End of an era for Ipswich Tenpin

Dean Margiolas’s Ipswich Tenpin bowling business, decimated by January’s flood, will not reopen.

Claudia Baxter

IPSWICH Tenpin owner Dean Margiolas has come to the painful conclusion that he cannot reopen the popular bowling alley.

In January the bowling alley at Bundamba was inundated by floodwater.

Still reeling from the shock of the floods, two months later Mr Margiolas was evicted from the premises after his landlord evoked a clause that said if the business was interrupted by a natural disaster, he could end the lease.

Undaunted, Mr Margiolas set out to find a new venue for the business that he bought in 2001 after coming to Australia from Chicago.

His task was made more difficult by the fact the building needed a long, uninterrupted span because there can’t be beams between the lanes.

Mr Margiolas said yesterday he had worked with Ipswich City Council to find a new venue but it had proved to be financially unviable.

“We just can’t afford to reopen. We thought we had found a suitable location at Bundamba but we couldn’t afford the fees,” he said.

“The bank won’t loan us any more money.

"We weren’t making a lot of money, we were more of a community place.

“I’m unemployed now and I’m just trying to get my life in order.”

He said it was difficult to come to terms with the fact the business that attracted up to 90,000 people a year was no more.

“It’s like a death in the family,” he said.

“We went from having a business that was viable and ended with losing it.

“I think people never really appreciated what the bowl brought to the community.”

Ipswich bowler Sharyn Crouchen said Ipswich Tenpin was a great recreational centre that provided an invaluable community service.

Ms Crouchen said that in return, the centre had supported and facilitated growth in the Ipswich region for 30 years.

“Many of the bowlers with disabilities together with the seniors, social bowlers, league and state team representatives have asked the simple question: ‘When is our bowl going to re-open?’” she said.

Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale said the council had worked with Mr Margiolas for six months to help him reopen.

He said five site options were considered – Parrot St, Raceview; Beirne St, Wulkuraka; Riverlink; Citiswitch and the Homemaker Centre in Brisbane St, which was a bowling alley in the 70s – but none were viable.

He said a suitable new building would cost between $5 million and $7 million to establish and it was unlikely that could be recouped.

“At the end of the day we couldn’t use ratepayers’ money for it,” Cr Pisasale said.

“But it plays a vital role in the community and if there’s anyone out there who wants to invest in him I’d be happy to discuss it with them.”

Meanwhile Dave and Deb Buttner, owners of Ipswich Skateaway – which is in the same building as Ipswich Tenpin – hope to reopen in time for the September school holidays.