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Curling came to the Midland area in the minds of Midlanders who had previously enjoyed the sport in their Canadian homeland. As they joined the rest of the community in holing up for the winter, they suffered an acute case of cabin fever and began to long for the excitement of the well- swept stone, the well-built house, and the well-stacked broom. Out of these frustrations and hungers evolved the Midland Granite Club dedicated to the ancient and honorable sport of curling. To go anywhere requires that a first step be taken. With this principal in mind and in the spirit of free enterprise, meetings were held to develop a core of members and raise enough money to install an outdoor sheet of curling ice adjacent to the City Skating Rink. This was accomplished in 1962. Strong men threw giant stones over snow and fly ash in time with the frightful music from the nearby skating rink while the temperature plunged to 20 degrees below zero and the wind gusted to 40 knots. Faced with rising causalities from frostbite, curler's elbow, and pneumonia, the directors of the Granite Club met to consider how to snatch victory from disaster. Land scouts located land at the end of Gerald Court; a solemn money-raising ceremony was held among the directors; another solemn money-raising ceremony was held at the bank; and a two-sheet curling rink was built with natural ice. This was in 1965. Nature, which had provided wind, rain, snow, and frostbite at the outdoor rink now provided the Club with freezing and thawing. This coupled with certain subterranean features in the dirt floor created very interesting ice. When the rink became a shallow pond in March of 1966, the number of meetings of the directors increased, stock sales soared, and the bank responded. With much tender loving care, artificial ice was installed in the curling rink. As cars floundered in mud in the parking lot when the sun was out, and sank in the snow when it wasn't, it became clear that the problem had shifted from refrigeration to transportation. More frenzied activity and a blacktop parking lot appeared in 1967. Teams from Midland began to invade Sarnia, Detroit, Kitchener, Lewiston, Wallaceburg, Milwaukee, and the Canadian Soo. Back came the message, "Bonspiels are the life blood of curling, and we need four sheets of ice instead of two." So in 1969, the directors, the members and the bank again responded and the total Club facilities were doubled in size. Now, with four sheets of ice and adequate Club room space, curling in Midland is here to stay! This history was published in 1972, on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the club. Since that time, the club name has changed to the Midland Curling Club, to be more meaningful to potential members. The club also became part of the Midland Community Center in 1987. Currently, the club operates as one of five divisions of the Greater Midland Community Centers, Inc. (formed in 2006).
for a new building located on the Midland Community Center's campus. Click here to see pictures of our Previous Club Building Click here to see a history of the club's Past President's. Author Unknown |
2009 Jefferson Avenue., Midland, MI 48640 Phone: 989-832-7937 Ext: 2295
