The ACU bowling alley is like that pair of old shoes everyone keeps in the back of the closet – they have a lot of sentimental value, but they rarely see sidewalk.

Besides a few exercise science classes and 5th grade Leadership campers, the alley – just like those old sneakers – doesn’t get a whole lot of action.

Every year the university threatens to shut down the bowling alley. And every year, a large percentage of students match every threat, stepping up to save the ancient lanes – even though they aren’t using them.

So, in reality students should stop clamoring to save a facility they don’t use and start caring about what the facility could become – and we have a few ideas.

1. The Loud Place

Everyday, students enjoy the peace and serenity of the Bible Building’s Quiet Place. But what do you do on those days you need to express your feelings in a loud way? With a Loud Place, students could scream, shout, sing and holler. They could run, dance – er- choreograph – jump and throw.

2. Laser Tag

The bowling alley actually is a huge space, when you think about it, minus the lanes and desolate gaming consoles. Opening up the space and adding a few barriers would make an epic laser tag venue. With enough interest, I’m sure it could become ACU’s most popular intramural and center for conflict resolution.

3. Mini Golf Course

Removing the bowling alley would leave the Exercise Science Department down a course, but why not replace it with a mini golf class? With a gigantic, ACU-themed mini golf course, students could hit golf balls down the steps of a miniature amphitheater, around the Tower of Light or past an oversized Tom Craigstache.

4. Indoor, college-size fast-food-style play place

Admit it – every time you pass the McDonald’s by the mall, you wish you could go into the PlayPlace without looking like a creep or clogging the child-sized passageways. As good innovators, ACU should remedy these embarrassing playground inadequacies and make a jumbo playground area compete with wider spiral slides, oversized tic-tac-toe boards, 12-foot tall monkey bars and, of course, a large ball pit.

5. New Bowling Alley

And, if those ideas don’t fly, why not just create a new bowling alley with better lanes and more space. Or, scrap the lanes and replace them with huge screens connected to Wii bowling games.

The Bowling Alley may be one of ACU’s few lasting traditions, but students should let go. Just like that old pair of shoes in the closet, keep the sentiment, but fill the space with something usable.