MOUNT FOREST – The Curling Ontario logo is embedded in the pebbled surface of the ice at the Mount Forest Curling Club, along with the words, “Proud Host of the U18 Men’s and Women’s 2025 Provincial Championship.”
“This is a big deal,” said Kim MacKenzie, ice maker at the club and a member of the committee planning the upcoming event.
“Very, very few clubs have the opportunity to host a final championship.”
The event takes place Jan. 8 to 12, and will see eight men’s and eight women’s teams from across Ontario vying for the provincial title and the chance to take part in the national competition.
When MacKenzie spoke to the Advertiser it was still too soon to determine which clubs would qualify for the provincial championship or where they would be coming from, but he is expecting the event to attract a good crowd.
The 64 competitors, who will represent some of the best young athletes in the sport, will range in age from 15 to 17, and they will not likely show up to the tournament unaccompanied, MacKenzie said.
“Their parents are coming; their grandparents are coming,” he said. “We’re expecting to see 100 people on each draw at the club.”
With three or four draws – or rounds of games – taking place each day of the event, that will mean the club will need lots of volunteers to help out.
“The club is reaching out to the membership, the community and to other clubs for support and volunteers,” said MacKenzie.
In an email with the subject line, “Ontario U18 Provincial Curling Championships – Help Needed,” event committee chair Karl Ellis appealed to club members and other supporters, outlining some of the volunteer jobs.
“This is a large undertaking for a club of our size,” he stated, going on to list ice-making, timekeeping and bartending among the roles that will need to be filled.
MacKenzie said the curling club’s members have the ice-making looked after, but both he and Ellis told the Advertiser finding timekeepers is a priority.
“It’s not a difficult task, but it’s an important one for competition at that level,” said Ellis, noting it keeps the games on schedule and ensures each team gets the same amount of time to play.
“You don’t have to be a curler to do the job,” he said, explaining it’s as easy as clicking a stop watch.
“If you enjoy the game of curling, it would be a good opportunity to come and see competition at the highest level.”
The event was originally supposed be held in Wingham, but when that club didn’t end up putting ice in this year, Curling Ontario approached Mount Forest about hosting the event, Ellis explained.
Because the club wasn’t intended as the original hosts, it has had less time to prepare for the event, so the focus is on filling essential volunteer roles first, he said.
Once those essential roles are filled, the club will worry about staffing the bar and kitchen to sell food and drinks and maybe make a little money on the event.
“If we break even, we’ll be happy. If we make a little money that’s a bonus,” said Ellis.
He added he expects the event will also be a bonus of sorts for area businesses, as the teams of teens, and their cheering sections, may need places to stay and eat.
And their patronage will probably spill over into nearby communities, including Fergus, Elora or Walkerton, Ellis said.
It’s also a good way to raise the profile of the club.
MacKenzie said the Mount Forest Curling Club has been around since 1880.
“We are a very well-established club,” he said.
Its facility is member-owned, and with help from grant money, its ice-making equipment was recently updated to a “state-of-the-art” system, he said.
The championship is a good time for curling-curious community members to learn more about the sport.
“This will be a great opportunity for interested new curlers to come and check out the club,” said MacKenzie.
Those looking for more information on the event can visit curlingontario.ca or mountforestcurlingclub.com.
Those interested in volunteering or sponsorship opportunities can contact Karl Ellis at kjellis@wightman.ca or 519-323-9543.
