Rave reviews flood in for Brier’s host city

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This article was published 10/03/2017 (3435 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

ST. JOHN’S, N.L. — Darren Moulding sounds like a guy who would move heaven and earth to get to a good party.

It’s fitting the 34-year-old icemaker from the Lethbridge Curling Club qualified for his first Brier in St. John’s, the self-proclaimed City of Legends.

The games are done for Moulding — the third for Brent Bottcher’s Edmonton squad — but the fun’s not finished in the nation’s most easterly city.

As local Memorial University points out, St. John’s “has seen 500 years of explorers, pirates, adventurers and tourists enter its impressive rocky harbour.”

In a little more than a week, Moulding has seen people dressed as Trekkies and polar bears, while a group of loogans showed up for an evening draw in nothing but togas.

He’s seen no pirates yet.

Who knows what images will be conjured up at his official “screeching in” — a ceremony that involves smooching a frozen cod, swearing an oath and gulping down a shot of very strong Newfoundland rum.

“Yep, getting my initiation to Newfoundland,” Moulding said.

“We were pretty tired Thursday night, but we’re getting screeched in (Friday)… should be interesting.”

This is the Bottcher team’s first taste of a national men’s curling championship and its first visit to St. John’s.

It’s one of those cities all Canadians wish they could one day visit.

“The first Brier’s been amazing,” Alberta lead Karrick Martin said.

“The crowd has been so tremendous and really into it, every draw. We’ve had so many fans come up to us, and you can tell they’re really excited we’re here.

“The whole atmosphere has been incredible in St. John’s.”

That’s exactly what Eugene Trickett was hoping to hear. A business development manager for the province — and a three-time Brier competitor with Mark Noseworthy — Trickett is one of the host committee’s vice-chairs.

He said things have gone even better than any script they could have penned after Curling Canada’s announcement in 2015 to award the prestigious championship to St. John’s.

The cherry on top was local legend Brad Gushue, who won his 14th purple heart and a pass to the nationals.

“It’s been high energy from the start. There was a lot of anticipation from the fans, not only for Team Gushue and the fact he could maybe win the event, but just to see championship curling,” Trickett said.

“It’s really showcased our city, and the whole city has embraced it.”

Mile One Centre holds 6,000 people for the curling, and only a few draws this week have been shy of sellouts.

Total attendance to date will shatter the 100,000 mark after today’s 3 vs. 4 game between Team Canada and Northern Ontario, and the final number for the nine-day event should exceed 120,000.

A year ago in Ottawa, the week-long attendance came in at a similar 115,000 at TD Place, which has a capacity of 8,200 for curling.

The Brier attendance record is nearly 282,000, set in Edmonton in 2005.

“I think we have well over 2,000 visitors to St. John’s for the Brier,” Trickett said.

“The figure that was done in the bid package was around $15 million in economic spinoff, but Curling Canada and the city of St. John’s are going to do a study to actually look at what it meant to our centre.

“I would encourage all smaller centres to chase these events.

“If communities put in the energy that we did, it will be a hit.”

jason.bell@freepress.mb.caTwitter: @WFPJasonBell