Elmwood residents celebrate newly accessible Eastview Bowl

Hunter’s Eastview Bowling Alley reopened this month after renovations to make the building fully wheelchair accessible.

Elmwood Residences, an organization in Saskatoon that supports individuals with intellectual disabilities, held a party at the alley to celebrate the new opportunity for its residents to bowl more independently.

Allison Hunter, manager of Eastview Bowl, invited 650 CKOM to check out the newly renovated building. The changes included the removal of steps and lips, the addition of more accessible seating, and movable tables to allow bowlers more space in their lanes.

Hunter’s Eastview Bowl in Saskatoon is now fully Wheelchair Accessible🎳 pic.twitter.com/s8q5DJGmub

— Payton (@paytonnnz) August 21, 2024

Hunter said it was very important for her to make the changes in order to serve everyone in the community.

“I hated them being separate. I hated them not being the same as everyone else. I wanted them to have the same experience that everyone else did,” Hunter explained.

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“We needed to make sure there was enough space for them to move around and get where they needed to go to… Now more people can participate in an activity that they may not have been able to do before.”

Staff at Elmwood help residents live full lives through recreational events and day programming. Elmwood’s bowling league started with six members, but thanks to Hunter’s accessibility renovations and the volunteers from the Kinsman Club, they now have as many as 40 members coming regularly to bowl.

Elmwood residents Kyle and Tiernan were excited to go bowling at the newly renovated Eastview Bowl. (Payton Zillich/650CKOM)

Maggie Stevenson, manager of community engagement at Elmwood, said the changes will be a huge improvement for the league.

“It’s very exciting for them to be able to experience the full experience,” Stevenson said.

“The smiles on their faces as they were coming in today, and just the sheer joy and excitement you can hear in their voices, is really exciting.”

Stevenson said Elmwood is grateful to both Hunter and the Kinsman Club for allowing their residents to feel just like every other family while they’re out bowling.

Both Hunter’s locations in Saskatoon – Eastview and Fairhaven – are now wheelchair accessible.