The Jasper Curling Club marked its 100th anniversary with multiple events and featured Olympic gold medalist Kevin Martin as a special guest.
The celebrations included on-ice sessions, a banquet on Friday [Jan. 24] and a curling table set up outside as part of the Street Party, which concluded Jasper in January.
“I just want to say thank you to our Jasper community for being able to keep this sport alive,” said Hilary Olson, president of the Jasper Curling Club. “I’ve only been here since we moved to town in 2005, but there were many people before me that were working hard to keep the spirit of curling and the sport of curling alive.”
‘The Wayne Gretzky of curling’
During the celebrations, Martin was on hand to show his Olympic medals, take photos with people and share his stories. He even offered helpful tips to those who participated in the on-ice sessions, such as one for stick curling.
The retired curler won the Olympic silver medal in 2002 and the gold in 2010. He also earned a world championship, four Brier titles and 18 Grand Slam of Curling men’s titles. He was recently appointed to the Order of Canada for his accomplishments and contributions to curling.
Olson called Martin “the Wayne Gretzky of curling.”
“The reason I chose him is he’s quite a good speaker,” she said. “Not only is he quite accomplished in his sport, but he’s a very charismatic speaker.”
Martin shared various anecdotes with banquet guests. He noted a benefit of small communities was that young people had the chance to play different sports rather than be pigeonholed into one, as can happen in larger cities with more students to compete against.
“I think that’s something I really wanted to put across to the kids today, that if you do all these things and you find out something that you like, now going forward, you’ve tried it all,” Martin said.
A brief history of the curling club
Initial discussions and plans to start the Jasper Curling Club began in 1924 with the facility opening in 1925. J. Morris Kinnear served as the first president.
The original rink was located roughly where the Aquatic Centre now stands. It was then moved across the street to make way for an outdoor swimming pool, and many improvements were made over the years.
In 1971, Parks Canada announced it wanted the rink moved and was also planning to develop a new recreation centre. The club decided to move the rink there, and the old one was decommissioned after 52 years of service at the end of the 1976-77 season. Myrle Clark threw the last rock.
In the fall of 1977, the club moved to the new facilities in the recently completed recreation centre. As part of the deal, the club was required to raise $100,000 toward construction.
Recently, as part of renovations at the Jasper Activity Centre, the Curling Lounge was upgraded, and an elevator has improved accessibility.
A small display showcasing the club’s history can be found in the Curling Lounge at the Jasper Activity Centre, and Olson noted the Jasper-Yellowhead Museum frequently showcases Jasper’s curling history.
The importance of curling for Jasper
Olson noted curling wasn’t like hockey or other more physical sports that older people had a harder time picking up.
“The one thing that really drew me to curling is that it is a sport that you can pick up at any stage of your life,” she said.
Stick curling, for example, allows curlers to walk forward and release the rock with a stick, which is easier on people’s backs and knees.
Most clubs also provide brooms and other equipment for curlers to use, and people just need a clean pair of shoes and warm stretch clothing.
Although the club took a bit of a hit with its corporate league post-wildfire, Olson described the club as being in a state of growth. She estimated the club had about 120 regular members, but the total exposure would be at least double or more if casual curlers were included.
For those who may be on the fence about taking up the sport, Olson encouraged them to come out to their Learn to Curl, which typically happens at the start of the season. Those with slightly more experience can register as a spare for the club.
“Then you will get a call from one of the teams that’s short a player, and that’s a really great way to learn from other players how to curl, and sometimes we just need a warm body,” Olson said.
