You never know who you’ll bump into at the Hope Curling Club.
And that’s especially true as the club gets ready to celebrate its 60th year with a bonspiel at the end of November. The club currently has about 80 members, and they’re hoping to draw in 24 to 30 teams of four for the bonspiel.
The teams will be made up of all ages and abilities, and will include mens and womens teams.
And while the bonspiel is still some time away, planning is already underway. They are looking for volunteers to help out, supporting the competitors, and of course, people to come and cheer the teams on.
“We could certainly use volunteers in a whole lot of roles, especially in the upcoming events,” says Ray Scott, president of the Hope Curling Club. “We can use volunteers to come out and be in the club and support the people that are on the ice and get to know some of the people.”
He notes that curling has always been popular, and that there are dozens of clubs around the lower mainland and Fraser Valley. But the recent addition of curling to the Olympics, and the increase in television coverage of the sport has meant more people popping their heads into the club to check it out in person.
And that’s what will help keep the club alive, he says. They are hoping to encourage younger people, even kids and teenagers, to come in and give curling a try. They’ve been connecting with the schools to help get youth out, and they are hoping their 60th anniversary will also draw in people who are looking to get active.
“Our doors are wide open to the public and we’d love to have you come in and see what we’re all about, maybe give curling a try and come out to our events,” Scott says.
There are exciting changes going at the club, including renovations throughout the year, and a high-level upcoming event.
The renovations will include indoor and outdoor upgrades, with new cladding on the exterior, Scott says.
“Since the fire (in 1976) it’s never been able to hold paint,” he said. “We’ve got a quite a mess of renovations going on.”
They’ll also be adding an accessible washroom and upgraded kitchen facilities.
It could all be done by March, when the Provincial Mixed Doubles Championships comes to town.
“This is one of the biggest sporting events Hope has had in a very long time,” Scott says, and he is trusting that Hope residents will come out and support their local club for that event.
Learn to Curl
Interested in learning how to curl?
This is the time, as the Hope Curling Club is hosting open ice learn to curl sessions beginning Sept. 30. There is no cost, and the lessons run every weekday at 7 p.m. until Oct. 11.
Bring curling shoes if you have them. If not, clean running shoes are a must.
For those who already know how to curl, there are several
leagues to join. There’s the Monday Night Mens League, Tuesday Night Mixed Doubles, Wednesday Afternoon Drop-In Curling, Wednesday Night Mixed and Thursday Night Open Mixed. Curling season begins in mid-October.
The Hope Curling Club is at 1055 Sixth Ave.
For more information about learning to curl or joining the club, email info@hopecurlingclub.com
