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History
Editor’s
Note
This
article is possible thanks to the notes and
files of JC Smithson. His contribution to the
Almonte Curling Club over the years is greatly
appreciated.
1855
The first
curling club in North America was established in
Montreal in 1807. Almonte’s curling club was
founded in 1855 and at the time, was the eighth
oldest curling club in Canada. The games were
played on various locations on the Mississippi
River, the main one being near the fairgrounds
on Water Street.
1905
A new
two-sheet structure was built onto the end of
the old hockey rink on Coleman’s Island. This
building was condemned around 1941. A note of
interest is that 60-pound curling irons were
used by the men and 32-pound irons were used by
the ladies during this time.
1942
A group
of curling enthusiasts formed a club under the
name of Mississippi Curling Rink Ltd. They
raised funds, acquired a
mortgage
and built a new three-street rink on the
“market” facing onto Brae Street, which they
rented to the Almonte Curling Club (ACC).
1953
During the
curling season of 1953/1954, an Almonte rink
traveled to a special Royal Caledonian Curling
Club Bonspiel in Montreal and won the first
prize of 16 curling rocks. The club only had an
unmatched set of rocks.
1955
The curling
club celebrated its 100th anniversary and
curling granites or rocks were initiated at the
club. The rocks were much lighter. The club had
80 members (ladies and men) at the time.
1959
John L.
Erskine donated a matched set of rocks to the
club. Now sheet 1 and 2 had excellent new rocks.
At a later date, the club (ACC) purchased a
third set of rocks that completed a matched set
on all three sheets. After this, club membership
increased to about 150.
1970
On February
18th at 2:00 a.m., a fire was discovered in the
front part of the curling rink. The windows over
the ice area were damaged, but the general ice
area or curling stones were not damaged. It was
a disaster in that all the trophies,
furnishings, etc., and all of the records onsite
were destroyed.
During the
summer, negotiations were continuing with the
Mississippi Rink Co., Ltd. But, to the chagrin
of ACC members, the company sold the property to
a commercial firm and liquidated the Limited
company. Therefore, there was no place for the
members to curl.
1971
After the fire
in February of 1970, the remainder of Almonte’s
curling season was played on Carleton Place ice.
Over the off-season hiatus, arrangements were
made for the ACC to curl with the Carleton Place
Curling Club (CPCC).
During the
curling seasons between 1971 and 1989, members
continued to curl at Carleton Place or Pakenham.
The ACC membership fee was still collected and
the club name kept active by remaining an
official member of the Ottawa Valley Curling
Association (OVCA).
From 1967 to
1990, Jack (J.C.) Smithson held the office of
President and was instrumental in spearheading
the drive for a new facility.
1972
– 1974
A new hockey
rink and front hall was constructed on its
present site. It was too great a financial
burden at that time to build a four-sheet
curling rink although it was in the plans.
1980
The Richmond
Curling Club borrowed the Almonte rocks with the
agreement that they repair the handles that were
damaged in the 1970 fire. Carleton Place were
also loaned three sets of rocks while theirs
were being repaired.
1985
A group of
curling enthusiasts organized an event and
called it “The Hacker’s Bonspiel.” It was played
on the ice hockey rink. It later became “The
Larry Guay Snowsuit Spiel.”
1987
The Pembroke
Curling Club borrowed the ACC’s fourth set of
rocks while they overhauled their rocks, one
sheet at a time.
1989
A great deal
of hard work, fundraising, public financial
support and support from town council, local
organizations and the business community finally
led to the building of the present curling rink.
The official opening of the new four-sheet
curling facility took place on Sunday, October
22, 1989 at 4:15 p.m.
The ACC
purchased new molded handles duly numbered for
all four sheets. The membership for the first
years grew to around 190.
2003
On June 12,
2003, an agreement was signed between the town
of Mississippi Mills and the Almonte Curling
Club. This agreement allows the ACC to
administer the curling club facility, which
includes the rental of the ice and the lounge.
The agreement will run for a one-year trial.
A great Junior
and Little Rocks program is in place, which
makes the future look brighter. This is a new
era for the ACC, and hopefully, the club will
continue to flourish in the future.
2004
The Curling
Club has hired our own icemaker. This is a
new era for the A.C.C., and hopefully, the club
will continue to flourish in the future.
2005
The Almonte
Curling Club is celebrating it's 150th Birthday
with a dinner on November 23rd. Guy
Hemmings will be the guest speaker. Our
club is currently the 7th oldest in Canada.
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