Editor's note: This story has been updated with a comment from a City of Orillia staffer.
After the pandemic kept curlers on the sidelines for almost two full years, Orillia Curling Club members were thrilled to finally get back on the ice last month.
But it didn’t last long.
A ‘significant’ equipment failure at the Barnfield Point Recreation Centre has put the season in jeopardy.
According to a memo from city staff to city councillors, staff had to shut down the ice surface at the 22-year old facility recently and expect it will be at least February before necessary repairs can be made to, hopefully, get curlers back on the ice.
“It’s unfortunate news,” admitted Don Kinzinger, the president of the Orillia Curling Club, which has called the Tudhope Park facility home since it opened in 1999.
The staff report notes that because of the equipment failure, the secondary refrigerant system for the facility is unable to operate. That means the ice cannot be maintained.
“Existing ice at the facility was removed shortly after immediate repair attempts were unsuccessful,” notes the staff report authored by the city's manager, property and environmental sustainability, Renee Recoskie, and Andrew Schell, the city's general manager of environment and infrastructure services.
Recoskie told OrilliaMatters it was a glycol pump that failed and it has to be replaced. That is anticipated to cost about $10,000, she noted.
"Further work and costs may be required to support the replacement work and to reinstate the ice," Recoskie explained.
Initially, "staff and contractors worked through many alternatives to repair, rebuild or replace the equipment to support ice at the facility,” notes the report.
Ultimately, the only “viable option” was to order a full equipment replacement.
“Staff have proceeded with this option as expediently as possible; however, due to significant lead times and disruptions in supply chains, the equipment may not arrive on-site for another 10 weeks,” said the report.
Staff will continue to investigate other options that would fast-track the repairs.
In fact, staff explored the option of installing curling sheets at Brian Orser Arena.
This option only would have provided curling ice during daytime hours and would not accommodate bonspiels or evening and weekend curling timeslots, “which is an aspect that provides significant revenue for the club,” notes the report.
As a result, the club opted not to pursue this option.
Staff will work with the club to determine a fair and reasonable cost to operate for the modified eight-week season.
The club anticipates a “significant shift in their membership moving to other rinks in the county” and staff recognize that losing an additional year may result in a much slower return to curling in Orillia and may result in "significantly decreased revenues for a number of years into the future."
It should be noted, said the staff report, that in addition to impacting the curling club, this will also have a negative effect on the operations of the facility's Bayside Restaurant, but that will “not be as detrimental.”
While it is detrimental to the local curling club, Kinzinger is philosophical about it.
“Everyone involved with the club has worked so hard in getting our season back up and running after being down due to COVID for almost 20 months,” said Kinzinger.
He said dealing with pandemic restrictions and creating safe return-to-play guidelines took a lot of work.
“Although we only curled for a few weeks, our membership thoroughly enjoyed their time on the ice,” he told OrilliaMatters.
The city has been doing “everything they can to get us back on the ice … and it is much appreciated,” he said.
“We can only hope that there are few delays in getting parts and having them installed in a timely manner,” he said.
“Until then, the club will proceed to organize social events and gatherings to keep the membership engaged,” said Kinzinger.
“Unfortunately these things happen. In light of the worldwide pandemic that has affected many in terrible ways, we need to take stock of what we have and be thankful,” he said.
“Curling will be back in Orillia, and hopefully soon. Until then, we will wait with brooms in hand.”
