The club started its ice plant on Monday and blew a seal. It is now staring at a $3,000 repair bill for the plant to begin the season.
“We’re determined to save this place,” said board member Calvin Smith.
“I started curling here in 1986 and I don’t want this place to close. It’s basically my second home.”
The club has about $80,000 in outstanding debt, board members said, much of which dates back to overruns for needed renovations about five years ago. The club was built in the late 1960s.
Most of its board members are new this year and have taken steps to pay off some of the debt. It raised $2,400 during two fundraisers in the past month. It has more plans to help get the club back on a more stable financial footing, but first it needs the plant operational.
“It’s basically the nail getting hammered into the coffin and taking away our moneymaker,” Smith said. “It’s a curling club, you need ice to make money.”
The club was aiming for a Sept. 4 start for pre-season curling, which allowed competitive curlers to be ready when they go to off-Island bonspiels before most clubs in the province are open for the season.
First-year president Susan Hubley said if the roughly 40 curlers, who said they were interested in the pre-season paid, the parts could be ordered. Board members said there is some doubt in the curling community if the rink will open this year and some people were reluctant to pay.
Smith said the parts would take four days to arrive and another day would be needed to get the plant up and running.
“We’re not dead, but we just need the money to get the plant fixed and we’re going,” Smith added.
The club had a membership of about 100, excluding juniors, two years ago. It was down to 68 last year.
Board member Jonathan Ramsay doesn’t curl, but he has family members that do. He said Monday’s news was “devastating.”
“I love the sport,” he said. “It’s a really nice facility and it would be a shame to see it close. A lot of memories here.”
Board member Bobbi-Jo Crossman grew up nearby and knows what the facility can be. She remembers attending dances, playing pool and cards as well as curling.
“It’s an awesome environment,” she said. “It’s like your second home in the winter.”
Smith said it was a community centre at one point and the board would like to see that return.
The club created a GoFundMe account on Wednesday. It can be found at http://www.gofundme.com/db2panm9.
The next closest clubs are in Summerside and Cornwall. There are seven clubs on Prince Edward Island.