Save Maple Lanes Petition Hits The Net, 327 Sign So Far

It’s clear that our readers and local residents are not happy with the announcement that Maple Lanes is set to close and in its place, condos and a synagogue will open.

An online petition has been started by Christina Squitieri, a young activist and lover of the written word, to save the iconic and last remaining bowling alley in our area.

Among other things, the petition states:

The bowling alley is key for local school teams and leagues in the area. It’s a fun, educational, empowering, and safe place for kids to be. In this economy especially, we need more places like Maple Lanes. Keeping Maple Lanes will keep kids off the street, allow families to still afford to spend a day together, build self-esteem, and channel anxiety or anger into something productive and fun. Please, please keep it around. It is so important in so many ways.

The 327 community members that have signed seem to agree. An especially impassioned plea comes from #279, Efrain Rodriguez, who says:

Maple Lanes means so much to so many people. For myself this place has special meaning to me. I proposed to my wife on lanes 35-36 in front of many friends and family. I have been bowling here for over 3 years with my wife and we just love this place. There aren’t places like this where the staff treats everyone like family and where people can come to bowl and not feel like they spent an arm and a leg. Maple Lanes is a Brooklyn staple and should not be torn down.

The fate of the bowling alley is unresolved. Developers, local politicians and the members of Community Board 12 have been considering this project for years now. Not to mention, the owners of the bowling alley are ready to sell.

As for the community, broken hearts can be heard all around, just read the comments on the petition site and below our previous article about the alley’s closing.