The Kelowna Curling Club is kicking off its 75th anniversary season in style.
The local club will celebrate the occasion Sept. 8 and 9 with a series of special events.
Today, with 1,200 curlers using the facility, the Kelowna Curling Club boasts one of the largest memberships of any curling club in Canada.
With 12 sheets, it is also the largest curling facility in the country.
In April 1942, a group of avid curlers formed a society to move the sport from Kelowna’s outdoors to an indoor building.
Nine years later, in 1951, the dream turned into reality when the Kelowna Curling Club was built on the corner of Water Street and Doyle Avenue.
Kelowna Curling Club manager Jock Tyre said the 75th anniversary is a significant occasion in more ways than one.
“Number one, we can celebrate the fact that this non-profit has survived as long as it has,” said Tyre. “With all that’s gone on here in curling, the big events we’ve hosted, the number of championships our curlers have won, the number of people who are playing the game, Kelowna is punching above its weight class…the future looks good.”
“Some people early on (1942) decided we were going to be a curling community,” he added. “It’s their forethought that’s made as us as good as we are today.”
In 1968, Kelowna was home to the Brier, the largest curling event ever to come to the city, and the first of many national and international events hosted by the Kelowna Curling Club.
In 1978, the club moved to 12 sheets and its current Recreation Avenue location.
Ticketed events
• Friday, Sept. 8—Reception and live music brought to you by Steam Whistle beer and Andrew Peller wines.
• Saturday, Sept. 9—Guest speaker Bryan Mudryk of TSN and the Hip Replacements are the headliners of the night of dinner and dancing brought to you by Jack Daniels.
• Sunday Sept. 10—Wind-up brunch
Tickets can be purchased at kelownacurling.com.
There will be a silent auction running all weekend with many curling celebrity autographed items up for grabs.