Celebrating a curling centennial at Heather CC

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This article was published 18/03/2016 (3647 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Ed Ledohowski has been busy piecing the puzzle of history together — and he could use a bit of help.

The 62-year-old St. Vital resident is working on an illustrated history of Heather Curling Club, located at 120 Youville St. in Norwood, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.   

Ledohowski is appealing to past and current members, as he is desperately seeking any old photographs of past clubhouses and on-ice action. He would also welcome any temporary loans of club memorabilia — such as crests, pins and programs — that can be photographed and included in the club’s digital archives and preserved forever.

Ledohowski, a longtime club member, is a retired Province of Manitoba employee who used to work in the province’s Historic Resources Branch. He started the working on the project last summer.

The seeds of the idea of the illustrated history were sown a few years ago when Ledohowski attended his last MCA Bonspiel event.

“The event was at the Thistle Curling Club before it burned down, and I videotaped some games on the ice and I videotaped some of the pictures and trophies by panning across the trophy case,” Ledohowski said.

“This wasn’t for a project, but for posterity, and it made it easier to appreciate the club’s history. And when the Heather Curling Club centennial was approaching, I thought doing an illustrated history would be a good idea. There’s not a lot of narrative in the book, as there are more visual elements.”

“The photo on the cover of the book is the only photo of on-ice action at the club I have. It’s from the second club building, which was built in 1951, and I have none from the first building, which was built in 1915. That’s the first thing that stood out when I started the research process — a lack of photos. You’d think for past tax assessment purposes, some might be saved somewhere,” he added.

Ledohowski said the club has played an important role in the curling community in the past 100 years, as well as making a bit of history of its own along the way.

“I think its main claim to fame is that it was the first club in greater Winnipeg to have an ice plant installed,” he said.

The plant was installed for $10,000, Ledohowski said, and the first rock thrown on artificial ice in the city was in October 1953.  

“There’s also the design of the club, which is an international-style design. For architects, it’s a nice building in terms of design. The idea has even been floated that we should submit an application for a heritage designation.

Ledohowski said the club has a small centennial committee that has overseen a number of events to commemorate its landmark birthday, including a bud, spud and steak event and a social, and there will be an open house afternoon tea that will be scheduled some time in the spring.

Email Ledohowski at edled@shaw.ca for more information. Visit www.heathercurlingclub.org to learn more about the club.

simon.fuller@canstarnews.com

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