A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of sitting down with Peterborough Golf and Country Club (PGCC) curling director Kris Hickey.

Curling at the PGCC was championed by Quaker Oats of Canada employee and PGCC board member, Andy Rutter. 

Construction of the curling rink began in 1958 and curling started the following year. The structure served two purposes. First, it was a curling rink with four sheets of ice. Second, it served as the back shop for club storage during the golf season. Those same two functions still exist.

Kris learned to curl while attending Millbrook High School. At that time, the arena ice was pebbled once per week for curling. She continued to play while attending Queen’s University and participated in a recreational league at the Cataraqui Golf and Country Club.

After obtaining her teaching degree Kris found employment in York Region and began curling at the Sutton Curling Club. She and other teachers took elementary school students to the club to learn curling fundamentals and how to play.

Today, Kris is an active club member who curls three times per week. She curls in the women’s day league, women’s evening league, and Friday night social league. With her teaching and organizational background, it wasn’t long before Kris became involved piloting curling activities at the PGCC.

A PGCC member since the late 1990s, Kris and her curling committee organize the various sections (leagues) at the club. Under Kris’s tutelage the committee and conveners organize day and evening sections that accommodate almost every ability from their adult “Learn to Curl Programme” to a men’s competitive section, and everything in between.

Club membership is very stable (currently about 250) but varies in the midst of winter as some members depart for warmer climates. The curling season runs from mid-October to early April.

One section extraordinarily well subscribed is the men’s 50 plus division. In fact, there are currently five men aged 90 or more, including one participant still playing at 97 years of age. Kris explains the “stick delivery” has extended participation in the sport for many seniors who enjoy the game, socializing, and want to continue playing.

The Friday night social is another popular section. About 120 members participate in one of four draws. The early draw begins at one o’clock and the final draw begins at 7:30 p.m.

When speaking with Kris you can tell she has a passion for the sport and is extremely knowledgeable. From our conversation I learned that a standard curling rink is 45-46 metres long and between four-and-a-half and five metres in width. Curling stones used at the PGCC weigh slightly under 20 kilograms (44 pounds) and were sourced and manufactured from granite found on an island off the coast of Scotland. Each stone has a value of about $750. The PGCC has four sheets of ice, each with 16 stones.

A game of curling consists of eight ends. Each of the four team members throws two stones per end. On average a game lasts about two hours.

Although there is currently no junior curling program at the PGCC, earlier this season the club hosted a U18 Provincial Qualifier event. On March 9 the club hosted the Central Ontario Secondary Schools Association (COSSA) high school curling event. Four girls and four boys’ teams competed.

On March 21 another bonspiel is coming to the PGCC. The Curlers Care Charity Invitational bonspiel is an event organized in support of the PRHC Foundation and the Reimagine Health Care Campaign. 

Sounds like a fun event for a wonderful cause.

© Peterborough Examiner