In December 2014, the Oakville Curling Club celebrated it's 60th Anniversary.
Commemorative events were held throughout the year, capped by a gala event held at the Oakville Convention Centre in the Spring of 2015
In addition to celebrating 60 years of curling in Oakville, we also recognized the significant contributions of our outgoing General Manager Ross Tousaw.
Long-time Oakville Curling Club member and General Manager Ian Tetley was inducted into the World Curling Federation Hall of Fame in 2022.
In June 2022, Ian Tetley, winner of three Briers and three World Championships, was named by the the World Curling Federation as one of it’s 2022 Hall of Fame inductees. Ian’s World Championships continue to be unique to this day as he did it playing second for three different teams: Hackner (‘85), Werenich (‘90) & Middaugh (‘98).
Because of COVID, Ian was officially presented his Hall of Fame award during the 2023 World Men’s Curling Championship Gold medal game in Ottawa.
Long-time Oakville Curling Club member John Base was inducted into the Oakville Sports Hall of Fame in 2003.
In 1983, Base skipped a rink including Bruce Webster (Third), Dave McAnerney (Second) and Jim Donohoe (Lead) to the 1983 World Junior Curling Championships and a victory over Norway in the final.
Since his success as a junior, Base has participated in the Ontario Provincial Championships numerous times both as a skip and a vice - winning the event in 2004. He has also participated in several World Curling Tour (WCT) Grand Slams and tour events.
In 2006, representing Ontario, the John Epping rink claimed the Canadian Mixed Curling Championship. The team consisted of John Epping (Skip), Julie Reddick (Vice), Scott Foster (Second) and Leigh Armstrong (Lead).
Team Epping also represented Ontario at the national championships in 2007.
Masters curling is for curlers over the age of 60.
The Bob Edmondson rink won the Ontario Masters Championship a record five times (2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009). And in 2007, Team Edmondson won the Canadian Masters Curling Championship in Hamilton, Ontario.
The 2007 national championship team consisted of Bob Edmondson (Skip), David Stewart (Third), Brian Longley (Second) and Graham MacEachern (Lead).
In 2004, the Oakville Curling Club sent Ontario's representative to the Nokia Brier in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The rink consisted of Mike Harris (Skip), John Base (Third), Phil Loevenmark (Second),Trevor Wall (Lead) and Ross Scarrow (Fifth).
Team Harris qualified for the event by defeating the Team Glenn Howard in the Ontario Men's Curling Championship in Owen Sound. The Oakville rink finished the round robin of the Brier at 6-5; narrowly missing the playoffs.
Thank you to our Past Presidents for their hard work and dedication!
| Club President | Year | Women Section President |
|---|---|---|
| L. Gayowsky | 2017-18 | B. Thorn |
| L. Gayowsky | 2016-17 | K. Lauder |
| S. Howard | 2015-16 | L. Turnbull |
| S. Howard | 2014-15 | J. Hughes |
| T. McChesney | 2013-14 | K. Wong |
| T. McChesney | 2012-13 | M. Pospisil |
| P. Campbell | 2011-12 | J. Sawchenko |
| P. Campbell | 2010-11 | S. Reinfelds |
| B. Hamilton | 2009-10 | E. Whittle |
| B. Hamilton | 2008-09 | S. Howard |
| B. Hamilton | 2007-08 | H. Cheyne |
| J. Parks | 2006-07 | C. Van Der Kroon |
| J. Parks | 2005-06 | J. Moreira |
| G. Parker | 2004-05 | J. Lucas |
| G. Parker | 2003-04 | B. MacEachern |
| M. Content | 2002-03 | N. Ingaldson |
| M. Content | 2001-02 | D. Webber |
| R. Miller | 2000-01 | L. Walker |
| R. Miller | 1999-00 | D. Allo |
| R. MacDonald | 1998-99 | M. Bassett |
| P. Ryan | 1997-98 | Mrs. I. McGillivray |
| P. Ryan | 1996-97 | Mrs. M. McKay |
| D. Dunlop | 1995-96 | Mrs. K. Buck |
| M. Pupeza | 1994-95 | Mrs. M. Sauve |
| A. Mackenzie | 1993-94 | Mrs. A. Rogers |
| T. Mcleod | 1992-93 | Mrs. H. Chernecki |
| R. Tousaw | 1991-92 | Mrs. M. Garvey |
| R. Tousaw | 1990-91 | Mrs. S. O'Doherty |
| D. Willey | 1989-90 | Mrs. S. Tousaw |
| J. Rowe | 1988-89 | Mrs. J. McDole |
| K. Tamowski | 1987-88 | Mrs. M. Hall |
| E. Desormo | 1986-87 | Mrs. E. Oswald |
| K. McPherson | 1985-86 | Mrs. J. Keown |
| A. Keating | 1984-85 | Mrs. L. Bridge |
| A. Keating | 1983-84 | Mrs. N. Duncanson |
| F. Knight | 1982-83 | Mrs. M. Carroll |
| F. Knight | 1981-82 | Mrs. N. Brewer |
| B. Oswald | 1980-81 | Mrs. S. Kilburn |
| M. Small | 1979-80 | Mrs. A. Reid |
| B. Rogers | 1978-79 | Mrs. H. McGregor |
| B. Beauchamp | 1977-78 | Mrs. J. Henderson |
| B. Reid | 1976-77 | Mrs. B. McNally |
| J. Ritchie | 1975-76 | Mrs. J. Duff |
| J. Dyson | 1974-75 | Mrs. E. Sheppard |
| J. Deval | 1973-74 | Mrs. R.E. Newton |
| A.H. McCaffrey | 1972-73 | Mrs. J.S. Wyndham |
| J.S. Wyndham | 1971-72 | Mrs. W.O. Finlay |
| E.W. Pattison | 1970-71 | Mrs. G. Craddock |
| J. Arnett | 1969-70 | Mrs. J. Arnett |
| W.R. Adamson | 1968-69 | Mrs. L. Lunau |
| J.H. Buttery | 1967-68 | Mrs. J. Wotherspoon |
| J.B. MacKay | 1966-67 | Mrs. B. Root |
| A.L. Lunau | 1965-66 | Mrs. R. Monaghan |
| R. Monaghan | 1964-65 | Mrs. J. Clark |
| R. Murison | 1963-64 | Mrs. J. Feiffenstein |
| J.F. Smith | 1962-63 | Mrs. D. Patrick |
| D.T. Townsley | 1961-62 | Mrs. E. Banfield |
| D.T. Townsley | 1960-61 | Mrs. G. Lusby |
| E. Barringham | 1959-60 | Mrs. J. Buttery |
| E. Barringham | 1958-59 | Mrs. S. Smith |
| E.J. Farley | 1957-58 | Mrs. T. Lindsay |
| E.J. Farley | 1956-57 | Mrs. E. Farley |
| G.E. Perdue | 1955-56 | Mrs. G. Perdue |
| G.E. Perdue | 1954-55 | Mrs. G. Perdue |
The following are commonly asked questions about membership at the Oakville Curling Club and the Olympic sport of curling in general.
If you require further assistance please contact the office.
The club offers a comprehensive Learn to Curl program which includes single day and multi-week programs designed for all ages and abilities. Various sessions are held throughout the season and are designed to give you an introduction to both the club and the sport.
Please contact the office for more information.
Curling requires moderate physical exertion and is suitable for all ages. Different positions require varying degrees of exertion:
Due to the on/off nature of sweeping, curling provides anaerobic exercise. Muscles energy systems trained using anaerobic exercise develop differently compared to aerobic exercise, leading to greater performance in short duration, high intensity activities. Fit to Curl (John Morris and Dean Gemmell) is an excellent treatise on training as it relates to the game of curling.
The Oakville Curling Club provides a pro-shop stocked with all the equipment necessary to curl. Visit the office to access the pro-shop located near the main entry to the club.
To get started you will need the following:
Dress warmly; remember that the ice surface is approximately 3-4°C (40°F).
Once you gain experience, you may want to consider the following items:
All the curling equipment cited above is available in the club pro-shop.
When you sign your child up for curling at the Oakville Curling Club they receive on-ice instruction and game time each Sunday. We make up new teams each week so you don’t have to worry about not attending on any given Sunday. Your child also has the opportunity to compete in fun bonspiels and/or competitive events at all levels if they choose too.
At the Oakville Curling Club we teach technical skills as well as curling etiquette, sportsmanship, respect, strategy and rules of play in a fun and social setting.
Please visit our Youth Curling page for more details.
We provide all of the necessary equipment needed to curl. All your child needs to bring is warm, loose clothing and clean indoor rubber soled shoes. Helmets are mandatory for ages 11 and under and highly recommended for all others.
Our number one concern with new curlers of any age is safety and we will spend a considerable amount of time talking about all of the safety concerns associated with curling when you first arrive at the club.
Our Youth Curling Section is thriving and we look forward to welcoming you and your child into our club to learn what a fantastic sport curling is.
Helmets are mandatory for ages 11 and under while optional but highly recommended for all others.
Properly fitted and secured (as per the direction of the manufacturer) curling, skating, hockey, roller blade, skateboard, bike or other CSA (Canadian Standards Association) approved helmets are all acceptable options. A wide selection of safety head gear specifically for Curling can be purchased from vendors such as Ice Halo and Goldline. Choices include visors, toques, ball caps and head bands. These items all retain additional padding that can assist with cushioning the impact of an individual’s head striking the ice surface.
The club offers a variety of leagues for all ages and skill levels in the following categories:
Leagues are chosen upon start-of-year registration and are subject to availability. The club accommodates individual and team entries. Contact the office if you wish to join a league after scheduled play has begun.
Most leagues in Oakville operate on the ladder system. Leagues are divided into divisions of eight teams. Points are awarded for win/loss/tie. The higher the flight, the more points are awarded.
If you cannot make a league game:
It is the responsibility of the team that cancels to book an alternate ice time for a makeup game.
The club offers a series of free technical clinics throughout the year for existing members. Sign-up sheets will be available in the club lobby two-weeks prior to the event. Theses clinics are intended for new- to-intermediate level players looking for instruction on delivery, sweeping, rules and team dynamics. The instructors are club members.
If you wish to receive personalized instruction, please visit our Instruction page
Ice for practice is available to members at no additional cost. Practice ice needs to be booked in advance as ice availability changes.
Members can book ice on-line.
The Oakville Curling Club hosts a variety of bonspiels throughout the year for club members, as well as hosting competitive events for the OCA and OCT. The club is also available for corporate, community or philanthropic functions.
Please visit our Bonspiels page for more details.
The Oakville Curling Club hosts a variety of events throughout the year. Please visit our Bonspiels page for a full listing. Some of our popular events:
Reprinted from:
Researched & Written by J.S. (Jack) Wyndham.
Back in the month of November, 1953, around a Rotary Club Luncheon table, Gordon Perdue, Ned Farley and Ed Barringham were discussing current events in their hometown, Oakville.
Ned reminisced about a remark Gordon had made sometime previously, “that Oakville should have a curling club” and suggested that something should be done about it. Happily they agreed to look into it at once.
They had little idea then of the surprises ahead of them, but it is fair to say that fate was on their side. Population of Oakville was approximately 6,500; most of them long-term residents; but quite a number of recent arrivals who had been attracted by the new automotive plant and other industry. The town was being roused out of its lethargy; having grown by only 1,700 in the 30 years up until 1951; then adding another 1,500 in three years, it was “bursting at the seams”.It was in this atmosphere that Ed, Ned and Gordon stepped in to promote their dream of a curling club. In addition to searching for a property, they had to campaign for prospective members.
A small committee of 10 was formed in 1953.As a member of the original committee that was charged with the task of enlisted 250 members, (considered the minimum required to establish a club) Ross Blaikie, one of the first directors, remembers that Oakville people had drifted out of playing badminton to quite a degree. "There was no squash and little public skating and the winters were long; and everyone wanted more exercise and to have it in good company. Our membership committee started work, he said, on the concept of each new member being commissioned to get several friends to join with him or her, and we had 250 in no time at all."
A light-hearted recollection by Bill Armstrong of his contribution to this membership drive was that he was getting ready to retire one evening when the telephone rang. It was Gordon Perdue, and, apologizing for the lateness of the hour, Gordon said he had decided as a last ditch stand to phone several men in town with this request: Each one was to invite eight people they knew to their home and ask them to financially support the purchase of the old skating rink. Each of these recruits would be asked to contribute one hundred dollars. If the campaign was not successful, he said, the three men would give up the idea of a curling club once and for all.“So with little enthusiasm, the next evening eight of my friends were contacted and a date set,” Bill wrote. “I did not tell them the reason for the meeting. In preparation, a goodly supply of liquor was brought in. As soon as each guest arrived, he was served a generous drink. The talk was general for awhile and before we got down to the business of the meeting, another substantial drink was served. By the time the subject of the curling club was introduced, the guest didn’t really know what we were talking about and couldn’t have cared less. To make a long story short, they all wrote out cheques for their hundred dollars. True I felt guilt-stricken, but I had put myself in strong with Gordon and Ned.”“One or two weeks went by, when, out of the blue, the phone range one night and it was Gordon. Bill, he said, the campaign has gone over the top! The thought immediately stuck me that I had probably lost eight friends. But their cheques would be returned in due course, I reasoned, as the campaign wouldn’t succeed! But it did.” “Whenever I go into the the club now, Bill concluded, I look up at the portraits of the original three and quietly thank them. I wish I had been more voluble in that thanks when they were alive.”
Their first idea had been to build a new building beside the Oakville Arena in the western part of town and use the ice-making plant already installed there. However they learned early on of the difficulties with the ice there, due to a quick-sand base, which eliminated that prospect. An alternative then presented itself: “Why not renovate the venerable Victoria Park Skating & Hockey Rink in what is now known as Wallace Park, and make it into a modern curling rink?”
So they arranged with a Mr. Powell, who had planned the Brantford Curling Rink, and was the contractor who built it, to come and examine and assess the old skating rink. After a very thorough examination, he pronounced the building structurally sound and the size very suitable for installing up to seven sheets of curling ice. Mr. Heppel of Preston, who had built several curling rinks, was brought in to provide a second opinion. He claimed the building was indeed structurally sound and could be re-modelled into a curling rink for approximately $80,000. Borings were made at many places throughout the former ice area to ensure the base was sound and had no quicksand and that the underground water level was satisfactory. Every test proved excellent.
Ed, Ned and Gord met frequently thereafter for discussions and planning. They talked with members of the Oakville parks Board and got assurance of their co-operation. They also visited most of the curling rinks in th region between Guelph and Oshawa, Peterborough and London, gleaning valuable insight into the various bases for curling ice and the various kinds of ice-making equipment, its reliability and costs.On December 3, 1953, a number of the men who had shown their interest in the project, were invited to meet in Ned Farley’s office (at Langmuir Paints). There, Ed, Ned and Gordon told them of their plans and the information they had obtained.Gordon chaired the meeting which went on for several hours, and at the end, the original three were asked to carry on with negotiations with the Town Parks Board.So the two parties met on December 7, 1953, and after discussion agreed that a rental of $250 per month seemed mutually satisfactory. The biggest obstacle now was that the Parks Board was using the building to shelter town machinery and equipment, the various athletic teams used the dressing rooms during the playing season. The Parks Board estimated it would require $5,500 to substitute other dressing rooms for the ball players and provide another building to house its own equipment. The Board agreed to try to get the money from the newly-elected Town Council.
Realizing that a delay would be a serious obstacle that could very possibly destroy the current enthusiasm, the Committee of Three got their heads together and composed a 90-day Option for a lease which they prseented to the Parks Board on January 4, 1954. If the curling group took up the Option before the expiration of the 90-days they were to pay the Parks Board $5,500 for a lease of the building and some adjoining land for 25 years, subject to various other conditions outlined in the Option. On January 25, 1954, the Committee received a letter from the Parks Board granting the Option.A meeting of the volunteer shareholders of the fledgling club was called on March 15, 1954. The following were elected as a provisional Board of Directors: William Armstrong, Albert Baker, Ed Barringham, Ross Blaikie, John Cheney, Leonard Cornwall, Ned Farley, Thomas Giles, Kenneth Grant, Manford Kerr, Lloyd Lunau, Thomas Marshall, Gorman McConvry, Gordon Perdue and Harold Rickaby. These Directors elected Gordon Perdue as Chairman and Ross Blaikie was named Secretary.
It was decided to finance the club project by getting three hundred men to buy five shares of stock each at $50.00 per share. Ed Barringham was appointed Chairman of Finance and Ned Farley became Chairman of the Membership Committee.
The Secretary was instructed to apply for a provincial Charter and this was granted to the Club on March 12, 1954. One of the next orders of business was ordering 50 pairs of curling rocks and this was arranged through Hubert Chisholm, a former resident of Oakville, and an enthusiastic curler.
In those days, when “promotion” was a rare commodity, Ned Farley took hold of his membership responsibility by organizing a party of some 30 Oakvillites to visit the Brantford Curling Club to familiarize them with the “roaring game”. The aforementioned Mr. Powell and the members of the Brantford Club were very hospitable and encouraged enthusiasm in the visiting group.
They loaned warm sweaters, caps, boots and brooms and took them on the ice for their first lesson in curling.
The result was that each visitor became a salesman for the club in Oakville. A meeting was arranged in Victoria Hall, with Mr. R.G.L. Harstone of Hamilton Thistles and Past President of the Ontario Curling Association (OCA) as the Guest Speaker. Films of the MacDonald Brier were shown. Enthusiasm was increasing and the stock was selling very readily.
On the night of March 29, 1954, a meeting of the Shareholders was held in the Pine Room of the “new” Oakville Arena. Although it was the stormiest night of that winter, there was a full attendance of shareowners who brought along many of their friends. Ned Farley announced that the Club had signed up 236 men members, 194 of their wives and 11 single ladies. The Treasurer reported satisfactory arrangements had been made with the Bank of Montreal and the Club had assembled working capital of $88,950. He recommended proceeding immediately with the plans for the Curling Club.
Directors were elected for the year 1954-1955 and were authorized to take up the option and lease the Victoria Park Rink and to engage an architect to draw up the necessary renovations. Mr. Bruce Etherington was chosen and signed on May 5, 1954, and he quickly set about to prepare the plans and specifications to the satisfaction of the Board of Directors. The lease with the Parks Board was completed on June 17.
Tenders were called and F.S. Milligan and Company Limited was awarded the contract for alterations to the Victoria Park Arena on August 10: while J.H. Lock and Sons won the contract to install the first ice plant at the same time. The work commenced immediately and progressed rapidly.
Foundation walls and supporting posts of the building were repaired and braced and all inside partitions were removed including the original dressing rooms and balcony at the west end of the rink.
The outside walls were re-sheeted with vertical boards and the inside walls were brightened by lining them with insulating board.
An attractive entrance and clerestory windows were installed at the Allan Street end of the rink. Framework for a new viewing “Lounge” was built inside the entrance with a wide stairway leading up to the middle of it. Another short stair led down to the lower level which contained locker rooms and washrooms. A new side entrance (now an emergency fire door) was added alter, leading to the ice level and to the compressor room and ladies’ locker room.
Twenty-two inches depth of soil was excavated over the whole ice area inside and refilled with various sizes of crushed stone packed down and rolled level. This formed the original base for steel headers and freezing pipes under the ice, infilled with sand and gravel.
Stock in the club had been selling readily during the summer and early fall and stockholders were frequent visitors with helpful suggestions. Many thought the lounge and a kitchen should be gone ahead with. At an exceptionally well-attended shareholders’ meeting on October 14, Ned Farley reported wonderful enthusiasm and was optimistic that the objective of 275 members would be reached and possibly exceeded.
Pleased with the financial situation, the Chairman explained that this meeting had been called to discuss whether or not to complete the kitchen and lounge at an additional estimated cost of $25,000. The shareholders unanimously authorized the directors to proceed with the job.
The contractor was very cooperative. Although the large sheets of glass to be installed overlooking the ice, were broken in transit, the construction and alterations were all completed on December 1, 1954. The ice making plant was put to work and the Grand Opening was set for December 10, 1954.
Those last few days and evenings were very busy ones for the executive and directors. The ices 1 to 6 were spray painted with red, white and blue circles. Side lines, hog lines, tee lines and centre lines were marked in time for the first draws.
The curling rocks ordered almost a year previously, arrived the day before the opening. They had to be uncrated, cleaned and handles attached in a hurry. At the same time the movers were bringing in the heavy low-slung chesterfields and chairs and members had already started filing in when all the work was finally finished on the Lounge.
Veteran residents of the district had a real surprise when they entered the building that used to house their Oakville hockey teams and where many of them had pleasure skated in the years gone by.
Its transformation into a modern curling club had actually happened.
The new club was officially opened by Mayor Lachlan McArthur of Oakville and to get off on the right foot, Victor Vallance, Vice-President of the OCA, presented Thistle Club pins to the club’s feminine executive. When the niceties were all completed, members swarmed out onto the ice to test their balance and all sheets were kept going until after 11pm. The next day was “Open House” for any and all interested citizens.
A sequel and matter of pride to the club was the award in 1955 of the Oakville Lions Club “Citizen of the year” designation to the curling club through Gordon Perdue, its’ first President. In presenting the illuminated scroll (which graces the club premises) Lions counsellor, Dr. F.M. Deans, also particularly lauded Ed Barringham and Ned Farley for the “early organizational work that eventually set the first stones in motion.” Formation of the curling club was one of the best things to happen in the town, he said, in that it had broken down social barriers and would provide healthy recreation for a great many residents.
Years later, the truth of his words have been amply demonstrated and can be attested by literally thousands of alumni and members.
The first report of memberships in October, 1954, stated that 269 men had signed up and 211 ladies, for a total of 480 applications. By February of 1955 the numbers had grown to 296 men and 267 ladies, an increase of 83. At the end of the first year, the ladies section had grown to 270 members, believed to be the largest ladies’ membership at the time, of any curling club in Canada.
The ultimate team experience for your team/group.
Curling is an interactive sport that promotes communication, leadership, strategic thinking, decision making, and fun! Combine that with a little sociability.
No previous curling experience is necessary, and everyone can participate. Learn all facets of the game. Delivery, Sweeping, Strategy – everyone works together to execute all the shots.
Our certified and passionate instructors will patiently work with you to show you the basics.
Equipment is supplied for you. All we need is you, a pair of sneakers, and warm comfortable clothes.
Each event includes:
Yes, there is a slight cost.
Call or email the office to book!
(905) 844-6982
The Oakville Curling Club is an eight-sheet curling facility located in historic downtown Oakville, Ontario.
Our mission is to sustain and grow the sport of curling in our community, by providing the best possible combination of experiences and facilities for members’ social, recreational and competitive enjoyment.
Throughout the years, the club has played host to many great curling events and social gatherings. Today, the club continues to be a focal point for the community. With modern facilities - including an excellent ice surface and new curling rocks - the Oakville Curling Club hosts major provincial and national events as well as bonspiels for members of all levels of experience.
The Oakville Curling Club also supports the community by turning its facilities over to philanthropies for fund raising.
Click here for an expanded History of the Oakville Curling Club from The Oakville Curling Club: An Illustrated History Commemorating the First 35 Years - 1954 - 1989.
Page 4 of 5
© 2026 Curling Club Management System and Website by CurlingClubManager.com
