Council to ‘grant’ curling rink new life

Expect a return of curling to Emo this winter.
That’s the message coming from Emo’s recreation council after it received an $8,000 grant from the Canadian Curling Association to put the Emo curling rink back into game-ready condition.
Local curlers may even see some ice time by the holiday season.
“We mainly have a lot of interior work before we get started,” said recreation council chairman Doug Hodge. “We’re thinking we’ll be up and running for hopefully sometime in November.”
The rink has been out of commission since 1999 when its poor condition was too expense to maintain. Emo council now will take over full control of the rink and rent out time to the Emo Curling Club.
Repairs to the ice plant also are needed.
Hodge said they also have applied for a variety of recreational grants from the Ontario government to further help defray the costs.
The Emo Curling Club has been a home to the sport since 1940. The rink itself predates even that, said club president Curtis Sheloff.
Hodge said many Emo curlers had to join the Fort Frances and Stratton clubs while some have not delivered a rock since. Its return is very exciting and hopefully will rekindle interest, he added.
“I’m very happy about this,” said Hodge, himself an avid curler. “Every small town needs something like that to keep the people interested. It’s very vital to a small community. The winter is long and popularity in the sport seems to be picking up.”
“If it can happen by then, it will be great. We need to get our curling back in Emo,” echoed Sheloff. “The longer stuff like that is gone, the easier it can disappear for good.”