Moose Jaw Ford Curling Centre gearing up for busy new season

The Moose Jaw Ford Curling Centre is quickly gearing up for what promises to be a busy season, especially when it comes to the high-level curling front.

In addition to hosting their regular league nights and the Original 16 Cash League, the local rink will also see a pair of Sask Curling Tour tournaments before hosting the 2022 Wheelchair Curling National Championships in February.

It all promises to make for many an action-packed night at the eight-sheet rink in Mosaic Place, and curling programmer Rhonda Wenarchuk wouldn’t have it any other way.

“We’re really looking forward to it,” she said. “There will be a lot of busy weekends and a lot of great curling.”

It all begins with the first day back on the ice on Tuesday, Oct. 12. The plan is to hold an open house the following Saturday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., offering players a chance to get back on the ice and test out the (frozen) waters.

“So anyone can come out and practice and decide if they want to sign up for any of the leagues we offer,” Wenarchuk said.

From there, it’s full speed ahead. All the regular leagues are back in action, including the popular Monday Night Two/Two League, Tuesday Stick League, Original 16 Cash League on Wednesday nights, the always-popular Thursday Night Open League and Kid’s Fun Curl Leagues on the weekend, just to name a few.

Players can sign up for as many as they wish using the Curling IO website, which can be found at moosejaw.curling.io.

While registration numbers aren’t at full bore just yet, Wenarchuk expects things will pick up closer to the date and as more decisions surrounding the pandemic are made.

“It’s been okay so far, we’re at around 50 per cent, I think everyone is just kind of waiting it out and seeing what’s happening,” Wenarchuk said. “As of right now, you don’t have to be vaccinated to come and curl, you might have to wear a mask on the ice, but that could change, too. And if things go really crazy and we have to close things down again, it’ll be just like last year where we gave refunds… I really hope that doesn’t happen because we have some big events lined up.”

And how.

The new Sask Curling Tour will make its first stop in Moose Jaw from Nov. 5-7 with the Women’s SCT event -- a tournament that already has 13 teams signs on -- and the Men’s SCT stop will take place Nov. 19-21. The 800 CHAB Youthspiel follows a week later from Nov. 27-28, Fonger Wealth Management Doubles Spiel on Dec. 11 and 118th annual Men’s Bonspiel Jan. 21-22.

That all leads up to the big one: the 2022 Curling Canada Wheelchair Curling Championship, which will run from Feb. 21-26 and feature as many as 14 teams from across the country.

Of course, players taking to the ice this season will still face pandemic caution inside the arena, with masks in the lobby and recommended on the ice, social distancing and many other protocols in place to keep everyone safe. 

For more information, check out the Moose Jaw Ford Curling Centre website at www.moosejawcurling.com or give Wenarchuk a shout in the office at (306) 624-2048 or reach her by cell at (306) 630-8825.