Crapaud curling club needs cash fast to fix ice plant, save season (TC Media)

(by Jason Malloy, TC Media)

The Crapaud Community Curling Club’s board has gone public with a plea to save the facility.

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Crapaud Community Curling Club board members Bobbi-Jo Crossman, left, and Jonathan Ramsay enjoy spending time watching curling at the club.

The club started its ice plant on Monday and blew a seal. It is now staring at a $3,000 repair bill for the plant to begin the season.

“We’re determined to save this place,” said board member Calvin Smith.

“I started curling here in 1986 and I don’t want this place to close. It’s basically my second home.”

The club has about $80,000 in outstanding debt, board members said, much of which dates back to overruns for needed renovations about five years ago. The club was built in the late 1960s.

Most of its board members are new this year and have taken steps to pay off some of the debt. It raised $2,400 during two fundraisers in the past month. It has more plans to help get the club back on a more stable financial footing, but first it needs the plant operational.

“It’s basically the nail getting hammered into the coffin and taking away our moneymaker,” Smith said. “It’s a curling club, you need ice to make money.”

The club was aiming for a Sept. 4 start for pre-season curling, which allowed competitive curlers to be ready when they go to off-Island bonspiels before most clubs in the province are open for the season.

First-year president Susan Hubley said if the roughly 40 curlers, who said they were interested in the pre-season paid, the parts could be ordered. Board members said there is some doubt in the curling community if the rink will open this year and some people were reluctant to pay.

Smith said the parts would take four days to arrive and another day would be needed to get the plant up and running.

Click for full story in the Journal Pioneer.

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