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New hope for bowlers in Hutchinson

by Jim Grawe

KWCH 12 Eyewitness News

10:17 PM CST, February 27, 2013

(HUTCHINSON, Kan.)

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Hutchinson's last bowling alley closed over a year ago.  Now it's a church.

The Janzen family used to bowl several times a week.

"A lot of this town has just quit bowling," Levi Janzen says.  "But I can't do that.  It's in my blood."

Now they have to drive more than half an hour--to either Wichita or Newton--to throw some balls.

With a population of 42,000, Reno County Commissioner Brad Dillon agrees Hutchinson is probably one of the biggest cities in the nation without a bowling alley.  He and a partner bought some land and got it rezoned with the hopes of building a new one.

"People want one," Dillon says.  "They continually talk about the fact they have to go out of town for entertainment.  We want to keep them here."

But Dillon says it's hardly a done deal.  There are still a lot of details to work out.  Building a new bowling alley is a costly investment.  Still, the Janzens are hopeful.

"We're real excited about that," Janzen says.  "It'll probably take a year--at least another year."

Until then, they can only add to their trophy collection by leaving town, or by taking on the residents at Wesley Towers Retirement Community who have Wii bowling tournments every week.


Bowling returns to Hutchinson