In Canmore, before the last coalmine closed down in 1979, hard-working miners used to congregate after work at Murray’s Pool Hall, across the street from Sacred Heart Catholic Church. For a brief time in the late 1990s, a bowling alley called Jake’s operated in Canmore but fire unfortunately destroyed the establishment in 1999. When it comes to mountain sports, there’s no arguing the Bow Valley is the place to pursue them – outdoors. But Banff and Canmore have plenty of indoor sports to offer, too, especially good when the ski hills are closed and it’s too rainy to go biking or climbing. If pool is your game, many Bow Valley bars offer coin-operated tables for their patrons’ enjoyment. For those who’d prefer a non-tavern environment in which to sink a few balls and test their reflexes on the latest video games, Banff has an arcade and pool hall with 16 snooker and eight-ball tables where the whole family is welcome. King Eddy Billiards is a licensed establishment that’s open from 2pm to 2am.
Another great rainy-day family destination, or the perfect scene for an old-fashioned evening date, is Banff’s Bowling Centre. Four lanes of neon backlit five-pin bowling comes complete with classic two-tone shoe rentals and instructions for novice bowlers, all for a wallet friendly cost of $3.85 per game and shoes for $1.50.
Dart games are another old favourite and many Bow Valley pubs have a target or two for you to test your aim. Now retired from competitive dart playing, Exshaw’s Laurie Court is a six-time nationals competitor who was ranked No1 in Canada in 2000. Court even competed at the World Championships in London, England in December 1999, finishing 17th, which she admits was a satisfactory accomplishment.
