Cornwall Curling Centre - Official Web Site

The History of the Curling Club of Cornwall

Early History of the Cornwall Curling Club is slightly sketchy due to the lack of proper records. However, the earliest recorded period of curling activity in and around Cornwall was in the 1850’s.

Cornwall, being conveniently located on the St. Lawrence River, had a natural environment for outdoor winter sports. With the river freezing over, the ice formed was strong enough to support a human’s weight. This phenomenon created an ideal condition for a sport such as curling.

Prominent local Scots at this time included such sportsman as Col. R.R. McLennan, M.P., J.G. MacDonald, and M. Gibson. These people played a large part in establishing curling in the Cornwall area on a permanent basis.

In its initial stages, curling was played at the bay area between Farlinger’s Point and Flanigan’s Point. This location was immediately adjacent to the community of Glen Walter. No known Club facilities were available, but conveniently located across from the area – approximately where the 10th Tee of the present Cornwall Golf & Country Club is situated – was McNairns Hotel. This hotel provided the needed requirement for before and after curling activities. To the present day, there is no record of what these activities entailed. People from as far away as Fort Covington, N.Y. came to participate.
Equipment used for “stone” was usually made from blue beachwood. These quasi-stones were provided with a thick iron band (stave) at their mid circumference to add weight as well as a hitting surface. A handle was attached to the top to facilitate throwing.

After some 30 years of using river and hotel facilities, the curlers decided it was time to move on to a more sophisticated location. Thus in 1882 the first Club came into being with the construction of a structure in Cornwall. This structure was raised on property owned by Mr. Donald B. McLennan and situated on Lot 19, at the northwest corner of First St. and Augustus Street. However, as the property changed ownership between 1882 – 1886, it was not until 1886 that the property was purchased outright by the Club from the new owner, Mr. George V. Pringle. The purchase price was $550.00.
At this point the question may be asked…why the Cornwall Curling Club’s inception was 1884 and not 1882? The answer is, that in those days to be recognized in official curling circles, curling clubs were required to be an affiliate member of the Canadian Branch – Royal Caledonia Curling Club. The Cornwall Curling Club’s affiliation did not come about until 1884.
From that time onwards curling became very competitive in Cornwall. In 1886, Col. R.R. McLennan – of early sporting, political, and journalistic fame – donated the Club’s first trophy. This trophy still forms part of the Cornwall Curling Club’s trophy collection. Furthermore, friendly matches with the no-longer-exciting Burns Curling Club, Ogdensburg, N.Y., took place on a reoccurring basis. Also in 1891 Cornwall Curling Club teams competed for the first time in the Governor General’s Trophy playdowns.

In 1908 the Cornwall Curling Club was destroyed by fire and ceased to operate. The First St. – Augustus St. property was sold for $1,146.74, after which it was converted to a tennis court. For the ensuing 38 years Curling in Cornwall had no home of its own, thus coming to a standstill. Two World Wars, The Great Depression, and a mobile unemployed work force probably aided this aspect.
With the culmination of World War II, and possibly workers becoming more affluent, curling took on a new life by the forming of a new curling club in 1946. Because the Cornwall Curling Club had no permanent facilities of its own, play took place on natural ice at the Water Street Arena (now called the Si Miller Arena). At the time both irons and granites were used though there is nothing on record to indicate which was preferred.

Although the new club was built in 1948, it was not officially opened until February 1949. Presenting the key to club president Drummond Giles, Rev. G.S.Lloyd said: ”I now declare this club officially opened for participation in the roarin game. May the winners remain humble and the losers be comforted.” Also present at the opening ceremonies were: J.G. Sutherland, J.M. Timberlake, W.A. Dingwall, H. Meadd, Mayor Aaron Horovitz, Dr. W.C. McGuire, Charles E. Armstrong, John L. MacDonald, MPP Stormont, and William Smart of Montreal. In 1948 the club also became a limited company, a permanent and active member of the Royal Caledonia Curling Club and an affiliate member of the Dominion Curling Association.
With the incorporation, the Cornwall Curling Club was owned and operated by its shareholders, they being senior playing male members only. This arrangement, over the years, became unsatisfactory as other like males were able to join the Club as playing members, but did not have a vote in its operation. However, in 1975 this situation changed. Instead of only one Class of share, two share Classes were established, they being Class A and Class B. Under this new system all senior male playing members purchased a Class B share. These shares had voting rights attached. The Class A shareholders retained control of Club assets only.

In 1980, shareholders ceased to exist, as Supplementary Letters Patent were applied for and granted by the relevant Provincial Authority. This brought about a name change from “The Cornwall Curling Club Limited” to “The Cornwall Curling Club Inc.” In this instance the Club changed from a “Limited Company” to a “Public Corporation”. Thus, rather than membership being restricted to shareholders, now anyone acceptable to the Board of Directors was eligible.
Over the years the Clubs Membership has varied. For instance, in 1889-1890, there were approximately 50 members. In 1975-1976, there were 318 members, 1982-1983, 265 members, and presently we are well over 500 members.
During the early 1980’s, the Club decide that a long-term plan needed to be developed to raise funds to build a new curling facility. So for the next decade, the membership took part in many fundraising activities and wisely invested any surplus funds. Finally, on September 25, 2003, ground was broke on the east side of the Ed Lumley Arena (Cornwall Civic Complex).
The new Cornwall Curling Centre was built over a period of one full year and opened its doors to the Cornwall Community on September 10, 2004.