Future unsure for Minisink Lanes bowling alley after blaze

Jan. 23--HUGUENOT -- John Sanborn said the Minisink Lanes bowling alley has been a good neighbor during the more than 30 years he's lived on South Culver Street off Route 209.

While it was the lone business in an otherwise residential area, Sanborn said, "The low-level noise never bothered me." He wouldn't mind seeing it rebuilt.

But that seemed unlikely Monday, two days after a fire leveled the building.

Owner Raymond Willis Sr., 72, a Vietnam veteran who lost his wife and business partner Jamie to cancer in 2015, had canceled the building's fire insurance during the economic downturn.

Residents launched a GoFundMe page to help raise demolition and cleanup costs, which Willis' son Jay estimated could be as much as $50,000.

Vini Tankasali, Orange County deputy commissioner of emergency services, said the cause of the fire remained undetermined as of Monday.

The fire broke out around 3 p.m. Saturday.

Sanborn and his wife, Marie Medaglia, were just sitting down to an early dinner before going to church when they noticed all the flashing lights outside.

"They used so much water, some of it came down and flooded my porch," Sanborn said."That was a big job."

Firefighters were on the scene for 12 hours.

Minisink Lanes opened in 1973.

Neighbor James Sexton, on North Culver Street, remembers it well. His house was being built at the same time as the bowling alley. He, his wife and daughter often bowled there.

"A lot of 300 games were bowled here," he said. "Not by me."

And on Saturday, he watched it burn down.

"I looked out and saw billows of smoke," Sexton said.

Willis, who lives in Matamoras, Pa., hosted many leagues and tournaments during the 45 years the lanes were open.

A junior bowling league had finished playing and left about 45 minutes before the fire began.

Willis also opened the lanes to many fundraising events to support scholarships, medical treatment and burial costs.

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