Curling Open House and Registration September 13th

Nugget Column #01 – Wednesday September 6th, 2017

We know you don’t want to hear this but someone’s got to give it to you straight: summer is over, kids are back to school, and if you don’t engage yourself is something soon to help pass the incoming lesser-loved seasons; you will spend the next six months getting fat on the couch (it’s just science).

Coincidentally, registration for the 2017-2018 curling season opens next week, Wednesday September 13th, and as they say “it’s now or never!” (not literally though; it’s just a figure of speech, if not now – there’s always next year or the years after that).

But there is something special about this winter no question. The PyeongChang Olympics Games in February will draw the attention of several not-yet-conformed curling fans who will then immediately have the opportunity to see each nation’s best women’s teams play at North Bay Memorial Gardens in March for the 2018 Ford World Women’s Curling Championship hosted by Curling Canada and the World Curling Federation in partnership with the City of North Bay and the North Bay Granite Club.

It’s really starting to sink in that we are really going to host a World Championship that will be aired, beginning to end, on TSN and promote our great community to millions of viewers. An event that last year took place in Beijing, the capital of China and home to over 21 million people; and only once before was held in Ontario (Hamilton, 1996) and never in Northern Ontario. Word on the street is that over one thousand full event passes have been sold to date (more than the total of full event passes sold at the most previous Canadian-hosted event) and weekend passes will go on sale in time for Christmas gift-giving. Volunteers are still required; online registration available at curling.ca/2018worldwomen.

Returning curlers can expect a familiar schedule of curling leagues with both daytime and evening options for men, women, juniors, and “open” teams that have no age or gender requirements and divisions easily accommodate all skill levels. Participants may register as a team or as an individual to be placed on a team.

New curlers are encouraged to register in the club’s Adult Learn to Curl program that runs Wednesday nights beginning October 4th and ending November 15th. Professional instruction and equipment rentals are provided.

Some important dates to note are as follows:

Wednesday September 13th: Annual General Meeting of Members (6pm – 7pm), Open House and Registration Night (7pm – 9pm).

Monday October 2nd: First Day of Curling

Wednesday October 4th: First Adult Learn to Curl Session

Saturday October 7th: 2nd Annual Swing and Sweep (golf and curling) open to the community; featuring 9 holes of golf and Osprey Link and 6 ends of Curling followed by dinner and prizes at the Granite Club for $60/person.

Tuesday October 10th and Thursday October 12th: Timbits Curling (roughly grades 5-8) Open House from 4pm – 5pm both days (on-ice orientation and program information provided). Timbits Curling runs Tuesdays and Thursdays after school beginning October 17th.

Bobby Ray General Manager North Bay Granite Club