Built in 1957-58 and receiving extensive renovations in 1983-84, the present rink has served the community for 60 years and counting. This building was built on the site of a 1928, two sheet rink. Prior to that rink, there was also a rink in Athalmer (now part of the northern section of Invermere) and, for two years, an outdoor rink. The size of the building, as well as interior photos on their website, tells us that this is a four sheet rink.
The club welcomes curlers of all ages and abilities, supplying coaching and instruction to those who feel that just possibly they don't know everything there is to know about curling. The club has a league for every age, men's, women's and mixed. The membership stands at around 250 members, including 40 junior curlers under the age of 16.
For something like 35 years Invermere has hosted an outdoor bonspiel, the
Bonspiel on the Lake on Lake Windermere, the lake also being one of the summertime attractions of Invermere.
The club has published a great history on curling in Invermere through the years, including such anecdotes as 99 sticks of dynamite causing a light to fall into a freshly baked lemon pie. Enjoy!
History
Curling began in the Invermere area in 1900 when the curling rink was located in Athalmer. It was roofed with an adjoining skating rink. The land in Athalmer was too boggy for icemaker W. Seaton to keep true ice. At this time there was also some curling on Munn Lake. In 1926, an open air rink was built in downtown Invermere. It was lit up for night curling and used for two years. All members owned their own rocks and they curled every night except Saturday, and had a double draw on Sunday afternoons. To make up teams, names were drawn out of a hat.
In 1928, Frank Stockdale, owner of the local hardware, donated the land to the curling club where the rink sits today. Two sheets of ice of natural ice were built and roofed in. A third sheet was added a few years later. There was a kitchen at the far end that also served the skating rink next door. Dues were $5.00 per year. Curling was popular throughout the valley during these years. There were two sheets of ice at Edgewater, two sheets at Radium, two sheets at the Mineral King mine and one sheet of ice at Brisco. All the rinks were natural ice.
In 1956, Invermere started to tear down the old rink in order to construct a new building. They tried to blow it down with 99 sticks of dynamite but it was not successful (the blast did blow out the windows of the hotel a block away and it caused a light to fall into a freshly baked lemon pie)! They had to tear the building down by hand. In 1957 the new building was started. Work bees were held on Wednesday afternoons when the stores were closed. The artificial ice plant was installed in 1958. Matched rocks were purchased from Banff. The new structure was made up of 3 levels – level one was at ice level and included washrooms and a workroom. Level two had the kitchen, office and bleachers for viewing. The lounge occupied the third level. Soon after completion, the lounge area burned down and was closed off for some years.
In 1982 the first annual Bonspiel on the Lake was held for fundraising purposes.
In 1983 the 3 level viewing area was torn down and the ice surface received a cement base to allow for year round use of the building. A new two level viewing area was constructed, with full viewing now available on both levels. Modern washrooms were built upstairs and downstairs. A modern kitchen was built downstairs. In 1984 the club received a lounge license and a full bar and lounge was built on the second floor.
From the Invermere Curling Club