational option, as well as another restaurant and another cafe.
"Bowling is very popular because everyone can do it, from kids to seniors, and there's not a lot of activities in Sooke like that," said Almhanna, in his first year of engineering at the University of Victoria. " It's very versatile, you can play individually, as a family, or form a team or start a league. We see this as an opportunity to bring people together, and we hope those who are interested will show their support. We're setting up a Facebook page so people can follow the progress."
Plans include a two-floor facility with a cafe where people can have a coffee or a meal before or after they bowl, or enjoy authentic Syrian cuisine in the restaurant.
"My grandma is a professional chef," he noted.
Sooke Coun. Al Beddows said he likes the idea of a bowling alley with a restaurant in Sooke.
"The devil is in the details and I have some concerns about the size of the lot," he said. "It's a large lot, but the question is whether it's large enough for the business and parking."
Local historian Elida Peers said Sooke had a bowling alley, Rainbow Lanes, which was built by Bob Hughes in the early 1960s and operated into the 1970s. It was on Highway 14 near the proposed location, had several leagues and was popular with many locals, Peers noted. The original building remains, and has been home to several businesses, including restaurants and a library, and currently the Route 14 restaurant.
