The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Curlers overseeing repairs to the Willowpark curling rink admit the work currently violates club policy but say they had no choice but to proceed. One of the men, Bryan White, said the club executive chose not to become involved with the project, as they should be under club rules, in time to allow the project to be completed prior to the upcoming curling season. "We told them what the plan was, we asked them to engage a committee to work with us to supervise the situation and we pledged our support to the executive," said White. "In our opinion . . . they have refused to discuss a plan or to work with anybody regarding a plan. They have adopted the position that, in their best judgment, repairs to Willowpark should not proceed." Last month, Willowpark members voted to fund the repairs necessary to continue curling in their home rink rather than amalgamating with the Uptown Curling Club. The idea behind the proposed merger was that the clubs would combine their savings to contribute nearly $300,000 to the proposed CommunityPlex, a recreational facility that would combine various recreational opportunities, including curling, under one roof. Following the membership vote, White said he and other curlers were told that the executive would not respond to the situation, including the necessary repair work, until a special meeting was held 10 days after the ballots were counted. After that meeting, the executive members, who had advised against the rink repairs, issued a press release indicating they would resign at the club's semi-annual meeting on Sept. 9. The executive further stated that it believes the curlers managing the repair work are "operating in violation of our Constitution and by-laws, which hold the executive responsible for all actions taken on behalf of the club." But White said he and like-minded curlers sent the executive a memo a week after the membership vote specifically requesting a committee be established to "oversee this [repair] process immediately." "As elected representatives of the membership, we encourage you to continue your efforts on behalf of the club and we pledge our support to assist you to the best of our ability," read the memo. White said they received no response so progressed with the repairs in order to fulfill the wishes of the membership to continue curling at Willowpark. See 'On' P.# Con't from P.# "I think [the executive has] been just stonewalling and sort of dragging their feet and not giving us any authority to go ahead," said John Munson, another curler overseeing the repairs. "This dragging on for a month to get their resignation is what's caused all the problems, because we have to take some action in order get the repairs done in time to have curling this year." "They've refused to make themselves available to us," added White. The men reported that the repairs, which are being conducted largely by themselves and other volunteers, are on schedule and should be completed around Sept. 25. They plan to have an occupancy permit ? good for at least three (but as many as five) years ? by Oct. 1. Estimated at $25,000, the work consists of repairing support beams within two walls and fixing some cracks in the rafters. This whole episode has been unfortunate, in the men's view, because club membership has been left divided. "There's going to be people that are maybe not ever going to talk to each other again in a town where everybody is friends," said Don Holmes, who is also helping with the repairs. Regardless of the specific factors behind the hard feelings, the men said they expect Willowpark membership will be down this coming season. But they said several teams were prepared to quit curling had the amalgamation gone ahead, preferring the location and atmosphere of their home rink. "The saddest thing about this whole situation is this club has been a really, really strong club," said Munson. "At least this way, we may have less [members], Uptown may have more, but at least we've got the same total number of curlers in Flin Flon." Munson reiterated a previous statement that Willowpark membership favours moving to the potential CommunityPlex; however many curlers do not want to leave unless the complex is a certainty, not a proposal.
