The ice is in but the Forest Grove Curling Club 2023/24 season is off to a slow start.
This is the second year the club has been in operation since the pandemic and club president Richard Bergen said they are in need of new curlers in order to form a league.
“We don’t have nothing because we don’t have enough people,” he said. Many of the people who used to curl have gotten older and no longer participate.
“We got a few old boys there from curling years ago and their kids are now curling, they come and drop in too.”
There were some new curlers last Friday and Bergen is hopeful this is the start of a trend. There are two rinks so to form a league 16 players are needed on a regular basis.
After the holidays the club is planning on holding some free curling days on Saturdays or Sundays. The idea is to let people come try the sport out and see if they like it.
The rink is open Friday evenings from 7-9 p.m. People are dropping in and paying the drop-in fee and the hope is that after Christmas there may be enough people to form a league. If not, they will try again next year.
The Grade 6 and 7 students from Forest Grove school just started curling on Fridays as well, he said. Unfortunately, many people live a long way out and getting to Forest Grove can be difficult for younger people after school hours.
One gentleman who used to curl elsewhere is teaching his seven-year-old son how to hold the broom and throw a rock.
“We got enough for one side of the ice, so the other side, he’s got it for himself and his son.”
The drop-in fee is $5 a person while the season pass is currently $150 per person. Bergen said they will have to see what the cost is after Christmas when they see how many people they have. Those looking to join can reach out to him at 250-397-2876.
