Curling rink upgrades completed in time for Smoky Lake Bonspiel 

  By Alan Kausy

Seasonal preparations at the Smoky Lake curling rink were being initiated in September 2020 when substantial equipment failure halted the ice making process.

The Freon-based ice-making plant ceased working and it was determined, by Don Tkachuk of ‘Smoky Lake Refrigeration’ that a new chiller was needed and would cost $48,000.

The Covid-19 restriction exemptions program has financially constrained the curling club and usual fundraising and facility rental income sources were non-existent since the pandemic onset. During the curling season, operating costs for the facility are around $8,000 per month.

This prompted the organization to successfully apply for the Alberta government’s Community Facility Enhancement Program which provides grants towards upgrading publicly used facilities. This is a 50/50 cost sharing initiative which meant a minimum of $24,000 still needed to be procured.

The curling club, which has remained financially self-sufficient for nearly 60 years, appealed to both the Town and County of Smoky Lake for assistance. The County contributed $24,000 to the club and the Town also provided $24,000 in funding.

The new chiller, purchased from ‘Cimco Refrigeration’, was installed in October 2021 whereupon it was discovered that the compressor and expansion valves required replacement which cost an additional $22,000. They were damaged by the circulating brine which is composed of calcium chloride and water. Freon cools the brine to -18°C which then circulates through piping and freezes the ice surface. Over 13,000 Liters of water is needed to make the ice.

Mr. Tkachuk, with assistance from club president Scott Franchuk, installed all components before the ice making procedure began. The chiller weighs 1700 lbs. and necessitated extensive maneuvering in order to position and install it.

 From December 21, 2021 to January 18, 2022, the system had to be checked every 3 hours to ensure contamination did not cause further damage. Mr. Franchuk and Mr. Tkachuk used a remote camera coupled with on-site checks to monitor on a 24 hour basis. They had to clean the system several times to remove all contamination.

Mr. Franchuk, who has been curling for 18 years, is responsible for maintaining the well-made ice surface and the plant is now running efficiently.

The curling season commenced on January 18 with 12 teams initially participating. This was reduced to 8 as 4 teams withdrew due to the overall Covid-19 situation. Club members had to follow all related provincial restrictions in order to participate.

An Open Bonspiel was successfully hosted from February 25 to 26 with 11 teams taking part. Participants were from Smoky Lake, Warspite, Sherwood Park and Waskatenau. Draw-to-the-button and other contests were held while a Ukrainian supper was also served. ‘The Old Fashioned Bread Bakery’ which is in its 50^th year, allowed use of its ovens and staff assisted in meal preparations.  Over 30 local businesses and individuals sponsored the volunteer-driven event.

‘A’ event winners were Scott Franchuk, Brad Gavronsky, Kevin Semeniuk and Amy Cherniwchan. ‘B’ winners were Amanda Macmillian, Ryan Franchuk, Stephanie Popel and Mark Fedoretz. Winners of the ‘C’ were Brenda Hrycun, Gary Macyk, Joan Lazowski and Sydney Hrycun.

Approximately $100,000 has been invested into the curling rink since 2019 as two new furnaces were installed in the rink as well as one in the main building. This was a $21,000 expense. The interior was also recently painted and new televisions and floor coverings were installed.

This year, H A Kostash high school students have been curling at the club 5 days a week in 90 minute sessions as Mr. Kevin Fleming, the physical education teacher, is encouraging students to practice the sport. H A Kostash introduced a ‘curling option’ into its curriculum this school year and this has drawn more students to the facility.

The Curling Club’s Executive Board consists of Scott Franchuk, Amy Cherniwchan, Lorrie Verspeelt, Bill Ewansiw, Valerie Franchuk, Kendra Jones, Earl Gartley, Cody Holowaychuk and Ryan Franchuk.

This year’s curling season will run until the end of March and potentially into April if outside temperatures continue to remain below zero.