While UW is well-known for having very dedicated students, it also has a reputation for a lacklustre social life. Unbeknownst to many, the campus used to be home to the Bombshelter Pub, lovingly nicknamed the Bomber, that served as the place where UW students could let loose and have some typical college fun. The Bombshelter was a beloved bar located in the SLC that ran for more than 40 years before being shut down in early 2019. Now, six years after its doors closed and four years since WUSA announced their plans to renovate the space as a student lounge, the Bombshelter, in a new form, is finally returning to UW.   

The Bombshelter’s origins go back to 1968 when the Campus Center Pub, operated by the university, opened to students. Over the next eight years, there were attempts to change who managed the bar until 1976, when the Federation of Students signed an agreement to take over the pub from the university. It was during this shift in management that the name was changed to the Orange Bombshelter, but this was shortened to just the Bombshelter four years later in 1980. Throughout the years, the bar has played host to different live performances such as the Arkells, USS, and Stereo Kid. Other events, such as trivia nights and Bomber Wednesdays, became popular among the student body and drew large crowds to the bar. The Bombshelter went through multiple renovations in the 2000s, with the patio being redone in 2008 and becoming the largest in the KW region. However, the bar did not remain financially viable, and the decision was made in 2018 to close the bar. The last major event was the New Year’s Eve Party, which took place just weeks before the Bomber closed its doors for the last time. 

Plans to give new life to the space have been in motion for the past few years, with WUSA announcing back in 2021 that they planned to renovate the space to add a second level, work stations, comfortable lounge seating, a bar, and a restaurant. Two years later, the space officially reopened as the student lounge, but the construction and return of the bar had not yet been set into motion. Today, the space is now home to Smashbites and has just recently been officially renamed as the Bomber, a callback to the nickname students knew the bar by. When discussing the progress of the return of the bar, Damian Mikhail, the current WUSA president, said, “I think it’s fair to say that students have been wanting the Bomber to come back for quite a while now. I myself have been pretty frustrated by the fact that, it seems like for years we’ve been calling to kind of bring the Bomber back, or at least in some capacity, without it actually going anywhere.” 

The WUSA president went on to say that while he can’t speak as to why it has taken so long for the bar to return, he and the recently elected new board are tired of waiting for the renovations to start, which is why they just passed the budget required for the return of the Bomber at a recent board meeting. Mikhail emphasized the importance of ensuring, however, that Smashbites remains a part of the space due to its popularity and success among students since its arrival last year.

Along with the passing of the budget, the approval to renovate the space and add the second level was passed at this year’s Annual General Meeting (AGM). However, this is not something that will be put into motion right away. Mikhail explained how students can expect the bar to be open and running in early fall as an interim Bomber, which students will have access to while they are working on expanding the space. There is currently no concrete timeline for when the renovations for the second level will be done. Moving forward, the space will still be available for clubs to book for events, and opportunities to experience the old Bomber bar will be made available to students. The WUSA president explained how they plan to organize a few late-night events a month where the bar and food will be open, but want to leave the rest of the time available to be booked out for other social events by clubs. This way, a “vibrant social space” can be prioritized and created, Mikhail said. 

The importance of the return of the Bomber bar to campus is not only significant due to its long history with UW;. Mikhail also  explained how he feels that UW is in great need of a space that does not feel like a purely academic setting for students to be on campus. “UW students are fantastic at turning every space into a study space, and it is important that we have study spaces, but it’s important that we also have spaces where students can hang out, have a drink, have some food, and just have some fun.” 

Timmy Wen, a UW alumnus who graduated in 2020, also agreed with the need for a spot on campus not dedicated to studies when he reminisced about his time at UW and his memories from the Bomber before it closed. “During the day you’d always have people sitting in the couches in that main area leading into the Bomber and they’d be crying over some assignment or something, but at night, especially during Bomber Wednesdays, that area would be crowded with a lineup to get into it, and you can tell people are a little drunk and they’re all here to have fun.” 

Wen shared how Bomber Wednesdays were one of his favourite events to attend at the bar as they turned it into a club-like space for the night, giving students somewhere to go out that was closer than going to bars off campus. Additionally, students enjoyed using the space during the day to eat and hang out as it had a more relaxed atmosphere than other places on campus. Wen mentioned how much he loved the breakfast food at the Bomber and has many happy memories of going to the bar in the morning with his friends. 

Another student who attended UW during the time the Bomber was open, Edward Lee, also shared how he liked having a bar and restaurant that was on campus, especially with the fun events that would be organized. However, he went on to explain how he usually preferred heading somewhere else for drinks as other places had cheaper prices. 

In the coming months, the Bomber is hoped to become the central social space on campus again, where students can temporarily put their notebooks and laptops away, Mikhail explained. The WUSA president went on to express how he wants students to see campus not just as a place to study and learn, but to enjoy life as well. “Your university experience is so much more than just assignments and finals, right? It’s some of the best years of your life, and that’s what we’re trying to create on campus: a more vibrant social space, and that’s what the Bomber is.”

The current state of the Bomber. (Photo credit: Thea East)