A history of the Cloverdale Curling Club
During the winter of 1953 – 1954, there were only three curling rinks in the area: Vancouver, Royal City and Chilliwack. While driving home from a curling game in Chilliwack, four curlers from Cloverdale came up with the idea to build a local three sheet curling rink.
These four gentlemen: George Patterson, Norm Mohler, Ed Heyland and Mickey King began organizing the local curlers to build a club in April of 1954. Memberships were sold at $100.00 for men and $25.00 for ladies. 10 year debentures were also offered which paid 6% interest.
The name Valley Curling Club was chosen in order to appeal to people in the surrounding area including Langley and White Rock.
The Valley Curling Club (1954-1980)
Negotiations between the club, the Cloverdale Fairboard and the Surrey Municipality resulted in a 20-year lease agreement where the club would construct a six sheet curling rink on Surrey Municipality land. As the club was situated on municipal land, title to the rink was vested in the name of the municipality although construction and operating costs were the responsibility of the curling club.
Construction began in May of 1954 and the rink was officially opened on December 27, 1954 and the club’s first bonspiel began the same day!
Opening Day at the Valley Curling Club (1954)
The club had many problems with the rink over the years caused by humidity and drips from the metal roof. Poor water quality forced the club to truck water in from Vancouver for years in order to improve the ice surface!
During the early years of the club there were many financial worries as the six sheet facility and the ice equipment were more costly than first estimated. In 1963 new curling stones were purchased at a cost of $3,700.
Curling in the old rink
The Valley Curling Club was somewhat unique as there were three sheets on either side with the concession area in the middle. In order to raise money to keep the club going, sheets 1, 2, and 3 were available for skating on Sunday afternoons for 25 cents! Pity the Monday curling leagues!!
Finally in April of 1975 the club held a mortgage burning to celebrate its improved financial state!
By January of 1976 the Surrey Municipality agreed in principle with the idea sharing the costs of replacing the old rink with a new modern six sheet facility. The location of the new facility was the subject of much discussion for several years. Finally it was decided that the Valley Curling Club would be built in Cloverdale and the club would be responsible for the operating costs of the new rink.
New rocks were purchased at a cost of $23,000 in anticipation of a new club but these had to be stored at Bill Harbidge’s home until a new facility was built.
New curling rocks for Valley!
Finally the commitment to build a new rink resulted in the start of construction in April, 1980.
The new Valley Curling Club (1981)
On January 17, 1981 the new rink was opened with Mayor Don Ross and MLAs Bill Vanderzalm and Ernie Hall in attendance.
Opening Day - January 17, 1981
Some of the long time staff to be remembered include manager Ford Dermody (1959 – 1977), icemaker Sam Graham (1964 – 1981) and concession operator Dorothy Harbidge (1968 – 1983)
When the new rink opened, the sheets were numbered from 2 to 7! The old rink had been built on a bog and Sheet 1 had been so terrible that it was decided that nobody should ever have to play on Sheet 1 again!!
Sheet 1 - Rest in Peace!
