Bowling is making a comeback in Evergreen Park. For the first time in more than a decade, the sport will have a home in the village when an eight-lane bowling alley opens at the Evergreen Park Community High School Sports Complex in 2026.
The Evergreen Park Community High School District 231 Board of Education recently approved plans for the new facility, which will be built on the footprint of the existing fitness center at the EPCHS Sports Complex, 2700 W. 91st St. The lanes will serve both the high school’s athletic programs and the wider community, offering a fresh recreational option for residents of all ages.
Construction is expected to begin early next year, with completion targeted for August 2026. The project also includes the development of a new fitness center, which will occupy the space currently used for the complex’s locker rooms.
Board President Mary Zofkie said the project represents more than just an athletic upgrade.
“We’re thrilled to bring bowling back to Evergreen Park and provide our students and community with a new, state-of-the-art facility right here in our Sports Complex,” Zofkie said. “The addition of the bowling alley not only supports our athletic programs but also honors a tradition that has long been part of Evergreen Park’s history. With the closing of Bleeker’s, we saw an opportunity to create something special that connects our school and community through recreation, competition, and Mustang pride.”
EPCHS Athletic Director Jim Soldan said the new facility will be a major benefit for the school’s bowling teams, who have faced increasing challenges finding available lanes for practice and competition.
“As many bowling alleys in the area, including Bleeker’s, which used to be in Evergreen Park, have closed, the amount of teams using the existing alleys has increased tremendously,” Soldan said. “This in turn makes availability to get lanes daily and over school breaks increasingly harder. The ability to have our own eight-lane alley will allow our teams to practice and have meets anytime they want with no additional charges for the school. We would also utilize the alley for small tournaments, outside community events as well as free events for the other students and teams at EPCHS.”
Once complete, the bowling alley will mark the return of a sport that has long been part of Evergreen Park’s social and athletic identity, giving students and residents alike a new place to gather, compete and celebrate together.
