History of The Curling Club of Collingwood

BEGINNING

1881  The strongly Scottish settlement of Collingwood began its association with the OCA in 1881.  All curling was done outdoors on the bay.

1883  The skating rink on Pine Street (west side) was built primarily for hockey and skating.  When the weather did not permit curling on the bay, the club had the privilege of having its games on this rink.

1898  The first curling rink was built on Pine Street (east side).  It was probably a three-sheet rink.

1909  The building at 250 Hume Street was built by the Town of Collingwood, on land belonging to the Town, as an Agricultural building with the possible use as a hockey and skating rink.  The Town leased the building to the Agricultural Society for 99 years.  Hockey started in 1911 and curling remained in the Pine Street location.

1914  Two teams from the Collingwood Curling Club won the Ontario Tankard this year.  The banner hangs in the lounge of the present curling club.  The players from the two teams were:  H.G. Vernon (skip), T.G. Brown, F.H. Nettleton and W.B. Fryer Jr.; and N.A. Rule (skip), G.B Westcott, J.C. Peterman and H.G. Wynes.  During the next decade the club won many Governor General Trophies.

1920  This year, the Collingwood Curling Club won the Ontario Tankard.  The banner hangs in the lounge of the present curling club.  The players from the two teams were: H.G. Wynes (skip), J. Mair, H.E. Prentice and G.B. Westcott; and W.B. Fryer (skip) C.W. Pangman, F.H. Nettleton and W.T. Rennie.

1925  The first curling club, on Pine Street, was demolished and rebuilt as a red brick building on the same site with four sheets of ice.  A.B. Dillon, a local bricklayer and plasterer also made the ice on a dirt floor by shoveling snow in from outside then dampening it down with a large fireman type hose.  He was paid $35.00 a month for being the icemaker.  The rink was a favorite place for captains, mates and others from the lake ships that were laid-up in Collingwood for the winter.  In later years, the building became the site of the Martin/Baker Aircraft plant.

1948  The Eddie Bush Arena was built as a hockey and skating rink with the grand opening on December 16, 1948.

1949  The Collingwood Curling Club was moved into the vacated Agricultural Building (current location) at 250 Hume Street with a membership of approximately 300.

1953  The curlers installed a concrete floor using wheelbarrows to make a six-sheet rink.  The money was raised by selling $100.00 debentures.  Each year you clipped a coupon to recover your money and when finished, you had a common share of $1.00.

1956  New curling stones were ordered by club president, Vic Ellis.  They were shipped directly from Scotland to the curling club.

1963  In what is now the south bar area, an office was constructed by the Agricultural Society to be used as the GNE Treasurer’s office.

1968  Compulsory $50 shares were now required.  Blue Mountain Golf Club directors proposed building a new ccurling club at the golf course.  It was turned down by the curling club membership.  Also that year, an architect, lighting expert and interior designer were hired to make changes in the facility.

1976  A new steel roof and insulation was installed along with structural upgrades to the steel trusses.  The cost of this project was covered by a Wintario grant of $60,000 plus $30,000 raised by the members.  Also, this year the Collingwood Curling Club signed a 25 year lease with the Town of Collingwood.

DECLINE

1987  This was the start of the club’s financial difficulties.  The club had to let their paid ice maker Paul Brock go and relied on volunteers.  Eventually, they got Dick Farrow to maintain the ice, in exchange for a free membership.

1991  The membership declined to 125 members who held shares, but only 75 were active members.

1993  Additional structural upgrades were done to the masonry pies that support the steel roof trusses.  This project was orchestrated by the Town.

1993  Little Rocks were purchased for the Junior Program.  Kids paid $3.00 to participate.

1995  Due to deterioration of the under-flooring cooling pipes, the ice surface had to be reduced to 5 sheets.  This year, the curling club became a corporation without shares, to be known as The Curling Club of Collingwood.  It was the mandate that the club be a non-profit, volunteer club.

1997  Start of “Sold Advertising” in the club.  Wall signs were sold for $250 for the season and changed to $200 the next year.

1999 Probably due to slow economic times in Collingwood (closure of the shipyards and other manufacturing facilities), the membership stayed flat at about 75 members and was on the verge of closing.

A NEW LIFE

2000  There was new interest happening from people (retirees) moving into Collingwood and membership started to grow.  The mechanical plant was in need of major repairs.  A Trillium grant, along with help from the Town, helped make the necessary repairs.  The club managed to get through until 2004 when a new mechanical plant was installed.

2000  Jitney afternoon curling started and became very popular.

2002  In order for new, beginner curler members to receive good instruction, a grant from the OCA was obtained to train some of the existing curlers.  These instructors could train new members.  A new furnace was installed.

2003  With membership on the increase and a few dollars in the bank, upgrades were made to the lounge and kitchen with volunteer help.  New furniture was purchased for the lounge and more lockers were added to the change rooms.

2004  A grant from Trillium for advertising allowed for a very aggressive campaign for new membership, which reached a goal of 350 members.  Upgrades were made to the bar.  The existing refrigeration equipment was 50 years old and needed to be replaced.  The town installed a new mechanical refrigeration plant in the back of the building along with a new outdoor rink.  This would provide artificial ice for them and also a new system for the curling rink.  At this time, the club committed to pay $175,000 over an eight-year term to the town for a new concrete floor and associated cooling pipes.

2005  The interior of the curling rink was repainted and upgrades were made to the lower level washrooms.

2007  With continued member growth, the club was able to contribute $100,000 toward the cost of the new expansion.  This included a new front entrance, an elevator to the second floor and increased lounge space.

2008  New furniture was purchased for the newly created After 8 Lounge on the second floor.

2009  A new sound system, large screen TV and viewing TV’s over the six curling sheets were installed.

2011  With membership over 475, the club was able to pay $45,000 for renovations to the lounge area, kitchen and washrooms.

2012  On November 23, President Larry Young and Past Presidents Bob Scott, Brent Lanktree and Dave Erler presented a cheque for $21,875 to the Town as the final payment for the floor installed in 2004.

2014  With membership now nearing the 500 mark, the club along with the Town of Collingwood undertook another substantial renovation.  The ice area was insulated, and heat added.  The front of the building was extended to accommodate new larger change rooms, larger bar area, lounge area and an office.

2015  Our renovation was completed and fully operational.

2020  A new dehumidifier was installed in the NW corner of the arena.  New insulated exit doors were installed at ice level.

2020 - 2021  We opened for the 2019-2020 season, then the COVID-19 pandemic caused the club to close in March of 2020.  The ice was removed, and the season ended.  The following season with a strict COVID policy in place and the membership vaccinated, the club opened for regular play. 

Thank you to Paul Hurst and Bill Hanke for researching and preparing this document.