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Impact on Ice Time Due to the Scotties Tournament of Hearts
As you may know, the Scotties will be held at the Gardens this year, and our curling club will serve as the central hub for the event's festivities, officially known as "The Original 16 Patch." To accommodate this, we will be required to temporarily remove our curling ice to support the event. This will result in a brief hiatus from curling for our members, with an expected downtime of approximately three weeks. However, the duration could extend slightly depending on various factors related to the event and the ice reinstallation process.
Financial Impact on Our Club
While this event does require some adjustments to our regular schedule, it brings significant financial benefits to our club. Hosting the Patch and supporting the Scotties will positively impact our club's finances, allowing us to reinvest in our facilities and programs. This opportunity is a tremendous boost for our club and the broader curling community in Thunder Bay and surrounding areas.
Efforts to Minimize Lost Time
To help mitigate the impact of this downtime, we are implementing the following measures:
- Early Start to the Season: The curling season will commence one week earlier this year, with the first games starting on October 7th.
- Extended Season: We are actively working with the city to extend the curling season by an additional week or more. This measure has yet to be finalized.
- In collaboration with the other clubs in the city—Port Arthur and Kakabeka—they have agreed to allow our members to schedule games at their facilities during the downtime. Our membership committee will reach out during the season to coordinate and confirm which teams are interested in taking advantage of this opportunity.
Membership Fees
We had initially considered increasing membership fees this year. However, given the uncertainty surrounding the timing of the event and its impact on our schedule, we have decided to maintain the current membership fees for this season.
Annual General Meeting
We are hopeful that these initiatives will help minimize any lost curling time. We encourage you to attend our Annual General Meeting, scheduled for Thursday, September 26th, at 7:00 PM, where Rick Lang from the Scotties Committee will speak about the event. This will be an excellent opportunity to ask any questions you may have.
Key Dates for Scotties:
- Event Dates: February 14-23, 2025
- Ice Removal Begins: February 8, 2025
- Estimated Ice Restoration: 7-10 days following the event
- We will tentatively schedule games as early as the week of March 3rd. The return date may vary based on the ice reinstallation process.
We appreciate your understanding and continued support as we navigate this unique season. We look forward to seeing you on the ice soon!
Kevan Stranges
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