The year 1898 marked the beginning of curling in Roland.
Nov. 11, 1898, was the date of the first meeting of the Roland Curling Club, with D.W. Jones elected as the chair. Land for the construction of the new venture was provided rent-free by Roland MacDonald for a term of five years.
These names, along with many others, assisted in establishing the Roland Curling Club. They were also instrumental in helping bring up the community of Roland with future businesses, organizations, and recreational services.
Over the next 125 years, many changes occurred to the Club and its facilities. Women first started curling in Roland for the 1900 season. Curling at that time meant owning or renting your rocks. It took until 1989 for an artificial ice plant to be installed in the current two sheets the community uses today.
From the original location in 1898, a new property and rink were developed in 1908. The second rink, located just east of the present rink, was destroyed by a fire in 1938. The current facility, home to the skating rink and curling ice was built and in use by 1939. It was initially thought that all minutes and records from the Club were lost in the fire, but since then, several historical items have been discovered.
The Roland Curling Club’s first and only Provincial Championship team was the mixed team of Jim and Marion Hodgson and John and Arlene Bartley as they claimed the O’Keefe’s National Mixed Curling Championship in the Spring of 1968.
Over the years, both curling families added many family members and wins to the curling Club. Another Roland resident and granddaughter to Jim and Marion, Karen Hodgson, competed at the 2004 Kärcher Canadian Junior Curling Championship in Victoria, B.C. Proud grandparents travelled to Victoria, BC, to see Hodgson throw second rocks for Team Manitoba’s Tasha Hunter, who went 5-7 at the event.
From the changes of corn brooms to synthetic brushes and the introduction of artificial ice and the stick, the Roland Curling Club remains active in the community. Visitors to the Roland Pumpkin Fair can find volunteers from the Club serving breakfast pancakes each October before the new curling season starts. Three leagues operate for the 2023-24 season, including Stick Doubles on Mondays, Men’s League on Tuesdays, and Ladies League on Wednesday evenings.
Annual bonspiels keep the Roland Curling Club active for interested members and visiting rinks. To celebrate its 100th Anniversary in 1998, the Club re-incarnated using the skating rink surface to make seven sheets of ice available for the Roland Centennial Mixed Bonspiel. Many current and former members returned to Roland for the event, as 56 teams competed. Like other clubs that have declining curling membership, the Club hopes to attract 16 teams for current organized bonspiels.
Roland Curling Club has actively participated in Curl Manitoba events, including the O’Grady and Manitoba Open. Team Michael Zacharias represented the Roland Curling Club well at the recent 2024 Manitoba Open and won the Manitoba Hydro Event. Over the years, other Roland-affiliated teams have won events in the former MCA Bonspiel.
To celebrate 125 Years of Roland, the Roland Curling Club has planned a couple of events. Mar. 22-23 will be the Wind-Up 125 Open Bonspiel. The two sheets will be busy as teams will compete in a 4-end game round-robin format. The entry fee is $100, and interested teams can contact Derek Baschuk at agtech@mymts.net or visit the Club.
April 6 will be when the Club officially celebrates its 125th at the Annual Banquet and Awards night, taking place at the Roland Memorial Hall. Everyone is invited as the Club will be inducting a new class of Honourary Life Members. Club trophies will also be presented for the celebration. Tickets are $25 at the 125 Open Bonspiel or by contacting the members of the 125-celebration committee.
“As a small curling club in a small community, the Roland Curling Club is always seeking new members and new sponsors,” said Derek Baschuk of the Roland Curling Club. “The Club invites interested curlers to be in contact with the Club to enter teams or individuals in any of its leagues. Sponsor signage is available to assist in the upkeep and continued operation of the Roland Curling Club. To the future of curling.”
