Grande Prairie Curling Club. Photo Credit: Curtis Galbraith

By Shane Clausing

grande prairie curling club

Grande Prairie Curling Club seeking more teams to hold season

Sep 30, 2020 | 12:35 PM

The Grande Prairie Curling Club is seeking help as they hope to gear up for the 2020-21 curling season.

In order to hold a season, the club says that it needs at least 90 teams across all leagues to register for the curling season by October 16, in order to break even with its budget.

If the club can’t get 90 teams registered and ready to play by October 16, it faces the strong possibility of keeping its doors closed to the public for the entire season.

“The biggest difference is with all of the COVID rules, we can’t have the large Christmas parties and events that we would normally have at the centre,” said Nicole Shirvell, the General Manager of the Grande Prairie Curling Club. “That is a huge amount of income of the centre. That’s why this year it’s coming down to relying on registration and curlers more than ever before.”

Shirvell says that with the lack of income for this upcoming season, they have been trying to get some extra funding from the government, but so far, they’ve had no luck.

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“The board is looking into other funding and they have been applying for different things, so that may become a factor if any of that actually comes through. The city is working with us on that to kind of steer us in the right direction and find different opportunities for funding.”

“We are obviously still trying to find alternative sources. In the meantime, none of that is guaranteed. Basically, we are trying to work together as a team and do everything that we can and explore every option we can so that we can have curling.”

If there is a curling season, it will last from November 16 until the first week of April.

There are also different leagues for all different levels and age groups. The proposed curling club schedule is as followed:

• Monday – Superleague / Learn to Curl / Women’s League Evening (New-Returning) / Open League (depending on registration of other leagues) / Stick Curling (afternoon)
• Tuesday – Mixed League / Senior’s Drop In (morning)
• Wednesday – Men’s League / Women’s League Wednesday afternoon / GPPA Juniors
• Thursday – Men’s League / Senior Drop in (morning)
• Friday – Social League ( 1 night per month for 6 months; meant for couples and/or new curlers looking for a night out) / Corporate Night (New); meant for staff and friends to come in and learn/curl; 1 night per month for 6 months
• Sunday – Juniors Elks / Little Rocks; Rotary League (New) based on the feedback at the February 2020 Bonspiel hosted at the GPCC

Rate schedules per team are as follows:

• Men’s League – $1480
• Super League – $1600
• Mixed League – $1,400
• Ladies League $1,180
• Corporate/Social – $500
• Rotary – $800

Shirvell says if you are solo player and looking to play, there are options.

“Every year we have people that are just looking for a team and we just put together teams for them.”

Shirvell also ensured that if there is a season, it will be safe to play and Alberta Health Services will allow curling leagues to maximize their ice time.

“Fortunately, we are a sport that you can safely social distance. There’s a few different (rules), such as one sweeper instead of two sweepers. It’s a huge space and we can have all eight sheets full, with two teams per sheet. We can have 64 people out on the ice at the same time.”

Registration for leagues are open from October 6 until October 16.

The Curling Club will be open from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on October 6, 8, 12 and 14 for in person registrations. Those who would like to register can do so at gpcurling.ca or emailing Shirvell at manager@gpcurling.ca.