The Gravenhurst Curling Club has reached its 125th anniversary, but the milestone is overshadowed by ageing infrastructure and mounting financial pressures.
Joanne Chase, Club President, said while reaching the milestone feels “incredible,” the journey to maintain the club in a small town has been “a real challenge.”
“The building is nearly 70 years old, and curling revenue can’t keep up with the capital expenditures that have been facing us,” she said. “We’ve had some critical equipment failures, and the building itself has many components that need to be replaced.”
According to Chase, the costs to rebuild the facility are “astronomical,” leaving them with no option but to work with the old infrastructure they have.
“We’ve had to invest over $450,000 in critical repairs to our ice plant and infrastructure in recent years,” said Chase. “That’s stretched our finances and depleted our reserves.”
She said over the years, the club has dealt with extensive infrastructure problems, including a leaking, damaged steel roof and furnace failures. They also had to replace their flat roof that was past its expiry.
“Although this milestone is a celebration of our past, more importantly, it’s a rallying cry for our future,” she said.
To secure its future, the club has launched a bold online fundraising campaign with a goal of $500,000 by 2029 to upgrade ageing infrastructure and ensure the facility remains safe, efficient, and welcoming for years to come.
According to officials, last year, the club’s 250 members raised nearly $30,000. However, reaching their full goal will require broader community support.
“The anniversary comes at a critical time as we are in dire need of help to fund all the things that we need to do, and we desperately want to keep curling alive in Gravenhurst,” said Chase.
According to Chase, aside from the fundraiser, there are several ways the community can help support the club. These include increasing membership revenue, utilizing the facility by renting it out for special events, and exploring various advertisement opportunities available at the club.
