(File photo/meadowlakeNOW Staff)

By Elliott Knopp

Curling Loan

Curling club receiving $300,000 loan for new ice plant

Oct 22, 2021 | 6:27 PM

Meadow Lake City Council has agreed to loan the Meadow Lake Curling Club nearly $300,000 for the purchase and installation of a new ice plant for the PineRidge Ford Curling Club Arena.

The announcement comes after the Meadow Lake Curling Club reached out to the city for the loan so the recreational group could move forward with the upcoming season.

Back in June, the Meadow Lake & District Arena was destroyed in an unexpected fire. In the incident, the ice plant used to create playing surfaces for both the hockey and curling rinks was severely damaged, rendering the item useless.

Mayor Merlin Seymour stated while the price of the loan is significant, the curling club plays an important role in the city’s recreational scene, adding losing the activity could have negative effects on the community.

“Recreation is definitely a community builder,” he said.

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“Curling and other recreation is very important to our community, and it’s unfortunate they were tied in with our ice plant system.”

In a letter to council, curling club manager Shannon Heddon stated the absence of an ice plant could lead to a loss of interest in the community, a decline in memberships and cast uncertainty for the future of the sport in the community if not replaced.

She also mentioned the club has agreed to explore options that would involve the construction of curling surfaces inside of the new facility, if it is plausible.

According to city documents, council also believes the ice plant could be sold for a price between $150,000 and $175,000, if the unit is no longer needed. That depends on whether curling surfaces will be installed in the new recreational facility.

Seymour clarified the decision on whether the new facility will contain a curling arena will come down to the cost of the addition.

“It would definitely be nice to have the curling club in the new facility,” he said.

“Right now, the arena part of it is our primary concern. Ultimately, it comes down to taxpayers dollars and if it’s going to be feasible and worthwhile to everyone.

He added council will continue to explore its options, but stressed no decisions have been made.

Heddon stated while that decision has yet to be made, curlers in the community are glad they will be able to resume playing their sport in the community.

“We’re very excited to start up again with this support from the city and the members because it was the members who wanted curling to continue,” she said.

The curling club is planning on holding fundraisers and gathering donations to pay off the loan for the ice plant. Anyone interested in offering assistance is asked to contact Heddon by phone at 306-236-6636.

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elliott.knopp@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @ElliottKnopp