ASSINIBOIA — It is hard to believe that during some of the province’s darkest years known as the Dirty Thirties, some residents had the foresight and determination to establish Assiniboia’s first curling club in 1935.
While history states that curling existed in Scotland as early as the 16th century, curling in Canada began in the east.
Curling Canada’s history pages cites, “The sport moved west with the railway. When settlers moved from Eastern Canada and the United States, joining those that came from overseas, curling tagged along and quickly became a staple of the new villages and towns.”
While Manitoba’s first curling club was formed in Winnipeg in December of 1879, the first curling in Saskatchewan was in Prince Albert, Rosthern and the Battlefords also that year. It would be another 10 years before curling arrived in Regina.
The Assiniboia Times has reached out to 90th anniversary organizer, Tess Corman, and other residents who have been part of Assiniboia’s storied curling history to help us outline the timeline of Assiniboia’s nine decades of curling history.
Curling Canada offered these words “For 90 years the Assiniboia Curling Club has been the heart of its community and bringing people together. Congratulations to the community for all of its contributions to continue its success. As it celebrates its milestone, hosting the 2025 Canadian Mixed Curling Championship is a fitting tribute as it will welcome teams from across the country to experience its hospitality.”
Stay tuned for more stories on this important piece of Assiniboia’s past, present and future.
