There’ ll be a new place to strike out in Banff. Aurora nightclub has closed after 19 years and is being turned into a bowling alley, retro arcade, beer hall and restaurant.
There’ ll be a new place to strike out in Banff.
Aurora nightclub has closed after 19 years and is being turned into a bowling alley, retro arcade, beer hall and restaurant.
Stavros Karlos, one of the owners, said the new business would include a six lane, 10-pin bowling centre.
“There’ s enough nightclubs in town and I think the nightclub business has changed over the last decade,” said Karlos, who is also one of the owners of the Dancing Sasquatch.
“Banff’ s population has also changed and we wanted to react to different market conditions and provide something different for people of all ages,” he added.
“There’ s lots of families in town and there’ s people who want to have a day or evening of fun, a few beverages, and have an activity to go with it.”
Aurora nightclub, which has been located on the basement level of 110 Banff Avenue since 1996, closed at the end of August. Before 1996, it was known as Silver City, a nightclub that opened in 1978.
Karlos said bowling has been growing throughout the United States and is starting to pick up Canada.
“It’ s a fun activity, it’ s just fun,” said Karlos. “I also wanted to have something to take my mom to. My mom wasn’ t much of a clubber. I wanted to make something mom would be proud of.”
The Fairmont Banff Springs has the only other bowling centre in town, providing 5-pin bowling on four lanes since 1991.
Hotel officials welcomed the new competition.
“The more the better. There’ s plenty of business to go around,” said spokesperson Angela Moore. “Any capital reinvestment or updates to businesses is always great for the destination.”
Eating and drinking establishments are a permitted use in the commercial downtown land use district.
Indoor recreation services are discretionary, and typical uses listed in the land use bylaw include racquet courts, gymnasiums, bowling alleys, curling and hockey rinks, and health and fitness clubs.
Town of Banff officials said the new business did not require a change of use development permit.
“There’ s no change of use required for the space because the previous approved space was similar in function in that it was primarily an eating and drinking establishment,” said senior planner Darren Enns.
“We thought of it kind of like a bar where they have amusement options, similar to a bar where you have a pool table.”
The owners have been working with RAD Consulting of Calgary.
If all goes according to plan, the bowling alley and retro arcade will open in late winter or early spring.
“We’ re super excited. Like everything we do in town, we try to do a really good job,” said Karlos.
“We will be open to the public all day long and through the evenings. For the first time since 1978, the place will be open during the daytime.”
