The Sturgis Curling Rink was announced the winner of the $15,000 Crossroads Credit Union Investment Funding voting contest in Canora on October 17 during Credit Union Day.
"On behalf of the Sturgis Curling Club I would like to thank everyone who took the time out of their busy schedules and voted, as well as to those who came out and supported our wing night fundraiser," said Tyler Blender, Sturgis Curling Club president.
鈥淲e want to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of Amanda Masley and Shawna Johnson at the Sturgis town office for helping write the grant application, for making posters for the wing night and encouraging people to vote daily. Without these two ladies and all their hard work, none of this would have been possible. The Sturgis Curling Club looks forward to completing the necessary upgrades to our rink in the near future.
鈥淭he funding means we can do important upgrades to our rink and for the future generations to enjoy the facility. The project includes flooring and electrical upgrades," stated Blender.
The site for the rink was chosen in 1944, stated the Town of Sturgis history book, Harvest of Memories. John Kalenchuk, Fred Young, Bert Vodden and Willard Prekaski worked up and levelled the area in preparation of building the village鈥檚 first curling rink. Before construction started on the rink, a well was dug and put into place.
In the beginning curlers purchased and owned their own curling rocks. Men's rocks weighed 40 pounds and ladies鈥� weighed 32 pounds. Rocks were left at the rink for the winter and were taken home for the spring. The caretaker was Russell Vodden at the time.
In 1950, a closed bonspiel was held with 32 rinks and in 1951 and open bonspiel with 48 rinks took place. This was the first recorded open spiel since the rink opened. An additional five sheets of curling ice were made at the skating rink.
In 1962, the rink was split down the middle to incorporate a third sheet of ice.
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