Andrew Kuntz is chair of the committee, which represents over 300 curlers at Roseland.  He says the group wants to express the needs of curlers and make sure their voice is heard in the retention of what’s there now, or in the development of a new facility; and to make sure that municipal curling is included in the fabric of the city in future.

Jim MacLachlan represents senior curlers, the largest group with 85 members.  He says their association is incorporated, well-organized, and is ready to convince municipal leaders in Windsor that curling is necessary.

The committee has approached the various evening and day-time curling leagues at Roseland to sign a letter of agreement that the committee will represent their views.  The idea is to have a unified voice, and to have one group speak for all of the curlers represented.    

Terry Fink is not a curler, but he is a strategist for the group.  Before he retired, he was a consultant with the Ministry of Tourism and Recreation with the provincial government, and was also the director of the Parks and Recreation Department of LaSalle.  As such, he has the expertise to handle the development of municipal sports.  He’s already approached Curl Canada, a national curling organization, for advice and assistance.  It’s organizing a cross country symposium to discuss the future of curling in Canadian communities, and Windsor could be included in the roster, if it’s deemed necessary.  The next symposium is to be held in Ottawa on May 6.  

Curl Canada is looking at marketing curling as a sport, how to run a curling club, and how to develop new members to make curling financially viable.  

Bobby Ray is the manager of club development for Curl Canada, and he says a symposium may not be necessary, but he’d be interested in coming to the area at some point to see what Windsor has, and what’s needed.