Big heating bills and a faltering building are holding the city's curling community from loading the house. Prince George Golf and Curling Club (PGGCC) President Kevin Bowman and Vice President Dan Martin went to city council Monday night warning them that they needed municipal help if they hoped to draw to the button during the 2015 Canada Winter Games.
"There is no question the cost is extraordinary for heating and lighting the building," said Bowman. "Perhaps there are efficiencies city staff know of through the operation of their buildings that could help us out. We want to have those discussions as soon as possible."
The bill can be anywhere between $18,000 and $22,000 to heat and light the curling rink from October to March alone. In all cases, the curling loses money for the dual-track recreation society.
"You hope to have a good golf year," to offset the curling loses, said Bowman. However he stressed that "curling is still reasonably solid in this community, we have a good core."
The PGGCC has an ice system that is only eight years old, he said, so the main piece of their puzzle is in place, but other aspects of the old building are in need of attention, especially energy efficiency.
There is no specific demands being made of the city by the PGGCC, but Bowman said general discussions with city staff beginning as soon as possible would help them get ready for the 2015 Canada Winter Games for which they are the host venue in the curling categories. Priority areas would be identified through mutual examination.
"The building [must be] babied along from the shape it is now in - and it is still a very good playing surface - to make it the premier facility it used to be," said Bowman.
Bowman and Martin presented to council that their curling league has almost 500 registered league players, of which 80 per cent were public players; the rest being card-carrying PGGCC members. Of those, 120 were players in their seniors category, 40 were juniors and 16 were children in the Little Rocks program.
After their presentation, Bowman said he had no firm expectation for time lines for city staff to get back together with PGGCC personnel, but thought a week to 10 days would be realistic.
