Mikayla Davis
The Communicator

The Spokane Falls Community College bowling alley’s future is in the gutter and students are looking to see what’s in line as a replacement for the space.
The bowling alley closed last year for a couple of different reasons.
“Someone phoned in an anonymous complaint about how the bowling alley was being run.” Alicia Villa, President of the Associated Student Government (ASG), said. That complaint has resulted in the Community Colleges of Spokane being fined. “At this rate, they cannot keep the bowling alley open without incurring more fines.” said Villa .
To make the situation worse, a coach was killed in an accident at the bowling alley at Spokane Community College, and since that happened safety has been a main concern for the district. “It’s about safety, it really is.” Villa said.
A survey sent out by the ASG during winter quarter asked students what they thought should be done with the section of the recreation center where the bowling alley is currently located.
Alicia Villa wanted to get the students’ opinion. “Student space and student money pays for what students want. It should never have to pay for what the administration feels like is important.” Villa said.
Well, the results are in. Out of the 298 surveys submitted, 10% of students didn’t even know where the Rec center was located. However, of the 90% who did, many ideas of what could be done with the space were submitted.
Heather McKenzie WaitE, the Director of Student Funded Programs, said that some of the submitted ideas were not viable; building a roller derby rink, a hookah bar, or a strip club. Other ideas, such as having a campus pub, were equally unlikely.
However, more viable options such as a lounge space, a karaoke room, or a movie theatre are being considered.
According to McKenzie WaitE, the student government is hoping to achieve is a room that is as “multifunctional, multifaceted as possible.”
The room would be used “like a multi-purpose use lounge, so kind of the way that we use the SUB lobby,” Alicia Villa said.
“This administration, with Dr. Gullickson, Jim Minkler, Darren Pitcher, they’re all very concerned with making sure we [the students] are getting what we want and that they’re meeting the student needs.” Villa said.
The ASG hopes to build a curtained stage that would be able to host a variety of event such as comedy shows, karaoke, poetry readings, and smaller musical events.
According to McKenzie WaitE, the bowling lanes will be “repurposed into a permanent dance floor.
“There won’t be any permanent seating,” McKenzie WaitE said, except for the buddy bars that are already there. New couches would be purchased for the space.
One of the submitted suggestions proposed that new screens be installed on the walls in order to create a space that has 360° utility for the students.
Included in these renovations would be theatre lighting and a PA system for sound.
Funds have already been set aside for building this new space. “$225,000 has been allocated by the students for the renovation,” McKenzie WaitE said. Some of the funding has been supplied by Service and Activities fees.
The ASG is trying to be “as cost effective as we can. State money doesn’t usually go to community colleges because they’re not prestigious and the point of community college is to operate on a smaller budget.” Villa said.
A student architect, who has already been hired to reimagine the Student Union Building lobby, will also be designing this proposed replacement for the bowling alley.
While there is no estimated date for construction, McKenzie WaitE hopes the students will approve of the new space.