History of the Elmwood Curling Club

The Elmwood Curling Club was started in the fall of 1910 when Dr. James A. McTavish, Ed Spice and Alex Brown drove around Elmwood in a horse and buggy selling $25.00 shares to build a curling rink in Elmwood. They were able to raise enough money to build their rink so in the early days of 1911 they were curling in a modest structure . The Elmwood Curling Club has been at this location all that time but in 1956 the curlers got tired of the old club and natural ice and decided to build a new facility with an artificial ice plant. At that time the clubrooms were moved from an entrance off Harbison to an entrance off Brazier Street. In 1965 the Club was further modernized with the demolition of the old wood barn at the Club and the construction of a steel and cinderblock ice shed, which is the present modern curling facility that is still called Elmwood today. In 2007 the Club’s ice plant was at the end of its life, requiring the Executive of the Club to investigate the possibility of replacing it. After due diligence, the 2008 season went ahead with the large capital project of replacing the club’s ice plant and installing a heat recovery system to improve the conditions within the Club.

Established in 1911, the Club is the third oldest in the City of Winnipeg and the 2nd oldest Club standing at its original site

The Elmwood Curling Club is located in the suburb of Elmwood in the northeast part of Winnipeg. It is located on the northwest corner of Harbison and Brazier, 1 block east of Henderson Highway. The Club is a not-for-profit community curling facility with membership open to all.

Past Presidents

The Elmwood Curling Club would like to thank the past presidents listed below for their dedication to the club. Their contribution to the club and the curling community have helped the club survive for the past 100 years.

Honorary Life Members

Bill Lumsden Award

In April of 1982 Bill Lumsden passed away. To members of Elmwood as well as friends wherever curling is played, Bill exemplified a spirit and devotion to the game that the Club felt should be remembered. Accordingly the W.E. (Bill) Lumsden Memorial Award was established in 1983 to be presented annually to recognize someone in Manitoba, male or female, for their contributions to the game of curling. Too often a person in a club or league contributes to the growth of his or her club and received little or no recognition. Some are elected to the Provincial or National organizations and receive accolades from that source, while others, who give freely of their time and themselves, are never so honored.

In March of 2008 long time Elmwood member and Past-President/Honorary Life Member Alex Mowat was awarded the Dr. Jack Hunt Memorial Award at the 21st Annual Coaching Manitoba Excellence Banquet. The awards recognize outstanding coaches with a history of commitment and dedication to coaching in Manitoba and development of their sport. Alex ran a curling school at Elmwood for many years at the beginning of each season and was the coach of the 2008 World Women’s Junior Bronze medalist team.

Previous winners of the Lumsden Award were:

• 1983 – Stan Brown, Deer Lodge CC
• 1984 – Hugh Cook, Fort Rouge CC
• 1985 – Bob McGimpsey, Dauphin CC
• 1986 – Don Sumner, Brandon CC
• 1987 – Verna Newton, Dauphin CC
• 1988 – Bill Jackson, Rossmere CC
• 1989 – Doug Scrymgeour, Elmwood CC
• 1990 – Dick Johnston, Fort Garry CC
• 1991 – Keith Forbes, Hartney CC
• 1992 – Leon Tonnellier, Valour Road CC
• 1993 – Iris Carroll, Riverview CC
• 1994 – W. J. Dutchey Hems, St. Vital CC
• 1995 – Gilbert Ruest, St. Pierre CC
• 1996 – Steve Vance, Charleswood CC
• 1997 – Leon Vandekerchkove, Stony Mountain CC
• 1998 – Marjorie Dewer, St. Vital CC
• 1999 – John Shaw, Wheat City CC
• 2000 – Ruth Toal, Assiniboine Memorial CC
• 2001 – Skapti “Skip” Arason, Glenboro CC
• 2002 – Roy Gorkoff, Fort Garry CC
• 2003 – Ron Lloyd, Winnipeg
• 2004 – Cathy Moffatt, Brandon
• 2005 – Trevor Smith, Carman
• 2006 – Bruce Anderson, Glenboro CC
• 2007 – Yvonne Grapentine, Springfield