The Bashaw Curling Club is “optimistic” they will be tossing rocks by the beginning of December, says president Kyle Ramstad.
With the latest numbers of active COVID-19 cases in Camrose County, the club is still good to go ahead with it’s season, though additional rules and guidelines will be in place.
Curlers will need to follow proper hand hygiene, keep a physical distance of two metres and sanitize the rocks after use. There will also be additional signage in place.
The start of the season was delayed due to uncertainty with the ongoing COVID-19 situation, as league play usually starts at the beginning of November.
Ice master Curtis Hunter is currently preparing the club’s three sheets of ice and it’s expected they will be ready by the end of the month, perhaps earlier.
At this point, they should be able to use all three sheets, though they may have teams start from different ends, and the board is discussing different options, says Ramstad.
League play will be able to go ahead, but if bonspiels will be possible remains to be seen.
It was a bit of a risk to go ahead with installing the ice because of the cost, but Ramstad is hoping that in the worse case scenario, the ice will sit unused for a few weeks and play can begin, perhaps after the holiday season.
Other bills such as insurance need to be paid regardless, he says, so there isn’t much additional cost for the ice to sit for awhile until it’s deemed safe to start their season, if need be.
Usually, about 12 to 14 teams register, and so far, there are about the same this year. Some teams dropped out due to concerns of the potential risks, but a couple of other teams have joined.
League play will be recreational this year, and all ages are welcome.
If you’re interested in playing, call or text Ramstad at 780-678-6405.