Most Abbotsford curlers would travel to Mission to curl prior to the formation of the Abbotsford Curling Club. On the way home from Mission one day in 1954, Max Spense, Dr. Jim Moran, Oscar Neufeld and Tony Pauls started thinking about planning to build an Abbotsford facility.
In the fall of 1955, they called a public meeting at Abbotsford Village hall, which was above the Abbotsford fire hall on South Fraser Way. During the meeting, a hat was passed around to start a building fund.
In 1956, Tony Pauls was elected as first president that night. Plans for a 3-sheet curling club on McCallum Road (1) were drawn up. The property was purchased and the first club was built for $55,000. Club memberships and debentures were sold to help raise funds to build the curling rink. Supplies purchased to build were paid for, half cash and half in debentures. Some businesses supported the efforts of the club members and took all payment for work and material with debentures. The interest on these was paid yearly until the club had the money to start to pay them off. Each year the holders of debentures had their name placed in a hat and the name pulled out would have their debenture bought out by the club.
A volunteer building crew worked under one paid building contractor. The men who were instrumental in building the club and who eventually all became presidents of the Abbotsford club included:
- Dr. Jim Moran (1957)
- Dr. Al Miller (1958)
- Dan Janzen (1959)
- Ray Boury (1960)
- Norris Hardy (1961)
- Jim Badgley (1962)
- Fred Andres (1963)
The ladies involved in the formation of the ladies club formed sometime later included:
- Ruth Bryce (First President)
- Claire Callibeck
- Claire Sherman
- Irene Forbes
- Lou Boury
- Ruby Saxbee
- Lydia Jansen
- Kay Tuffland
- Mary Durvin
- Maxine Andrew
(1) The location eventually became the Seniors Centre and is presently a narrow patch of green grass in between Jubilee Park and the parking lot.
Abbotsford and District Curling Club opened in 1957. Oscar Neufeld was the only man on the payroll. Although paid very little, he acted as iceman, janitor and manager of the club! Everyone knew him.
A volunteer crew of laborers could always be found among club members to do the job needed to be done in the club. Jobs included:
- Pulling pipes in the sand during the off months to reduce the ice heaves
- Building new washrooms
- Painting, decorating, and renovating
And yes, the club was open for ice skating during the Christmas school break!
The Challenge Cup was a yearly competition and social gathering between Abbotsford, Mission and Chilliwack clubs. The first competitive highlight occurred in 1964. The rink of Jake Block, Ray Boury, Fred Andrew and Al Cook made it to the final of the Pacific Coast Brier Playoff. This ignited many other local rinks to top competitive form in the years that followed.
In 1969 after 13 years of paying out debentures the club’s last debentures were paid off, and Al Cook as president had the pleasure of chairing the mortgage burning ceremony.
The interest in curling as a recreational sport increased from 1958-1968. Approximately 500 curlers were using the facilities. All draws were filled and a priority waiting list seemed a possibility. The club started plans to build a larger facility.
In 1975, plans were drawn up to construct a new 6-sheet club. The original arrangements with the Matsqui Municipal Council were to build a club next to MSA arena. Property was purchased, but later other stipulations were entered and the agreement was not completed.
A new building committee was formed and negotiations were entered into with the Abbotsford Municipal Council. Property was leased on McMillan Road and a new 6-sheet facility was built. The McCallum Road 3 sheet club was sold to the city, and the property next to the MSA arena was also sold. The club applied for a government recreational building fund grant.
Members of the building committee included:
- Jim Gordon (Chairperson)
- Daryl Kirton
- Larry Weymouth
- Glen Thomson
Once again, volunteer members were used to build the facility. These members were known as the incredible 7:
- Jim Gordon
- Daryl Kirton
- Ray Boury
- Fred Andrew
- Bob Keith
- Bob Keith
- Jack Bell
- Gordier Smith
Then-president Soren Jensen credited the hard work of all of the volunteer labour to make the dreams of a new club a reality.
Abbotsford businesses showed support with donations.
The Abbotsford Curling Club cost $352,000 to build. The Grand Opening of the present Abbotsford Curling Club was January 8th, 1977. The following year the parking lot was paved, bringing the total cost to $440,000.
Thank you to all our past presidents and life members, who have been instrumental in making the Abbotsford Curling Club a success.