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Ashland�s only bowling alley closes photo by Jim Craven By John Darling ASHLAND � Trinity Lanes, this city�s only bowling alley and home to a slew of league and school teams, closes today for financial reasons. "I�m devastated," said Jean Walker, Ashland, a bowler on the Wednesday Seniors team. "It�s been part of our lives for years." Owner Ken Wilkinson said overhead, such as lease payment, utilities, taxes and labor, surpassed income from the small operation throughout his four years of ownership with his wife, Michelle. They have filed personal bankruptcy. "We always struggled," he said. "But with a small number of lanes like this, you just can�t generate the income. And it takes just as much labor to run our 12 lanes as it would to run 24." The new 40-lane Lava Lanes in Medford cut into business, as did Ashland�s new YMCA pool, The Grove teen center and the boom in kids� cable television channels and video games, he said. "On top of that, the city (of Ashland) owns and operates an ice rink, golf course and ski area," he said. "They�re my competition." Trinity has hosted bowling for Ashland High School, Southern Oregon University physical education classes, youth groups, church groups, service clubs, seniors, business parties, birthday parties, the Special Olympics and "adults who just want to go out Friday night and not go to bars." Wilkinson sparked formation of AHS teams two years ago. The girls team won the state championship last year and the boys came in third. Wilkinson said he�s dedicated to the teams� survival and has shifted their practices to Roxy Ann Lanes in Medford, where the teams will continue as club sports. The SOU bowling classes have been canceled, however. Wilkinson was able to shift the seniors league to Roxy Ann, he added. "I hate to see it go," said Don Adamson of White City, a seniors league bowler. "We�re going to move it to Roxy Ann Lanes, but under protest." "I think it�s terrible," said Barbara Mc Quade of Ashland, "because Ken made state champions of the high school kids and it�s good for the town of Ashland." "I�m extremely disappointed," said Paul Walker, Ashland. "It�s been home to us for 11 years and Ken sure has struggled hard to make it work." If Ashland wants bowling in its future, Wilkinson said, it will take someone with "deep pockets" who can put in a "state-of-the-art operation with all the bells and whistles," including a sports bar and arcade games. Wilkinson recently offered the business to previous owner Kelly "K.J." Davis, who sold Trinity when her husband and business partner, also named Kelly Davis, was killed in a 1996 plane crash. She declined, Wilkinson said. Wilkinson has leased the 1940s-era building from Steve Meister, owner of several adjacent properties on Siskiyou Boulevard. The search is on for a new lessee for the fully furnished bowling alley, said Meister, but if that doesn�t pan out, the building can be used for other businesses. The Wilkinsons plan to stay in the area and find other work, preferably in bowling, he said. "But we�re not dumping any more money into this. It�ll be nice to get normal schedules and work 40 hours a week instead of 60 � and get a paycheck. It�s been great, but I�m turning 40 and we�ve got a kid and you just get to the point where you need something at the end of the rainbow." Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2000 Mail Tribune, Inc.