Love It! or List It!
Update April 11, 2019
The Planning Committee of the Board of Directors are completing a Love It Phased plan with the following priorities:
- Minimize the risk to ongoing curling,
- Enhance energy efficiency,
- Provide an accessible facility,
- Upgrades to enhance enjoyment of the club
There will be external communications to the local media to provide them with an update that HCC plans to move forward with renovations to our existing club. It is an important message to our sponsors and partners that we will still need their ongoing support.
We are moving ahead with Phase 1 renovations. See below for highlights and join us at the AGM on June 11th for more details!
We are proceeding this year with the replacement of all roofing and lights in the curling shed, the two highest priority repairs necessary to ensure the continuity of curling. We will be drawing on the HCC capital funds to cover the costs which have been allocated for repairs of this nature.
The Huntsville Curling Club – The Next Generation (Media Release)
Over the past many years the Huntsville Curling Club (HCC) has diligently pursued the opportunity to partner with the Town of Huntsville (TOH) in developing a new multi-purpose recreational facility including a new curling rink. The TOH supports the multi-purpose facility vision but, due to other priorities, is not able to move forward with funding this initiative at this time.
The HCC has been in existence for 120 years and the current facilities have reached a critical state where a significant investment is required to ensure continuity of the curling programs and services provided to the community.
As a result, the HCC is excited to now move forward with a multi-year renovation to the existing facility to ensure long term safe and accessible curling for the Huntsville and area communities. An investment of approximately $1M is required to modernize the facility including addressing critical issues such as the roof, a requirement to make the club fully accessible and to improve its energy efficiency.
We are sincerely grateful to our sponsors and the local area businesses that support our annual fundraising activities like the Pancake Breakfast and the Rocks to Ridges Golf Tournament. Our sponsors also showed their phenomenal support as we hosted the Ontario Men’s Tankard in 2018.
HCC will need the continuing support of the TOH, the community, as well as local businesses as we embark upon our journey to make our club safe, accessible and energy efficient; a modern place where we can continue to grow our sense of community. Our goal is that HCC continues to be a center for Huntsville and area residents to participate in a sport that promotes lifelong healthy active living.
About The Huntsville Curling Club
The Huntsville Curling Club (HCC) is a community based organization that provides programs for all segments of the population, from youth to seniors, to promote active healthy living in our community. Over 1000 Huntsville and surrounding area residents use the HCC regularly and we continue to pursue growth strategies to expand community use. We have an extensive school program for children aged 6 – 18 and we offer social and development leagues and a Learn to Curl program for new curlers. Each year, the HCC hosts Ontario Curling Association events, such as an Under 21 Mixed Qualifier and a Senior Provincial Qualifier, bringing players and their families into the Huntsville area.
HCC is a volunteer run organization with a small number of employees. The leadership of the HCC, the leagues, youth programs and the general operations of the club are all run by our highly committed volunteers. HCC is self-funded through membership dues and fund-raising activities. The HCC does not receive any Federal/Provincial or Municipal funding to support its ongoing operating costs.
For more information about the Huntsville Curling Club, please visit us at our website:
https://huntsvillecurlingclub.ca/
Key Messages
- The Huntsville Curling Club (HCC) is a volunteer run organization that is an active member of the Huntsville and area community offering programs to all ages from 6 – 96. Curling is a sport that enables lifelong active healthy living.
- HCC brought the Ontario Men’s Tankard to Huntsville in January 2018 bringing an estimated $1M in economic impact to the community. We also supported the 55+ Winter Games this year in addition to several Bonspiels and Ontario Curling Association events each season that bring visitors into Huntsville and our club.
- We hosted over 1000 participants at the Huntsville Curling Club in this past year alone including 247 regular members. Our Youth programming provided curling instruction to over 500 children through school and after school programs including our very popular March Break Program.
- HCC is a self-funded organization through membership dues and fund-raising activities. We are sincerely grateful to our sponsors and the local area business that support our fundraising activities like the Pancake Breakfast and the Rocks to Ridges Golf Tournament. Our sponsors showed their phenomenal support as we hosted the Ontario Men’s Tankard in 2018.
- District of Muskoka studies show that Baby Boomers are retiring in the Muskoka’s and an Active Curling Club is an important asset to attract recent retirees to Huntsville.
- The Town of Huntsville (TOH) supports HCC in its vision of a Multi-purpose facility for Huntsville and Area but is not able to move forward with funding this initiative at this time.
- The current HCC building is in immediate need of approximately $1M investment to ensure our ability to continue to deliver safe and accessible curling to the Huntsville and Area Community.
- HCC will need the continuing support of the TOH, the community, as well as local businesses as we embark upon our journey to make our club safe, accessible and energy efficient, a modern place where we can continue to grow our sense of community. Our goal is that HCC continues to be a place for Huntsville and area to participate in a sport that promotes lifelong active healthy living.
- We’re excited about the Next Generation of Curling in Huntsville. With the continued support of our Curlers, our Sponsors and our Volunteers, we look forward to future years at the Veterans Way facility.
Muskoka Region article regarding plan for the club to move ahead with renovations
Love It! or List It!
Update February 28, 2019
In December, members of the Planning Committee and Board of Directors of the Huntsville Curling Club presented two options for the future of curling in Huntsville. The “Love It” option was to stay and renovate the existing facility and the “List it” option was defined as moving to a new Multi-use facility with significant financial support from the Town of Huntsville (TOH).
The TOH has now responded to the request from the Huntsville Curling Club for financial support for a new facility. The TOH has offered land, services and parking for a new site however, unfortunately, they are not able to support the additional $3M financial request for support.
Without full financial support from the TOH, the “List it” option is not viable for the Huntsville Curling Club. The article published recently in the Doppler covered the TOH council meeting where the Huntsville Curling Club request was discussed. Here is the link if you have not seen the article.
With the “List it” option being no longer viable for the Huntsville Curling Club, we will be pursuing the “Love it” option, which will entail renovating and enhancing the current facility on Veterans Way to support the future of curling in Huntsville.
The Planning Committee under the direction of the Board of Directors, are now starting the work to refine the scope, timing and funding for the renovation of the existing facility. It is expected a phased approach will be taken to complete the renovations that will take several years to complete.
We intend on providing you with a more detailed update at the Annual General Meeting in June to outline the scope, timing and funding of the renovation project. In the meantime if you have any questions, please feel free to contact any member of the Planning Committee which includes:
Ted Bionda Beth Goodhew
Scott Goodhew Bob Gibb
Dennis Rolland Chris Herrndorf
Love It! or List It!
December 2,3, 2018
The Planning Committee, a sub-committee of the HCC Board of Directors, has been working towards options for the longterm sustainability of curling in Huntsville. 2 options have been explored extensively. Love It! - remain in the current location and renovate the existing facility. List It! - build and move to a new multi-purpose facility at McCulley Robertson field in partnership with the town of Huntsville. Information sessions were held on December 2 and 3 to communicate with the members the current status. The following presentation was reviewed. If you have any questions or input to the Love It! or List It! process and progress please contact any member of the Planning Committee: Ted Bionda - President, Beth Goodhew VP, Scott Goodhew Treasurer, Dennis Rolland Planning, Bob Gibb Operations and Chris Herrndorff Sponsorship.
