Worcester Colonial Bowling Site May Become Daycare Center: Plans

WORCESTER, MA — The last candlepin bowling alley in Worcester — which closed in 2020 — may soon become a daycare center, according to plans filed with the Worcester Planning Board.

The Guild of St. Agnes bought the former Colonial Bowl building at 248 Mill St. for about $1 million in late 2021, according to property records. The Guild filed plans for the daycare center in late March.

"The Guild purchases the former Mill Street bowling alley in Worcester and plans are in place to convert it into a child care center. Worcester State University agrees to partner with the Guild offering a teaching lab for their students," the Guild's website says of the project.

The plans call for an increase in parking at the site, plus renovations inside and outside the former bowling alley.

Colonial Bowl opened in the 1960s featuring candlepin style bowling. The New England-specific style of bowling was invented in Worcester in the 19th Century. Colonial Bowl was the last candlepin alley operating in Worcester when it closed in spring 2020.

The Guild of St. Agnes operates about a dozen childcare centers across Worcester, with other locations in Fitchburg, Charlton, Gardner, Webster and Devens.