Cookstown curling season closes
By Chris Simon

Photo by Chris Simon About 25 Cookstown Curling Club members hit the ice for the final time this season last week.

Gord Turner has been curling for years, but the end of each season never seems to get easier.

Each spring, the Cookstown Curling Club member says goodbye to comrades, in hopes of seeing them again for the start of the next curling season. Often, he won't see his team members until the start of the next season, mostly because many of the club members come from areas throughout Innisfil, Bradford West Gwillimbury, and Essa and Adjala- Tosorontio townships.

It's hard for them to get together away from the rink. It's what makes one final curling bonspiel so special, said Turner.

"It's nice to have the season come to an end, but you know you're going to miss people that have been here all year," he said, surrounded by several peers preparing to curl.

"We come from quite a wide area, all over. It's mixed emotions."

About 25 curling club members gathered to play a few final rounds of the sport, before the ice is taken out of the Cookstown facility for the summer, last week.

Afterwards, the club hosted a year end awards ceremony, where about 40 people met to discuss the recently completed season.

Three awards were presented at the ceremony. Marie Wistoski's team earned the Ross Award, which is presented to the top curler for the first half of the season. Vern Eveleigh's team received the Crawford Award for second half performance, while Malcolm Lumsden's team won the No Problem Award for the overall season.

"The ice is going to be here another week and a half," said club member Jim Arnold. "This is our last day, our wind up. This is a fun day, with two six-end games and a banquet tonight. We've got three trophies to give out. This is it until next October or November."

He says the day is a chance to curl one last time, have fun, and honour great play throughout the season.

Turner enjoys curling for its simplicity and ability to attract players from different backgrounds.

"You can enjoy the game without being an expert at it," he said. "It doesn't require tremendous physical abilities, you can have handicaps and still curl."