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City of Abbotsford Arena Strategy Survey

T. White

As you may already know, our curling facility is in partnership with the City of Abbotsford. We lease the land and building from the City and we are responsible for the maintenance of the building interior and ice plant. Last week, the City launched a community survey online through their website and are looking for feedback from our members and the residents of Abbotsford on their Draft Arena Strategy.

Basically, the City has taken an inventory of all arena facilities in Abbotsford and their age, capacity, and long-term demand for activities. The area population is approximately 160,000 and the City is predicting that it will increase to 200,000 over the next 20 years. Significant investment will be required over this period to meet an increased demand.

Our Curling Club has a vested interest in the City’s plans for the future. At this time our Board is requesting that you participate in the City’s survey. It is only 8 questions and should only take 5 – 10 minutes. We believe that it is important that we have as many participants as possible do the survey. 

Begin by going to the City website letstalkabbotsford.ca and click on Arena Strategy – Survey. There you will see the basic strategy stages and the 9 action plans. For more information I recommend that you click on “Draft Arena Strategy”. This is very interesting background reading with lots of photos. Pay particular attention to pages 19 – 21 as there you will see how immediate, medium-term and long-term strategies for future curling are addressed. Curling is certainly one of the major components of the strategy.

Next, go back to the Arena Strategy page and click on “Take Survey” at the bottom of the page. You then have to “Register” (or “Sign In” if already registered for Let’s Talk Abbotsford).

The deadline for submitting the survey is January 17, 2023. So please find a bit of time between all the Christmas and New Year festivities to provide your feedback to the City of Abbotsford.    

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and Good Curling in the New Year!

David Primrose,

President

Teachers Pro-D Day Oct. 21 – Register Now!

T. White

CALLING ALL PRIMARY AND INTERMEDIATE TEACHERS!

“HURRY HARD” AND LEARN HOW TO INTRODUCE YOUR STUDENTS TO THE GREAT CANADIAN SPORT OF CURLING ON PRO-D DAY FRIDAY OCTOBER 21, 2022

You will learn how to implement a gym floor curling program for your classroom and your school, called Rocks and Rings. It is an easy to implement and very engaging program for your PE classes.

You will also have a chance to try curling on the ice for yourself. It will be a fun and engaging time and your students will love the program.

Registration

Click the links below to register for either the morning or afternoon session:

Dress warmly in layers, bring gloves, and clean running shoes.

Come prepared to laugh, learn and HURRY HARD!!!

Message from the President

Kent Bird

September 2022

Well, fellow curlers, summer was a long time coming and is now officially coming to an end September 22nd.

On behalf of the Board of Directors, I wish to welcome you back to the 2022-2023 curling season, one that plans to be a “return to normal – as much as possible.” COVID 19 is still hanging around, which seems to be part of the new normal. I suspect that a very large majority of our curlers have been fully vaccinated and boosted, and that an ongoing barrier to COVID and its variants will involve continued booster shots, perhaps annually with the flu shot.

The plans for this season are exciting! First of all, the board and league representatives have been contacting those that curled last year as well as curlers that chose not to curl over the last two or three years, inviting everyone to return this year. In addition to our regular leagues, we will have some new leagues: 2-person stick leagues on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons (if there are enough registrants), an open fun league on Friday afternoon, and an open/family league on Sunday evening. There are Try Curling weekends planned as well as 5-week Learn to Curl sessions and novice/open leagues on Monday and Wednesday evenings. Our Membership Committee has already been contacting some local schools to organize a Rocks and Rings program. In addition they have contacted the Abbotsford Teachers Association to offer hosting a Pro-D event in October and, perhaps, again later in the year.

In addition to a return of all regular bonspiels, our club is hosting Academy of Curling Clinics and Banquet with instructors Russ Howard, Mary-Anne Arsenault and Grant Odishaw on September 16th to 18th. On October 14th to 16th, we are hosting the Abbotsford Curling Classic Cashspiel with teams registered including Korea, Japan, China and India. Curl BC Club Championships will be hosted by our club March 28th to April 2nd.

Online registration is now open for all leagues. Registration at the club, as well as practice ice, will take place during the week of September 19th to 23rd. League play begins September 26th. Invite friends, family, co-workers, etc. to participate. All ages and skill levels are welcome!

Looking forward to seeing you on the ice!

David Primrose,

President

Club Update Feb. 14, 2022

T. White

Happy Monday to All,

The club survey is still open and we would love to hear from as many curlers as possible, if you could take 5 minutes and complete the online survey would be very much appreciated. The link is below: https://abbotsfordcurling.com/2021-survey/

If anyone or team is looking to improve there curling skills be it your stick delivery, slide delivery and release or sweeping technique we have room and time on Wednesday nights from 6 to 7pm with certified coaches. Just email the office to book your lesson, the cost is only $10 per 1 hour session which also includes 1 complimentary beverage from the lounge.

Cheers,

Kent Bird

Letter to Team Canada

T. White

Team Canada

It is with great pride and humility that I write this letter to you.  Our club was very surprised and most pleased to be chosen as the training site for the Canadian Men’s Curling Team as they prepared to represent Canada at the winter Olympics in Beijing in February 2022.  There are many fine curling facilities in Western Canada so to be chosen was both a privilege and an honour.  We truly appreciate the recognition.

In light of the rapidly spreading covid pandemic and in keeping with your wishes, we have tried to keep our interaction with the team to a bare minimum.  However, we have appreciated the opportunities where our curling community has been able to watch some practices from the upstairs lounge.  The limited interactions with the players, from afar, has formed a bond that will be remembered long after the Olympics.  Our icemakers, Kent and Nic, have enjoyed their late evening/early morning interactions with the team, especially Nic’s birthday which will be a memorable one for him.  While it has been a largely unheralded event in our community in general, it has been a much-needed positive experience for our curling community in particular. 

I trust that Abbotsford has been able to provide a positive training experience for the team.  I hope that the community has made you feel welcome and at home.  I assume that our little curling club has made you feel comfortable and has been able to meet your needs.  We have always been very proud of the quality of our ice. I hope you had a great surface on which to practice your craft and hone your skills.

Like all Canadians we will be following Olympic curling with great interest during the month of February.  This year there will be a little extra tug of the heart strings when we see Team Canada take to the ice. 

Please accept these club pins as a token of our appreciation. On behalf of the members of the Abbotsford Curling Club and the Board of Directors, I wish you the Best of Luck. 

Go Canada Go!!

Gord Wallington.

President, Abbotsford Curling Club.  

Cc: Kent Bird, Manager, Abbotsford Curling Club.

T. White

Attention Curlers!

The BC health orders end February 16th. Our Ladies Bonspiel at the Abbotsford Curling Club is scheduled for February 18-20. The bonspiel fee will be collected only when it proceeds, and you walk in the building on Friday of the event. No risk to you! So if you want to curl show your love and sign up for a good time of curling and tea!