And the Bonspieling has begun!
Penticton Ladies Bonspiel B Winners - Team skipped by Diane Tetreault with Sylvia Lowe,Pat Batchelor, and Marilyn Reimer! Congratulations Ladies!
Penticton Nufloors Curling Classic goes this weekend starting Thursday, November 30 through Monday, December 3. Here's the link - pentictoncurlingclub.ca. Notables entered in the Bonspiel - John Epping, Matt Dunstone, Reid Carruthers, Mike McEwen, John Shuster, Brendan Bottcher, Nicolas Eden, Kevin Koe, Glen Howard! Tickets - $80 for Full Event, $25 Daily Pass, and $25 for evening Pass!
Fundraising Events
To improve accessability to OCC with the addition of an elevator, expanded and refitted washrooms, and on ice access
Funding Goal
$360,000
Funds raised to date:
Matching Donor Challenge $ 35,000
Funding Grant $100,000
Bonspiel $ 3,500
Anonymous Donor $100,000
Learn to Curl $ 200
Grey Cup Party $ 800
An Anonymous Donor has submitted a Challenge to make matcing donations in any amount up to and/or exceeding their donaton of $35,000
Accessibility Project Fund Raising Launch - Wednesday, November 15, 2023
The Oliver Curling Club has launched an exciting project to expand our building to be able to add a two story elevator and accessible washrooms.
The Oliver Curling Club Society is a nonprofit organisation that has
managed and operated the dliver Curting Club since 1970.Throughout
the years our volunteer based, nonprofit organisation has embarked on
projects to help provide this community with a quality year-round
recreational and social center facility.
Over those years our members have donated time, effort, and monies
to maintain the curling rink and associated facilities to the current
building standards.
This building is a community facility used by many persons from our
town as well as the surroundihg areas. The OCCS is involved in the
community by providing opportunities for young persons to get
involved in curling through our schoot programs as well as adults to
come out and be introduced to curling through our new curler's events.
The OCCS is also involved in the Special Olympics program.
The OCCS works together with Oliver Parks and Recreation to facilitate
events such as Sun Fun and the Big-League Basebatl Camp. The facility is
used in conjunction with the Annual Seniors Hockey Tournament. Our
facility was also recently used as a vaccination location during the Covid
19 Pandemic.
The current planning is a two-phase project which inctudes the addition
of an elevator and accessible washrooms on the second level in the first
phase and the next phase would be to update the upper-level kitchen
and bar facilities to be modernized for other community events.
The OCCS has received a grant from the Federal Government of
$100,000 to assist us in upgrading our facility to inctude an elevator to
the second floor as well as accessible washrooms on the second level.
We currently have donor support of over $100,000 and will be
continuing to fund raise to reach our goal of an additional $350,000
over and above the existing Federal Grant.
The OCCS is currently working with Sports BC to provide tax deductible
receipts to our donors.
The addition of an elevator to the building as well as accessible
washrooms on both levels will showcase our community as leaders in
providing access to persons with mobility challenges. Once completed
this building will be the only curling facility in the South Okanagan that
is completely accessible on both levels.
This project is being managed by the OCCS Board and the Construction Committee Members.
Cathy Pidduck introducing Chester Draper Wheel Chair Curler from Osoyoos as well as Megan Donesley who is now a grade 12 student at SOSS. Megan was OCC's first Wheel Chair curler as a Grade 6 student
Construction updates:
Project is 1-week ahead of schedule. Russell Moore and his team will take a 4 day weekend around Remembrance Day
Walls are coming up! October 31
Footings and foundation completed. Elevator framing in process. Slab for the new entrance to be poured next week.
What a great way to start the 2023 - 2024 Curling Season. An 8 ender in the the first game of the season in the 4th end. The Mike Johnson team, in the Monday Night Corporate League, was able to pull off this feat against the Larry McFadden team!
Vacant Club Positions
Help! (a) Club Rentals (b) Caretaker (c) Club Manager -Job Description will be posted shortly. Here's your chance to work off your Volunteer Hours!(d) Fund Raising Committee Members
Renovations have started. Excavation began Monday, October 2nd! Please use the side door til renovations are complete!
Hey Folks! This is what the finished Reno should look like!! But it will say "OLIVER CURLING CENTRE".
Learn to Curl:
- Sundays - November 5, 12, 19, 27 from 2 - 4 pm
CURL BC 50/50 RAFFLE - Monthly 50/50 - September 26 to October 15, 2023
Winner gets half! Get your tickets and raise money for our club! Next draw is October 15th!
The 50/50 raffle through Curl BC will start again September 26th. They're adding an early bird prize to each of the 6 monthly draws. Tickets are 2 for $10, 5 for $20, or 20 for $50. Member facilities receive 40% of all sales credited to them. The more of our members that participate, the more money our club gets at seasons end. Last season our club received $664.00! Go to the Curl BC Webpage. At the top right hand side you will see the tab called (50/50 to support Clubs). Click on that tab to open the Web page! This will give you all the information to buy your tickets. The pot builds for approximately a month to 6 weeks. Last year there were 6 draws! If you buy lottery tickets, consider buying Raffle tickets from Curl BC!
This season's first draw of the Curl BC Monthly 50/50 Raffle is in the books!
Congratulations to Kathy Arnold from Kamloops for winning a fantastic prize of $4,810 from a prize pot totaling $9,620!
This draw has benefitted 63 member facilities and affiliated associations. A special shoutout to the top 10 in ticket sales:
- Kelowna - $770 from 36 sales
- Comox Valley - $650 from 19 sales
- Delta Thistle - $540 from 14 sales
- Kerry Park - $530 from 20 sales
- Merritt - $330 from 15 sales
- Port Moody - $300 from 13 sales
- Mission - $270 from 10 sales
- Dawson Creek - $270 from 3 sales
- Kamloops - $260 from 14 sales
- Chilliwack - $260 from 9 sales
If luck wasn't on your side this time, make sure you give it another chance in the two upcoming draws:
- Curl BC Monthly 50/50 raffle - November 15
- Click here to buy your tickets!
Remember, not only are you in with a chance to win, but your contribution directly impacts your local curling club.
* * * * *News* * * * *
We are now linked to the Town of Oliver Website (www.oliver.ca). Click on their Website. Then click on Our Community, then to Oliver Parks and Recreation. Once you are there click on the Links and then Recreation. Scroll down to Eastlink Curling Centre! And there we have it!
Curling Bonspiels have started on the Pro Circuit! If you want to see what`s happening, follow this Link:Curling Zone - https://www.curlingzone.com/
Ladies League First Half Champions: Kim Creighton, Donna Peterson, Jennifer Seminoff, Sylvia Lowe
Ladies League Second Half Champions:
Presenter Cathy Thompson, Marilyn Reimer, Pat Batchelor, Diane Tetreault Absent Kim Creighton
Day League Champions:
Monday First Half: Ron Riddoch, (skip) Diane Tetreault, Greig Sheppard, absent: Kim Creighton
Wednesday First Half: : Innes Harvey (skip) Bob Hale, Jean Lederer absent: Bryan Coles,
Monday Second Half: Diane Tetreault, Sharon Giffen, Jean Lederer, Randy Rotheisler
Wednesday Second Half: Ron Brooks, Bryon Coles, Jean Lederer, Bill Michael
Corporate League Champions:
A: Edward Jones - Leo Rivera, Brian Pawluk, David Machial, Dave McCombe, alternate John Surovy
B: Riverstone Winery
C: Black Hills
Mixed League Champions:
First Half: Dave Wilson, Sylvia Lowe, Tony Murray, Gail Barriskill
Second Half: Dave Wilson, Sylvia Lowe, Tony Wilson, Pat Aldridge
Men's League Champions:
First Half and Second Half: Bob Shanks, (skip) Dale Dodge, Arnie Janzen, absent: Marc Carriere,
1970 - 1971 First Men's League Champs at the Oliver Curling Club
From Left to Right: Bill Collens - second, Charlton McNaughton - lead, Dick Goodall - Skip, John Chapman - third
Stick League Champions: Cathy and Arnie Janzen Runners Up :Helen and John Foreman
Linda Gallant of Triple E Farms had a table with dried fruit, parsley, and tomatoes. Also cherry, pear, and apple jelly. All proceeds were donated to the Curling Club! In the background you will see a shamrock with scratch and win tickets attached. There were 3 such shamrocks. Playing cards were used for the ticket sales. Each shamrock generated $104.00. The scratch and win tickets were donted by Tony Murray. Along with these was a 50/50 draw which generated over $250.00 to the club!
Leo Rivera Farewell
President Arnie Janzen presenting Leo Rivera with an engraved Travel Mug commemorating his 26 years of service to OCC. At right John Surovy is toasting Leo for his contributions to the club!
Donna Cooke presenting a card from long time friend Donnie Heaven. On the right Murray Soder and Leo Rivera - the 2 oldest members present!
A well deserved standing O for a fine gentleman and a hard worker for the Curling Club. Leo is moving to Lac Du Bonnett, Manitoba to be with his two children and grandkids. In Lac Du Bonnett he will be reunited with the Rivera Clan! We will miss you Leo!
50 Years of Curling in Oliver
1968 to 1970
The idea of building a curling rink in Oliver began in 1968. Many of curlers who had been participating in their favourite sport for many years in Osoyoos and Summerland felt Oliver had grown enough to have a club of their own. https://eastlinkcurlingcentre.ca/images/001-e1442981646221.jpg" width="500" height="406" /> A committee was formed to explore the feasibility of such an idea. The initial Society was comprised of the following members: President: Eric Bastian Vice-President: Dick Goodall Secretary: Stu Mould Treasurer: Dave Francis Directors: Fred Fritz, Bill Andrews, Roy Becker; Mel Skaros, John Fritz, Ray Anderson, Blaine Francis, John Loudon, Dick Topping, Joe Fefchak , Willie Nunweiler, Bob Wheeler, Ewart Bowering and others were early supporters. Shopkeeper Sam Noel purchased first debenture.
Initially the club attempted to come to an agreement with a Elks Lodge to construct a multi-purpose facility. An agreement could not be reached and the group decided to raise funds in the community. Members who could not afford a debenture bought memberships for $100. Members who could not afford this were able to pay $10 monthly on instalments. The proposal was to build a four-sheet rink that would be located adjacent to the planned skating arena. By 1969, the Committee had sold $52,000 in debentures and $22,000 in memberships, and negotiated a bank loan for $5,000. A decision was made to proceed with the planning of the building. On April 7th, 1970 a Special Meeting was held to consider the proposed plans for the four-sheet curling rink. The proposal was approved. Construction began 2 months later on June 5th under the supervision of Seidler Construction.
1970
On June 4th, construction began with an estimated cost for the facility of $84,000. Volunteer hours totalled 10,000. Work parties began at 6:00 pm on weekdays and on weekends. The men did the general labour work and the women took on the entire job of painting the club. Not one dollar of Public tax money was used to build or maintain the building. The rink does stands on Town property. The building contractor for the project was Bill Seidler. By August, construction was well underway and the completion date was set for September. The first ice maker hired was A.J. “Pat” Patterson, a retired Air Force Army Veteran. Pat was an enthusiastic curler and had coached at the junior and high school levels. In September, the refrigeration equipment was installed. Rocks were ordered from Scotland and were to be shipped.
The ice sheets were bare bones grey concrete block walls and an open ceiling of truss rafters. In one place on the north side, daylight could be seen through cracks in the block wall. While this had not been planned, it allowed the smoke that was vented from the lodge to escape outside (smoking still being permitted). The bleachers that are still currently used were donated by the Penticton Granite Curling Club. It was said that the curling club was built because Eric Bastian didn’t know it was impossible.
In October Eric Bastian was elected First President along with a slate of officers of the Curling Club. Helen Bastian was elected as the First President of the Ladies Club. (FYI -the Bastiens are the parents of Joyce Kuzyk and Joan Firman). The Ladies Club ran the concession for the club. A portion of the profits from the concession went to operating expenses. On October 15th, the first ice was put in the curling rink. By [November], the Curling Club was in full swing.
November 1970 saw the official ribbon-cutting ceremony held with many dignitaries from neighbouring clubs in attendance. This was the kick-off to the first Mixed Bonspiel with 40 teams in attendance from the Okanagan and Boundary Regions and as far away as Revelstoke, Trail and the Coast. This had been preceded 2 weeks earlier by the first Club Mixed Bonspiel that hosted 32 teams composed of club members. The entry fee was set at $10 per rink. The “A” team winners appropriately were the Bastien Team with President Eric Bastien, which included his wife Helen with Charlie and Phyllis Miller.
During the balance of the curling season, several well-attended bonspiels were held, including the Kinsman, the first Men’s Open, and the first Ladies’ Open. Of note, the club’s first 8-ender was achieved during the Men’s Night League by the Bob Armstrong team, which included John Rotheisler, Dave Nicholas and Ted Mickolas.
From 1970 to 1975, the club was doing so well that Awards Night was held in the Legion Hall. The club lacked the space and had insufficient chairs and tables.
In 1975, four 1000-watt heaters were installed in the corners of the ice shed, to the delight of all members, who had been grumbling about the cold.
When the new curling season started in 1976, curlers were greeted by newly redecorated upstairs and downstairs lounges. Boards around the ice had been painted by the ladies. The upstairs lounge area had been redecorated to improve acoustics and ventilation. The walls were finished in cedar siding and the ceiling was finished in cork tiles. The President at the time, Murray Soder, reported that the work had been carried out by club members on a volunteer basis. In the same year, club member Dick Topping was inducted into the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame for his involvement and dedication in running the Canadian School Boy Curling Championships.
The Day League that is so popular with members today began in 1977. The avid curlers in the Oliver Club wrapped up the club’s seventh year of operations with a steak dinner and awards night in their newly renovated upstairs lounge.
A new ceiling was put over the ice surface in 1981 resulting in better lighting and noise reduction. Corn brooms could be very loud.
1980 – 1990
The two most significant things to happen were the insulation (1980) and subsequent painting (1984) of the ice shed ceiling with fire retardant paint. Previously the ceiling was just truss rafters with nothing in them. Volunteer club members rolled scaffolding on plywood sheets over the sand floor with a crew of volunteers working to install the ceiling. A Gyproc firewall was installed between the lounge area and the ice surface area. It took almost a month for volunteers working evenings and weekends to complete the job. In 1981, volunteers installed insulation on the walls of the ice shed immediately after the curling season ended. Neil Seidler of Seidler Construction was then hired to install the present panelling (over the insulation) that is on the walls. A year later, volunteers from the club painted the panelling
1982.
The club’s second eight ender was scored by June James, Leonie Soder, Ida Szmata and Jackie Kilgour .
1985
In 1985 the Jodie Sutton team, Julie Sutton, Dawn Rubner and Tammy Hagel won the Provincial High School Girls Championship. They then went on to win the Canadian Junior Womens Championship.
1986
Jodie Sutton repeated winning the Provincial High School Girls Championship in 1986 with Julie Sutton, Teresa Zeibart and Michelle Surovy. The same year, Jodie Sutton also won the Provincial Junior Ladies Championship with Julie Sutton, Dawn Rubner and Chris Thompson following it up with winning the Canadian Junior Womens Championship.
The Provincial Senior Ladies Championship was won by Pearl Quintal and her team comprised of Mary Skaros, Leonie Soder and June James.
1987
In 1987 the Junior Girls Provincial Championships again was won by Julie Sutton and her team of Judy Wood, Susan Auty, and Marla Geiger. They went on to win the Canadian Junior Womens Championship.
1988
The 1st World Junior Womens Championship was won by Julie Sutton, Judy Wood, Susan Auty, and Marla Geiger.
1989
Scott Tournament of Hearts won by Julie Sutton, Pat Sanders, Georgina Hawkes, Melissa Soligo
1990
Senior Men’s Zone was won by George Hagel, Bob Bourgeault, Murray Soder, Doug Weeks.
1970 through 2022
The new millennium brought the latest building upgrades that enabled the club to cement and enlarge the ice surface. International-sized ice could allow the facility to be used for practice sites for Olympians coming to B.C. The building and downstairs washrooms became wheelchair accessible. The Town of Oliver allowed the club to have summer rental in the downstairs area for the children’s Sun Fun group organized by the Parks and Rec. This helped with the club’s maintenance costs.
Improvements to the club cost $150,000 in cash and $150,000 in sweat equity by the hard-working members. Over 50 years, it is estimated that approximately 20,000 men and ladies from all parts of the Interior and the Coast were entertained by participating in our Men’s, Ladies and Mixed Bonspiels. In addition, for more than 20 years, the Knights of Columbus, Kinsmen, Legion and Heart and Stroke organizations had annual bonspiels that entertained an additional 5,000-plus curlers. BC Tel and West Kootenay Power also had their weekend bonspiel at our club for many years. The club has provided an estimated 10,000 person years of winter recreation through our club leagues during the regular season. We are immensely proud of our facility and also very thankful to all of the volunteers who have stepped up and willingly gave of their expertise and time to keep the club going year after year. A big thank you to all!
Story contributed by Johanne Smith published as 50 Years of Curling in Oliver. Published and edited by John Surovy
