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People have been curling in Windsor for more than a century
On May 24, 2017, the Windsor Curling Club was inducted into the local sports hall of fame in recognition of over 122 years of curling in the city.
Curlers first started on frozen ponds and the Detroit River
It’s believed that local curling began around 1877 by a loose-knit group of local enthusiasts who played on frozen ponds in parks, or when parts of the Detroit River iced up during the winter.
The Walkerville Curling Club was the first club in 1897
A more formal incarnation -- with teams and leagues – may have come with the development of the Walkerville or Walker Curling Club on August 27, 1897. It’s believed that teams were inspired, and possibly sponsored by Hiram Walker, a renowned distiller in the area.
That same year -- 1897 -- the Ontario government approved a charter for the Windsor Curling Rink Company Limited. Stocks were sold ostensibly to build a structure at the corner of Ouellette and Wyandotte to house a 60 foot by 160 foot sheet of ice. By November, the building was actually established at Dufferin and Maiden Lane. After the opening, officiated by Mrs. Chandler Walker, an international tankard was held with 12 clubs participating from Michigan and Ohio in the U.S.; and from the counties of Essex, Kent, Lambton and Middlesex in Canada. A more experienced team from Detroit won.
Fire Strikes! The Walkerville Curling Club damaged by fire
Disaster struck the Windsor club in the summer of 1914 when the building was set on fire by two children playing with matches. The curling stones were cracked and broken, and the fire caused over 10 thousand dollars in damage to the curling club, of which only four thousand was covered by insurance. By December, 1915, a new four rink building replaced the three sheet rink in the same location.
Windsor Curling moves to Detroit
Curling in Windsor lasted until the Walkerville Curling Club was sold in 1920 after which curlers from Windsor practiced their favourite sport in Detroit. Since Detroit was a founding member of the Ontario Curling Association (OCA) in 1889, Windsor curlers were still allowed to curl in OCA sponsored events. Over time, three Detroit curlers served as OCA president, while two enjoyed life memberships.
Curling returns to Windsor with The Windsor Curling Club in 1954
Curling eventually returned to Windsor in 1954. The Windsor Curling Club was resurrected when it moved into the Windsor Ice and Coal Company building at McDougall and Shepherd. Eight years later, in 1962, the club moved to a brand-new facility on Central Avenue.
Tragedy Strikes! Severe Tornado hits The Windsor Curling Club
In 1974 a severe tornado knocked down the rear wall of the building, killing all six skips at that end of the rink. The club was rebuilt and actively continued until 1990 when that building was sold, and the group disbanded. Avid curlers simply moved out of town to rinks in Kingsville and Leamington; or to the Beachgrove Golf and Curling Club, which is a private facility on the shores of Lake St. Clair.
The Roseland Curling Club built in 1979
The Roseland Golf and Curling Club, a city-owned facility was built in 1979. Roseland was shut down for awhile during the recent covid pandemic, and now is slated for demolition, which may threaten the future of city-sponsored curling in Windsor.
The Future of Curling in Windsor Committee would like to keep the sport alive in Windsor.
The Future of Curling in Windsor Committee representing 300 local avid curlers has the goal to work with the city to keep the sport alive in Windsor.
Historical references and details provided from Tedd Szalay's book History of Windsor Curling Club and Related Curling Trivia. More detail on the book can be found HERE
Historical references and details provided from Tedd Szalay's book History of Windsor Curling Club and Related Curling Trivia. More detail on the book can be found HERE
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