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Did you know Orillia once boasted three bowling alleys?

Orillia Bowling Academy on Mississaga Street was so busy, two others opened for business

Postcard Memories is a weekly series of historic postcard views and photos submitted by Marcel Rousseau. Some were previously published by the Orillia Museum of Art and History and in the book Postcard Memories Orillia.

Looking east from Andrew Street, the original façade of the Carnegie Library is shown on the left, this side of the Opera House.

On the right, the first building was the T.B. Cramp Flower and Feed store with the Orillia Bowling Academy located upstairs. For many years this busy bowling alley with eight lanes hosted many league teams from local industries and churches.

As the sport grew in popularity, more bowling lanes were built and by 1960, Orillia boasted three bowling alleys.

The renovated Orillia Bowling Academy with automatic pinsetters and electronic tel-e-foul is shown here at 35 Mississaga Street West.

The Pinewood Bowl-A-Way was located at 299 Atherley Rd., next to the Brewers Retail, and the Rainbow Lanes was on Memorial Avenue. Today, the former Rainbow Lanes is home to Orillia Bowl - the only bowling alley in Orillia. 

The sign past the Bowling Academy reads Westinghouse Appliances, West End Radio and was owned by Walter H. Louie.


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