Sports

Alliston Curling Club celebrates 125th anniversary

May 28, 2026   ·   0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart

The Alliston Curling Club is celebrating 125 years as a local organization, and on Saturday, May 23, it held a special day to recognize this achievement.

There was an afternoon celebration followed by an evening dinner.

Curling Clubs across the country are among the oldest clubs in many towns, with many having their roots at outdoor venues in the late 19th century.

As a sport, curling is among the most popular in Canada.

“Today we are celebrating the 125th anniversary of the Curling Club’s inception,” explained Alliston Curling Club’s treasurer and former president, Susan Froud. “We are having an all-ages event this afternoon, and then tonight we are having a dinner dance party.”

The Club currently has around 300 members, including about 220 adults and the rest youth.

“We have around 35 juniors that play in our Sunday league,” Froud said. “We’re trying to promote the sport at the grassroots and getting our kids involved.”

The club got its official start back in 1901, when teams played on the Boyne River, where a dam once created a pond.

The current curling club was built in 1956.

Over the past few years, the club has made improvements to the facility to maintain it and keep it current.

“We’ve been rebuilding since COVID,” Froud explained. “We have some renovations planned for this summer. We got a Trillium Grant, and we have already done some renovations. We are working on a new accessibility project.”

Alliston Curling Club President Shawn Evans offered some history of the club.

“In 1900, a wood rink was built close to the present location of Alliston Memorial Arena,” Evans explained. “The rink was constructed so hockey could be played in the centre of the rink with two curling sheets – one on each side of the hockey arena.” 

He added, “In 1938, they organized and started curling in the old skating rink. By 1945, the annual membership fee was $5. It wasn’t until 1950 that the building next to us, the Alliston Memorial Arena, was opened, and curling had the opportunity to organize. The Alliston Curling Club resumed operation in the new hockey arena. From 1950 to 1956, the Club operated one day a week in the Memorial Arena. By 1956, the membership was growing, and enthusiasm mounted, and curlers convinced themselves they could build their rink. In 1956, the Town of Alliston sold this land to the Curling Club for $200. Within one year, the Alliston Curling Club had built a new indoor ice rink.”

The Alliston Curling Club is always looking for new members and offers introductory sessions to help new players learn the sport. 

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