Plans are in the works to construct a new, $5 million curling club in Mill River.
Members of the Maple Leaf Curling Club in O’Leary and the Western Community Curling Club in Alberton have unveiled plans which will see their two aging rinks closed and a new facility constructed centrally, across from the Mill River Resort.
Four sheets of ice, as well as a restaurant and meeting space which can be used year-round are planned for the new facility.
Clair Sweet, president of the newly created West Prince Curling Inc., says both rinks will soon need significant investments and it isn’t viable to construct two new curling rinks in the region. He said a new, centrally located curling club will be a huge asset for all of West Prince.
Audrey Callaghan, vice-president of the Western Community Curling Club in Alberton, said one central curling club will increase membership and make it easier financially, having only one building to maintain.
Callaghan said it’s also exciting to see both communities working together.
“One is stronger than two and with the buildings getting older and plants and stuff so with the merger they’ve all agreed to get together and see if we could go to one central location,” said Callaghan.
If the group can secure funding, it says it would start construction in the fall with the new facility open sometime next year.
Geoffrey Irving, president of Mill River Resort, said they were approached by the two local curling clubs about the idea of consolidating the two rinks and both clubs felt Mill River would be an ideal location.
The Mill River Resort is donating the land for the new curling club.
Click for the full story by Wayne Thibodeau at CBC PEI: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-curling-club-merger-alberton-oleary-west-prince-1.5978806?cmp=rss