The Ottawa Curling Club is an historic

curling Curling is a sport in which players slide stones on a sheet of ice toward a target area which is segmented into four concentric circles. It is related to bowls, boules, and shuffleboard. Two teams, each with four players, take turns sliding ...

club located on

O'Connor Street O'Connor Street is a downtown arterial road in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It is a north-south route, operating one way southbound, providing a key thoroughfare parallel to Bank Street. The roadway begins at Wellington Street, at Parliament Hill, ...

in the

Centretown Centretown is a neighbourhood in Somerset Ward, in central Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It is defined by the city as "the area bounded on the north by Gloucester Street and Lisgar Street, on the east by the Rideau Canal, on the south by the Quee ...

neighbourhood of

Ottawa Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...

, Canada. It is the oldest curling club in Ottawa, established in 1851 by

Allan Gilmour Allan Gilmour (29 September 1805 – 18 November 1884) was a businessman in the shipping and timber industries and worked for the family firm in Britain and Canada. He worked for a firm established by his uncle Allan Gilmour Sr. Biograp ...

as the

Bytown Bytown is the former name of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It was founded on September 26, 1826, incorporated as a town on January 1, 1850, and superseded by the incorporation of the City of Ottawa on January 1, 1855. The founding was marked by a Grou ...

Curling Club. The Club first played on the

Rideau Canal The Rideau Canal, also known unofficially as the Rideau Waterway, connects Canada's capital city of Ottawa, Ontario, to Lake Ontario and the Saint Lawrence River at Kingston. It is 202 kilometres long. The name ''Rideau'', French for "curtain", ...

until 1858. It subsequently moved to different locations around the city until finally settling at its current location on O'Connor in 1916. In 1931 the club was expanded to the current capacity of 5 curling sheets.

Artificial ice An ice rink (or ice skating rink) is a frozen body of water and/or an artificial sheet of ice created using hardened chemicals where people can ice skate or play winter sports. Ice rinks are also used for exhibitions, contests and ice shows. The ...

was also installed at that time. The club is home to 2017 World Champion and 2018 and 2022 Olympian

Rachel Homan Rachel Catherine Homan (born April 5, 1989) is a Canadian international curler. Homan is a former Canadian junior champion, a three-time Canadian national champion, and the 2017 world champion, all as a skip. She was also the skip of the Cana ...

, and is the former home of 1998 and 1999 Junior Men's World Curling Champion and 2018 and 2022 Olympian John Morris. The Ottawa Curling Club is one of two clubs in

Downtown Ottawa Downtown Ottawa is the central area of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It is sometimes referred to as the Central Business District and contains Ottawa's financial district. It is bordered by the Ottawa River to the north, the Rideau Canal to the ea ...

, the other is the

Rideau Curling Club The Rideau Curling Club is a curling facility and organization located in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Founded in 1888, the Rideau Curling Club maintains a rivalry with the Ottawa Curling Club. History The original club began operation in November, ...

, which maintains a rivalry with the Ottawa.

History

The By Town Curling Club was established in 1851 under the presidency of lumber businessman Allan Gilmour. Its earliest facility was a rudimentary shed located near Lisgar Street adjoining the Rideau Canal. Canal water was used to construct the single ice sheet. The club constructed a new rink on Albert Street east of O'Connor in 1867, expanding play to two sheets. In 1878, the club spent $510 to move the building structure to a property near Wellington Street west of Kent on the former Vittoria Street which is today federal property in the Supreme Court district. The rink structure was replaced by a brick building which opened in December 1906. In 1914, the club lost the land due to a significant federal government expropriation. The club's present location was opened in December 1916 when premises on O'Connor Street were provided through a gift by James Manuel, a wealthy local businessman, curler and club president. In 1927, the club was threatened with eviction by

Toronto General Trusts Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most pop ...

which represented Manuel's estate at that time. The club maintained that the terms of agreement with Manuel that it had rightful control of the property as long as the facilities were maintained for curling. In the following year, the courts ruled that the club had no formal claim to the property due to the club's unincorporated status at that time, combined with the lack of a written will or agreement regarding Manuel's wishes. The club therefore was required to purchase the property from the estate. Formal incorporation of the Ottawa Curling Club Limited was completed in 1929.

and expansion from four to five sheets followed in 1931.

Presidents

# 1851-1895: Col. Allan Gilmour # 1895-1914: John Manuel # 1914-1917: James Manuel # 1918-1921: William Manuel # 1922-1936: George F. Henderson, KC # 1936-1942: Hugh Carson # 1942-1950: Darcy Finn # 1950-1952: Olin Beach # 1952-1955: W.E. Hodgins # 1955-1958: Ted Moffat # 1958-1961: B. Brocklesby # 1961-1963: Howard Grills # 1964-1966: Alan Brown # 1966-1968: Gordie Perry # 1968-1970: Harold Scrim # 1970-1972: Bill Davis # 1972-1974: E. Macdonald # 1974-1976: Don MacKinnon # 1976-1978: Dick Rich # 1978-1980: Dave Smith # 1980-1982: Stan Grover # 1982-1984: Ted Root # 1984-1986: Pat Craig # 1986-1988: Bob York # 1988-1990: Rod Matheson # 1990-1992: Sandra Chisholm # 1992-1994: Brad Shinn # 1994-1996: Steve Mitchell # 1996-1998: Eric Johannsen # 1998-2000: Barbara Brown # 2000-2002: Terry Clark # 2002-2004: Gord Perry # 2004-2006: Gayle Greene # 2006-2008: Gord Critch # 2008-2012: Geoff Colley # 2012-2014: Michael Loewen # 2014-2016: Tom Sinclair # 2016–2018: Matthew Kellett # 2018–2020: Eddie Chow # 2020–2022: Michael Burke # 2022–present: Nicole Merriman

Leagues

The Ottawa Curling Club has a number of different curling leagues that participate at the club. Some are club leagues, while others (like the teachers league or the Rainbow Rockers Curling League) are rentals. Official leagues at the club are the Monday Ladder (open), Business Women (Tuesday), Getting Started/Learn to Curl (Tuesday), Open Cash (Wednesday), Business Men (Thursday), Mixed (Friday), Saturday Men, Sunday Open, Daytime League, Little rocks/bantam and the University/College League.

Cash League

The cash league which runs Wednesday evenings is the league with the highest calibre of curling. Some of the top curlers in the world curl in the cash league at the Ottawa Curling Club. Winners of games receive money, which can vary depending on the level the teams involved are at. The league is open, so there are both men's and women's teams. Curlers in the OCC Cash league include

Lauren Mann Lauren Mann (born January 27, 1985) is a Canadian curler from Aylmer, Quebec. She currently skips her own team out of Ottawa, Ontario. Career As a junior curler, Mann was the 2002 Ontario Winter Games championship playing third for Laura Pay ...

Lynn Kreviazuk Lynn Elizabeth Kreviazuk (born May 2, 1991) is a Canadian curler from Ottawa, Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has histor ...

, Cheryl Kreviazuk, David Mathers,

Lee Merklinger Lee Anne Merklinger (born September 16, 1984) is Canadian female curler from Nepean, Ontario. Merklinger played second for the Sherry Middaugh rink on the World Curling Tour from 2010 to 2018. Among the team's accomplishments were finishing runn ...

, Erin Morrissey, Karen Trines,

Kira Brunton Kira Michaela Brunton (born March 17, 1999) is a Canadian curler originally from Sudbury, Ontario. She currently plays third on Team Danielle Inglis. In 2015, she won the gold medal at the 2015 Canada Winter Games playing third for Megan Smit ...

Jean-Michel Ménard Jean-Michel Ménard (born January 19, 1976) is a curler from Aylmer, Quebec, Canada. Ménard is notable for being the first Francophone born skip from Quebec to win the Brier - Canada's national curling championship- which he did in 2006. In 202 ...

Jenn Hanna Jennifer Ann Hanna (born January 22, 1980) is a Canadian curler from Nepean, Ontario. She curls out of the Ottawa Curling Club. She was a finalist in both the 1998 Canadian Junior Curling Championship and the . Career Early competitive care ...

Lisa Weagle Lisa Colleen Weagle (born March 24, 1985) is a Canadian curler from Ottawa, Ontario. Weagle was the lead on the Rachel Homan team from 2010 until March 12, 2020, when the team announced they would be parting ways with her. She then joined Team ...

and

Pascale Letendre Pascale Letendre (born c. 1980 in Montreal, Quebec) is a Canadian curler from Orleans, Ontario. Career Letendre is most notable for playing third for the Jenn Hanna rink that lost in the final of the 2005 Scott Tournament of Hearts. Letendre ...

University / College League

For the 2006–07 season, the Ottawa Curling Club introduced a league on Sunday nights for students in the Ottawa area to participate. At the time, no university in the city had a curling team, so this league was created to facilitate interest in curling from students in Ottawa. At the end of the year, the first championship was played between

Carleton University Carleton University is an English-language public research university in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Founded in 1942 as Carleton College, the institution originally operated as a private, non-denominational evening college to serve returning World ...

and the

University of Ottawa The University of Ottawa (french: Université d'Ottawa), often referred to as uOttawa or U of O, is a bilingual public research university in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on directly to the northeast of Downtown Ottawa ...

with Carleton winning 6–4.

Club Champions

The club championship is held annually. It is a playoff round featuring the top teams from each of the leagues at the club.

Current famous curlers

2005 Scott Tournament of Hearts The 2005 Scott Tournament of Hearts, the Canadian women's curling championship, was held at Mile One Stadium in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador from February 19 to 27, 2005. The tournament included 12 teams, one from each of Canada's provi ...

runner-up * Earle Morris - 1985 Ontario men's champion (represented the R.C.N. Curling Club); 1982 Quebec champion; 1980 Manitoba champion, invented the Stabilizer curling broom, coach of the

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

n curling team skipped by

Hugh Millikin Hugh Ronald Alexander Millikin (born 4 July 1957 in North Vancouver (district municipality), North Vancouver, British Columbia) is an Australian curling, curler originally from Ottawa, Ontario. Career In 1986, while still residing in the Canadi ...

) *

- 2006 Brier Champion and World Championships runner-up * Eldon Coombe, 1972 provincial champion *

Craig Savill Craig Edward Savill (born October 25, 1978) is a Canadian curler, originally from Manotick, Ontario, Canada. He currently plays third on Team Adam Casey. He also coaches the Czech men's national team. Career Savill's father was stationed at CF ...

- 2007 Brier and World Champion lead for

Glenn Howard Glenn William Howard (born July 17, 1962) is a Canadian curler who is one of the most decorated curlers of all time. He has won four world championships, four Briers and 17 Ontario provincial championships, including a record eight straight ...

- Four time provincial bantam champion; 2006

Canada Games The Canada Games (french: Jeux du Canada) is a multi-sport event held every two years, alternating between the Canada Winter Games and the Canada Summer Games. They represent the highest level of national competition for Canadian athletes. Two ...

gold medalist; 2010 Canadian Junior champion; 2013, 2014 and 2017 Scotties Tournament of Hearts champion; 2017 World Champion * Andrew Mikkelsen - 1996 Canadian Junior Champion * Gilles Allaire - 2004 Northern Ontario Mixed Champion *

Chris Gardner Christopher Paul Gardner (born February 9, 1954) is an American businessman and motivational speaker. During the early 1980s, Gardner struggled with homelessness while raising a toddler son. He became a stockbroker and eventually founded his ow ...

- former provincial bantam and junior mixed champion * Stephanie Hanna - 2005 Scott Tournament of Hearts runner-up (with sister Jenn) * Matt Paul - 2005 Canada Cup of Curling participant * Michael Raby - former World Deaf Curling Champion *

Neil Sinclair Neil Sinclair (born 23 February 1974), is a Northern Irish former professional boxer who competed from 1995 to 2010. He challenged once for the WBO welterweight title in 2010. At regional level, he held the British welterweight title from 2001 ...

- 2007 Canada Games silver medalist * Robyn Mattie - 2003 Canadian Junior Runner-up *

Emma Miskew Emma Kathryn Miskew (born February 14, 1989) is a Canadian curler. She was the long-time third of the three-time Canadian champion and 2017 world champion Rachel Homan rink until 2022 when she moved to second. The Homan team represented Canada ...

- Four time provincial bantam champion; 2006

gold medalist; 2010 Canadian Junior Champion; 2013, 2014 and 2017 Scotties Tournament of Hearts champion; 2017 World Champion (third for Rachel Homan) *

Alison Kreviazuk Alison Blair Kreviazuk (; born September 27, 1988) is a Canadian curler. Kreviazuk was born in Mississauga, Ontario, and grew up in the Nepean sector of Ottawa. She was the longtime second for the Rachel Homan rink, playing with her from 200 ...

, 2013 and 2014 Scotties Tournament of Hearts champion (second for Rachel Homan) *

, 2013, 2014 and 2017 Scotties Tournament of Hearts champion; 2017 World Champion (lead for Rachel Homan) Source: 2006-07 Ottawa Curling Club Directory. See als
Hall of Fame

Famous past members

*Sir

Sanford Fleming Sir Sandford Fleming (January 7, 1827 – July 22, 1915) was a Scottish Canadian engineer and inventor. Born and raised in Scotland, he emigrated to colonial Canada at the age of 18. He promoted worldwide standard time zones, a prime meridi ...

, inventor of

standard time Standard time is the synchronisation of clocks within a geographical region to a single time standard, rather than a local mean time standard. Generally, standard time agrees with the local mean time at some meridian that passes through the r ...

Ottawa Curling Club Through the Years
/ref> * Alexander Mackenzie, former Prime Minister of Canada * John Morris &

Brent Laing Brent George Laing (born December 10, 1978) is a Canadian curler from Horseshoe Valley, Ontario. He currently plays lead for Mike McEwen. He grew up in Meaford, Ontario. Career Curling out of the Ottawa Curling Club (in Ottawa) and later the ...

, 1998 & 1999 World Junior Champions *

Brad Gushue Bradley Raymond Gushue, ONL ( ; born June 16, 1980) is a Canadian curler from St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. Gushue, along with teammates Russ Howard, Mark Nichols, Jamie Korab and Mike Adam, represented Canada in curling at the 2006 W ...

- Alternate for John Morris at the 1998 World Junior Championships (Member in name only) * Melanie Robillard - curled with

in 2000 and as part of the German National Team with Andrea Schöpp won the 2008 European Mixed Championships Kitzbühel, Austria, won the 2009 Women European Championships Aberdeen, Scotland, participated with the German National Team that finished 6th in the Women Curling event at the Olympics in Vancouver and was part of the German Women National Curling Team that won the Women World Curling Championships Swift Current, Saskatchewan, Canada *

Markku Uusipaavalniemi Markku Uusipaavalniemi (born 23 November 1966 in Karkkila) is a Finnish curler and former politician. Curling career Uusipaavalniemi was the skip of Team Finland for the first time in the mid-1990s. Most (but not all) of Finland's curling med ...

- skip of the 2006 Olympic silver medalist Finnish team *

- skip of the Australian national team *

Roy Ananny Roy "Bobby" Fredrick Ananny (October 11, 1924 – April 12, 2011) was a professional Canadian football halfback, flying wing, and end who played for the Ottawa Rough Riders of the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union. From 1945 to 1947, he playe ...

- Canadian Football League player *

Ian Palangio Ian "Ice Nut" Palangio (21 November 1972 – 2020) was a Canadian–Australian curler. He represented Australia at four World Curling Championships and was a two-time Pacific Curling Champion. Palangio began curling in 1986. While living in Ca ...

- Australian curler.

Events

The Ottawa and Rideau Curling Clubs used to host the

John Shea Insurance Canada Cup Qualifier The John Shea Insurance Canada Cup Qualifier was an annual curling bonspiel held at the Ottawa and Rideau Curling Clubs in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. In odd years, the event was a qualifier for the men's Canada Cup of Curling while in even years the ...

. In 2003, both clubs hosted the

2003 Canadian Junior Curling Championships The 2003 Kärcher Canadian Junior Curling Championships were held February 1–9 at the Rideau and Ottawa Curling Clubs in Ottawa. Teams from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan won both the men's and women's event. Both teams would go on to win gold medals ...

. The club also hosted the 2006 and 2007 Canadian Blind Curling Championships.

Provincial champions

Notes

References

{{reflist

External links

WebsiteRainbow Rockers Curling League
Curling clubs established in 1851 Curling clubs in Canada Sports venues in Ottawa Curling in Ottawa 1851 establishments in Ontario