Windsor moving 'full steam ahead' for on-time start to 2024 curling season

Windsor is moving "full steam ahead" for the start of the curling season in just over a month, a city official said, even thoughas of yet, no ice maker has been contracted.

Jennifer Knights, executive director of recreation and culture, says the 2024 curling season will start as scheduled.

"We are still full steam ahead for curling to start as scheduled on Monday, October the 21st," Knights told CBC Windsor.

"We've been working with a small group of members from the curling community on the project to move curling from Roseland to Capri ... We've been meeting with them on a regular basis to get the facility fit up for them based on the information they shared with us as to what they'd like to have in the new curling venue," Knights added.

Last year councillors voted to move curling to the Capri Pizzeria Recreation Complex and out of the aging Roseland facility, which would have required significant upgrades.

Knights said the city had been in negotiations with the ice maker that had been used at Roseland, but last week he advised that for personal reasons he was unable to commit to the agreement.

But she said the city has a backup plan in place and is working hard to make sure that ice is in on time and that it's high quality curling ice for curlers.

Options include working with other curling clubs to contract an ice maker, or working with curling organizationsget staff the training they need to learn to make the special ice.

According to Knights, the city is constructing the lounge space at the new site.

"We're also in the midst of continuing to receive the equipment that we're going to be using for curling," she said.

"We've got new lockers, we've ordered new curling stones all of the equipment that's involved in curling ice-making has either been ordered or is on site.

"The ice will go in in early October and we're also working on creating a really nice environment for the curlers so we're dressing up the rink area by removing the glass, raising some netting nuts in there and then installing draping so that it creates a nice environment for them when the curling season begins," Knights added.

'100% confident'

Meanwhile, Benjamin Iannetta, member of The Future of Curling in Windsor-Essex says he's "100 per cent confident" the curling season will begin on schedule.

"We spent the entire summer working closely with the city, particularly the Parks and Recreations Department," he said. "We've gotten great indications that everything is moving and progressing right along."