Holyoke Ten Pin Lanes

On April 7, 1960, Frank H. Cataldo, principal of the Holyoke Shopping Center on South Street, announced that additional stores and a bowling alley would be added to the plaza land. The bowling alley would be located on the north side of Davis Street, separate from the plaza itself.

A private opening of the bowling center occurred on September 29, 1960.

On October 25, 1960, Civil Engineer William Pharmer prepared a Site Survey for property owned by C and K Realty Corp., Frank H. Cataldo, President. The property was bordered by Davis St. (now Parenteau Dr.), Elm St. (segment now discontinued), Ross Ave. (now discontinued), and Maple Street. 

The survey aimed to segment a portion of the land for constructing a ten-pin bowling alley and 250-car parking area, which Mr. Cataldo planned to build on the northern portion of the property. The land was purchased from Kenneth Seyffer on March 22, 1957. The southern portion of the property would not be part of the lease arrangement with the bowling facility operators.

The Holyoke Ten Pin Lanes bowling center opened privately on September 29, 1960. The facility had 50 lanes, a restaurant, snack bar, nursery, free babysitting service, a pro shop, lockers, and meeting rooms. Popular in its day, S&H Green Stamps were given for various purchases.

In 1961, plans were announced by Frank H Cataldo that the shopping plaza would be extended from the Hadley Falls Trust Co. bank branch to the Holyoke Ten Pin Lanes beyond Davis Street. A Medical Center would be built on the southwest side of the bowling center. The project did not materialize.

Two years after its opening, on October 17, 1962, explosions and a fire leveled the bowling center. On December 6, 1962, it was announced that the center would be rebuilt for ten-pin and candlepin bowling, but this did not occur.

In April 1963, the rubble was cleared, and the property remained vacant until 1972. 

In June 1970, the Carlson Construction Company of Cochituate, MA, commenced grading the area for a planned 60,000-square-foot discount chain store. However, the work was stopped because the city was involved in land-taking issues with the state that would impact the store site.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Environmental Management acquired the entire property by eminent domain on January 6, 1971, to construct an indoor hockey rink, which opened in December 1972.

Sources of news articles and information:

Newspapers.com (paid subscription): Citations: Holyoke (Massachusetts) Transcript-Telegram; publication dates are shown.

Holyoke Public Library, Holyoke, Massachusetts, City Directories.

Registry of Deeds, Hampden County, Springfield, Massachusetts.

The area of the leased Holyoke Ten-Pin Lanes is bordered in red.