Nearly 74 years after its initial opening, the longstanding bowling lanes beneath Shorewood High School are currently undergoing renovations to key structural and aesthetic features. For decades these lanes have served numerous members of the Shorewood community, and are one of the few remaining bowling alleys in public schools across the nation, leading to a feature on the Wisconsin Vintage Bowling Alley Tour in 2024.
“Bowling has been a big part of Wisconsin history, and especially here in Shorewood,” said Erin Cross, director of the Shorewood Recreation Department. “And when [the Bowling Center Association of Wisconsin] found out that we still had a bowling alley in the high school, they added us on to their tour. It was a bus tour of people who were really into bowling, and coming out and checking out vintage lanes throughout the eastern region of Wisconsin. It was a pretty cool event.”
On a local level, the bowling alley is used in a variety of different ways; birthday parties, to teach bowling in PE classes, and open bowling days.
“Bowling is just one of those sports that can be kind of played by anyone and accessed by anyone,” Cross said. “So it’s a real social sport in that aspect. [The bowling alley has] been used by a lot of different groups. So it’s had a big impact on the community.”
These events are coordinated by Justin Calvert, assistant director of the Recreation Department. In addition to creating the program, Calvert is often tasked with fixing the various issues resulting from the old system.
“I am in charge of all operations maintenance for our bowling alley,” Calvert said. “When I got here 10 years ago, I worked with a company, Schemm Bowling, where I bring them in for routine maintenance, [and they] do fixes that I can’t fix. I’ve spent probably 50 to 100 hours behind the lanes fixing pieces.”
While Calvert has orchestrated many repairs for the alley, the system ultimately needed more comprehensive renovations. With models over half a century old, the operations became hazardous over time, resulting in three small fires throughout its short history.
“The lanes are from the 50s [and] they’re very old,” Calvert said. “Nothing’s been upgraded since 2011…we are doing everything we can to get it more operational. So new balls, new shoes, new ball returns.”
Aside from the improved functionality, patrons may note changes to the visual style of the facility, some of which will be the work of Shorewood’s own students.
“Cosmetically it’s going to look better,” Calvert said. “I’m working with the Art Club to paint a mural. They have given me some designs and I approved one. I asked them to add a Shorewood Foundation logo so we can put them on the wall. I want to make [the environment] look very nice, at least right away, so that’s where I got [students] involved.”
This project was possible due to donations from the Shorewood Foundation. This organization funds many different projects in partnership with the Shorewood Recreation department.
“In general, a lot of the amenities that we utilize within the recreation department and that goes with students and the community are supported through the Shorewood Foundation in particular,” Cross said. “In the short time that I’ve been here, we’ve received over $30,000 in grant funds for either programs, community events, or facilities. It’s through generosity like that, that we’re really able to maintain the character and vintageness of the facilities and keep offering things to the community that they want.”
Ultimately, these upgrades will increase the quality of the facility while maintaining the historic atmosphere students and residents have become familiar with. With the rarity of bowling alleys in public schools, it also provides unique opportunities.
“That is so cool for [students] to be able to go down to a bowling alley and learn a bowling unit or have fun, and us to be providing bowling classes and parties at a school is so unique.” Calvert said. “It is a stop on every tour Mr. Kenney takes. It’s just a good environment.”
The remodeling of these buildings carries more significance than the simple reworking of the structural framework. Located physically at the center of the community, the buildings at the high school are often integral parts of numerous activities for many residents due to their distinctive appearance, and the history associated with them.
At its core, this project is a preservation of Shorewood’s history. However, this isn’t the first time that a renovation was intended to do this; a very similar pattern was followed for the SHS pool facility.
“[The designers] took into account the vintage look and style of the pool when they retiled it and tried to match it as close to the original as possible,” Cross said. “I thought [that] was really cool to just kind of keep that character that the pool had. In general, Shorewood really values tradition and the character that these buildings provide.”