Councillors curl to celebrate club's centennial

Bonspiel. The High Park Club’s centennial bonspiel tournament is coming on Dec. 3 at the hockey rink in High Park and the rink at the club at 100 Indian Rd. Here in a previous tournament at the High Park Club, Rebecca Seed of St. Mary High School in Brockville concentrates on delivering a rock down the ice. File photo/ANICE WONG

"I have never, ever, not ever, curled in my life," she exclaimed in a phone call from her city hall office Wednesday, Nov. 23.

In the midst of helping the local club secure ice time in High Park for its upcoming tournament, someone in the Ward 13 councillor's office suggested she challenge her fellow Parkdale-High Park Councillor Gord Perks and his staff to a match.

"I thought, 'What?' It's cold, it's slippery - I don't skate," said Doucette. "Being British, we don't curl. I had to take a bus, a ferry and a train to get from my house to the nearest ice rink."

The extent of Doucette's skating experience was when she used to take her children when they were young. She said she'd rather hand out hot chocolate.

"I took up the challenge willingly and then realized, 'I've never curled,'" she said.

Doucette is in good company. As it turns out, Perks has never curled either.

"I can drive a Zamboni, but I can't curl," confessed the Ward 14 councillor on Thursday, Nov. 24.

Although, he says he's been to the High Park Club a number of times for various events, throughout his life he was more of a "rink rat."

"I didn't play hockey, but I worked at an arena, mopping floors and driving the Zamboni. The club feels like home," he said.

Nevertheless, both councillors will be out on the ice Saturday, Dec. 3 in a friendly game to help celebrate the High Park Curling Club's Centennial Anniversary. It's a fitting celebration given that club members used to hold bonspiel tournaments in the 1980s and 90s on Grenadier Pond, according to member Edith Curtis. The tournament will be comprised of 30 teams and played on two ice surfaces - the hockey rink in High Park and the rink at the club at 100 Indian Rd. Games will begin at 9 a.m. on both rinks. The councillors' exhibition game will take place at 2:15 p.m. The day will culminate with an award presentation, raffle prizes and snacks between 4 and 5 p.m., said Curtis, who learned to curl in teachers' college.

She said she loves the exercise, the people and the social atmosphere the game provides. Curtis, a West Mall resident, said she learned about the High Park Club through a friend.

"You've gotta come. It's a great place with great people," she said. "For an old lady, she's (the club) looking great." If you would like further details, contact Judy Schembri at hpcoutdoorspiel@gmail.com or visit www.highparkclub.com