There will be at least one more year of curling in La Ronge. (Photo 8379992 © Bdingman | Dreamstime.com)

By Derek Cornet

winter activities

Curling ice to be installed despite strong council opposition

Sep 27, 2023 | 5:00 PM

Despite objections from two councillors and La Ronge Mayor Joe Hordyski, administration will proceed with installing ice at the curling rink at the Mel Hegland Uniplex.

The issue dominated discussion at council’s regular meeting on Tuesday as a delegation of mostly teenage girls led by certified curling coach Karla Hardcastle forced them to make a decision on the matter. They made a passionate plea for council to abandon plans to use the area as an indoor recreation space this winter and beyond instead of traditionally installing four curling sheets in the space.

Hordsyki, along with councillors Jordan McPhail and Abby Besharah, voted against installing the ice while councillors Viviana Ruiz-Arcand, Terry Hunt and Matthew Klassen were in favour. Coun. Ryan Veteri was not in attendance and did not vote.

The three-to-three tie by council meant administration, which recommended repurposing the space for a one-year pilot project to introduce new and innovative recreation and event programming, has directed town staff to begin installing the curling ice instead.

“It came to our attention late last week that council was going to be discussing the intention of not putting ice in for the curling rink for this coming year, so we wanted to come in and just talk a little bit about how beneficial having curling here in the community is,” Hardcastle told council prior to their decision.

Riderville

Ask Not for Whom the Bell Tolls

4h ago

regular season

Ice Wolves ready for home opener against defending SJHL champion Mustangs

19h ago

election

Nomination period for Air Ronge council begins

23h ago

“Especially as girls get older and you get into that contact age for hockey, curling can be a really good alternative winter sport for them. We’re really working hard to build a youth program and we’ve got a plan for some things we’d like to try this coming year.”

The plan calls for youth curling practices throughout the week with an upcoming registration soon to be planned. Hardcastle noted some athletes would likely attend competitions and represent the North in Humboldt, Moose Jaw, Prince Albert, Regina and Saskatoon.

Hordyski told Hardcastle a curling rink is not in the town’s plans for a new facility and that council was looking at building a multipurpose hall attached to a new rink instead.

“We had a consultant look at our facility and gave us a $10 million estimate, and we know how renovations go and what could be $15 million by the time they’re done, so we’ve been considering a new facility,” he said. “As we look at the cost of doing that, we realized we cannot afford to do everything we’ve got and we wanted to include a flex hall because right now, we don’t have activities for people that are non-ice people.”

Besharah was also vocal about creating a space for alternative activities aside from curling.

“These are young ladies and I understand the emotions are high and the delegation definitely brought that to the table, but we have to make impartial decisions. How many children are out there who can benefit from programming like a roller derby and consistent movie nights and having our own facility? We’d have full control. We won’t have to book it, we won’t have to do anything.”

—

derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com