After months of planning and prep, Bruce Renwick and an army of Chilliwack Curling Club volunteers are ready to put on a show.
The 2019 Everest Canadian Senior Curling Championships come to Chilliwack this week, the first major event to be hosted by the CCC in their new home.
Renwick, the CCC manager, has been a supremely busy guy this week making sure the week-long event (March 22-29) goes off without a hitch.
鈥淭he building is getting better every day,鈥� Renwick said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 still the odd ideosincracy that needs to be addressed, but we鈥檙e 90 per cent there.
鈥淲ith the state-of-the-art ice making facilities, the viewing that we have here, the space in the lounge and our restaurant 鈥� this is a building that鈥檚 ready to put on a really big event.鈥�
At last count, Renwick had 145 volunteers signed up.
With so many helping hands, Chilliwack鈥檚 biggest curling fan thinks he might be able to relax and enjoy a few high-level matches.
鈥淚鈥檝e got lots of staff, so hopefully I鈥檒l be able to enjoy it, and I鈥檒l be providing colour-commentary for the CBC broadcast of this event,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 something I鈥檝e done before at provincials, but never a national event so I鈥檓 looking forward to it.
鈥淚t鈥檚 mostly about filling in the blanks, and I鈥檓 sure they鈥檒l have an announcer who will ask me some leading questions that will allow me to promote the club and the city a little bit and bring people back.鈥�
It鈥檚 an interesting field coming to town.
Northern Ontario men鈥檚 skip Al Hackner, a two-time world champion, is one curler Renwick is keen to see.
鈥楾he Iceman鈥� threw one of the most famous shots in Brier (Canadian men鈥檚 championship) history in 1985, a near-impossible shot that came to be down as the Al Hackner double (takeout).
Hackner has competed in nine career Briers, winning two.
鈥�(Saskatchewan women鈥檚 skip) Sherry Anderson has won Canadian seniors three years in a row and last year won gold at worlds,鈥� Renwick added. 鈥淏ruce Corte (Saskatchewan men鈥檚 skip) has participated in numerous Briers. We have some interesting people coming and it should be great curling.鈥�
As for the teams representing B.C., Renwick has no idea which way the rocks will roll for men鈥檚 skip Wes Craig.
鈥淲es is known as a gambler. He either wins big or loses big and his games are always interesting to watch because he loves rocks in play,鈥� Renwick noted. 鈥淥n the women鈥檚 side, Marilou Richter is a very steady curler and I鈥檇 expect her and her very good team to be in the mix at the end of the week.鈥�
Chilliwack stands to benefit greatly from the tournament, with an estimated $600,000-$800,000 flowing into local coffers through economic spinoffs.
Renwick says there are 600-800 hotel rooms booked.
鈥淲ith the weather cooperating, people are going to be out in our community, wandering around and spending,鈥� he said.
The event is free for spectators, with live entertainment nightly.
See for a full draw and more info.
