The former Leisure Land Bowling Alley on Camp Road in Hamburg, New York, opened in the late 1950s. With forty-eight bowling lanes, Leisure Land was one of the largest bowling alleys in Western New York. It contained more lanes than Orchard Park, Brierwood, Braymiller’s, Hamburg Legion and Victoria combined. In 2006, Leisure Land closed its doors due to a partial roof collapse that occurred during a massive snow storm in 2005. Repairs to the roof were not made and Leisure Land was forced out of business. After the roof collapse, asbestos-containing fireproofing debris was scattered throughout what was left of the building. This fireproofing material contained amphibole asbestos, one of the most dangerous forms of asbestos. Since then, the lot has been sold and the building demolished.

Carpenters, plasterers, pipe coverers, plumbers, insulators and boilermakers who assisted in the construction of the Leisure Land Bowling Alley were at high risk for exposure to asbestos. During the construction of Leisure Land, plastering companies such as Mader and Hudson Plastering applied Limpet, a fireproofing material that was sprayed on structural steel. This material came packaged in bags, which was dumped into a machine where it was mixed with water and then sprayed onto surfaces with a hose. During the application process, large clouds of dust and fibers were emitted into the air where the material was being sprayed. Limpet also contained amphibole asbestos, which is one of the most dangerous forms of asbestos.

Prior to federal regulations placed on asbestos in the 1970s, asbestos was a component of numerous building materials, including fireproofing, joint compound and pipe covering. At Leisure Land, asbestos-containing materials also insulated pipes, ducts and boilers. Laborers and tradesmen hired to apply, remove or work in the vicinity of these building materials may have been exposed to asbestos dust. Inhaling dust and particles from the application and maintenance of asbestos-containing materials placed workers at risk of developing serious health problems. Even those who were not in direct contact with asbestos materials remain at risk for the development of asbestos-related diseases, such as mesothelioma or lung cancer.

Many union and non-union laborers who worked on the construction of Leisure Land Bowling Alley were employed by various contractors throughout Western New York. In the process of representing workers and their families, we have gathered a vast amount of information regarding the type and variety of asbestos-containing products to which our clients were exposed. If you or a loved one once worked on the construction of Leisure Land, and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or lung cancer, we urge you to contact us regarding your legal rights.