Gutterball disrepair

Standing in the lobby of the Back Alley in the Indiana Memorial Union, many bowlers' complaints are not only directed towards the sub-par game they may have just bowled, but also towards the conditions and frequent breakdowns in the alley. \n"It looks really old -- like (from the) early 90s, 'Saved by the Bell' gone bad," said senior Coleen Adley. \nThe Back Alley was built in 1957 and has never been renovated, said John Bower, the manager of Recreation Center in the IMU. \n"There comes a point where new coats of paint on the walls won't cut it," Bower said. \nSeven of the 12 lanes have a history of breaking down, said senior and Back Alley employee Tomo Sato,. Sunday five of the lanes were not usable. Bower said there are holes in the gutters and some of the kickbacks are cracked. He also said the pool tables, which are the same tables as originally installed in 1957, are nearing the end of their life. \nBloomington resident and incoming freshman Andrew Saucier plays pool at the Back Alley with his friends almost every day because it's the only all-ages pool hall he knows of in town. He said the pool tables are usable but most of the cues are warped. \n"You kind of have to fish around to find a good cue," Saucier said. \nDespite the criticisms, many bowlers said they are still happy bowling at the Back Alley.\nRecreational bowler Nick Dale, an IU senior, enjoys bowling at The Back Alley because it is cheap, close to campus and less crowded than other bowling alleys in town. He said he likes the friendly atmosphere. \nJunior Jamie Minick, a Back Alley employee, said the facility provides entertainment for all ages. \n"It's a good family center," she said. "The weekends and nights host lots of families, especially during the summer and during freshman orientation sessions." \nIU is home to bowling team and a billiards team. The bowling team is not NCAA-sponsored, but it competes nationally against teams who are. If the facility were updated, Bower said the team could host small competitions in Bloomington instead of traveling to Indianapolis.\nEach fall and spring semester there are 14 sections of bowling classes and 12 sections of billiards classes through the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation. About 500 students participate in the bowling classes. The Back Alley employees consider it a University classroom, which makes it eligible for University funding. \nBower said that bringing the Back Alley up to modern standards would require a complete renovation. He estimated the project would total $450,000 to $500,000. \nFacilities like the Back Alley are common at Midwestern universities, said Bower, though some centers have been remodeled. Two years ago, Purdue University's bowling alley was remodeled. University of Illinois spent $500,000 two years ago to transform its bowling alley into what Bower called "a gorgeous place to bowl." \nThe Back Alley is open from 12 p.m. to 11 p.m. daily for bowling, billiards and video games. With an IU student ID it costs $1.75 per game of bowling, $1.50 for shoe rental and $5 per hour of billiards.