St Thomas Curling Club
Club History
St. Thomas and Curling are synonymous today. There have been many outstanding rinks from St. Thomas at all of the important curling events over the past five decades: Dr. Donald Gilbert, Jim Waite, Ann Day are three widely known skips from the city. Don Gilbert's rink won the Ontario Championship in 1968, which qualified his rink for the Dominion Brier that year. The Ontario Tankard which consists of two men's rinks per team has been won by St. Thomas on three occasions. City teams have won the Governor-General's Trophy twice.
Local curling started on a roadside pond off William Street, roughly where IGA is now located. A large frame curling and skating rink was built by the St. Thomas Curling and Skating Company in 1878. The building cost $1,700.00 and was built on the east side of Metcalfe Street just south of Talbot Street in the rear of the Oddfellows’ Block. It faced the Canada Southern tracks. J. Pottinger was the first president of the club. The building was the precursor of the Granite Arena built a few years later.
The Granite Curling Club, was founded by some local curlers and a six sheet club was built on Metcalfe Street near Talbot in 1893. Mr. Joseph McAdam was president for the first year. Curling flourished in St. Thomas, due in part to the efforts of W.K. Cameron – an early promoter of the game who helped organize The Ontario Curling Association. These curlers competed with curlers from London, Simcoe, Aylmer and Ridgetown. In 1903, the Granite Rink was the site of games between curlers from London, St. Thomas and teams from Scotland taking part in the Cross-Canada-Scotland Curlers’ Tour. Colie Campbell, a well-remembered curler, learned to curl at the St. Thomas Curling Club. Unfortunately in 1930, the Granite Club folded due to the uncertainties of curling on natural ice.
The present Curling Club on Parkside Drive was formed in 1955 with R.W. (Bert) Rankin as the first President. The St. Thomas Memorial Arena was used several times a week by 117 men and 63 women showing so much enthusiasm that a decision was made to purchase land and build a club. This was made possible by issuing 5% bonds and selling approximately 250 bonds. The building was completed, thanks to much volunteered help, and by December 1, 1956 the building was officially opened. For the first few years the members had to share the work load with the ladies preparing and serving the food for bonspiels and Club events and the men taking on many other tasks.
By Isabel Mortin
