At 103 years old, the Cochrane Curling Club is breathing new life into its organization as members say goodbye to their old location and move forward into the future.
“This is the good thing about family – families that are successful grow, and eventually move out of the house,” said current president David Cooper. “We know what the growth is going to be, and we know that this house is going to be good for our family.”
On April 2, the Fifth Avenue facility – which has been home to the club for more than three decades – will close its doors for the last time, and the group will prepare to move to the Phillips Curling Centre, one of the anchors of Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre’s multi-million dollar expansion.
It’s a far cry from Cochrane’s first curling rink in 1913: one sheet of rough ice, outdoors, on the east end of town south of Big Hill Lodge.
Five years later, the organization purchased a building just east of St. Andrew’s United Church for $600, with a cook stove in the clubroom that provided the only heat. In 1954, curlers constructed a new rink on First Avenue and remained there until it burned down in 1984.
The organization’s current location, with four sheets of ice, opened in 1985.
“It’s been a long journey, but we are so lucky … it is a state-of-the-art facility,” said manager Barb Gibson of the new location. “Just the synergy of that building is going to be a plus for us.”
Gibson said the Cochrane Curling Club currently boasts about 200 evening members, 160 senior men’s/open players, approximately 50 youth and about 20 more in the stirling league.
With the new facility equipped with six full-sized sheets, as well as three junior sized surfaces, Cooper said he anticipates the youth ranks to experience the largest expansion.
“I see tremendous potential,” said Cooper.
The president added the layout of the Phillips Centre will allow kids at Spray Lake for other reasons to see the curling rinks through big, bright windows – and hopefully be inspired to give the game a go.
“When you walk in … you will see people actually engaged in the sport,” he said.
Another of the major shifts for the club’s executive will be away from administrative duties, since it will now simply be tenants – rather than owners and custodians.
“It’s a huge change in my mind,” said Cooper, with Gibson adding the freedom will give the board more time to focus on growing the club’s membership.
Spray Lakes will celebrate the grand opening of the Phillips Curling Centre at the beginning of September. The season will run from October to March.
Past-president Ken Weisner has been curling for more than 40 years and said the camaraderie, respectfulness and social aspects of the sport are what drew him in so long ago – and what will continue to keep him, and so many others, as rock-solid members of the club.
“I grew up quite often at the curling rink … it’s just fond memories for me,” he said. “There’s something about it that’s special.”
