Ottawa Curling Club

Ottawa Curling Club, 1904

The By Town Curling Club was established in 1851 under the presidency of lumber businessman Allan Gilmour. Its earliest facility was a rudimentary shed located near Lisgar Street adjoining the Rideau Canal. Canal water was used to construct the single ice sheet. The club constructed a new rink on Albert Street east of O'Connor in 1867, expanding play to two sheets. In 1878, the club spent $510 to move the building structure to a property near Wellington Street west of Kent on the former Vittoria Street which is today federal property in the Supreme Court district. The rink structure was replaced by a brick building which opened in December 1906. In 1914, the club lost the land due to a significant federal government expropriation.[1]

The club's present location was opened on December 1916 when premises on O'Connor Street were provided through a gift by James Manuel, a wealthy local businessman, curler and club president.[1] In 1927, the club was threatened with eviction by Toronto General Trust which represented Manuel's estate at that time. The club maintained that the terms of agreement with Manuel that it had rightful control of the property as long as the facilities were maintained for curling.[2] In the following year, the courts ruled that the club had no formal claim to the property due to the club's unincorporated status at that time, combined with the lack of a written will or agreement regarding Manuel's wishes. The club therefore was required to purchase the property from the estate.[3]

Formal incorporation of the Ottawa Curling Club Limited was completed in 1929.[1] Artificial ice and expansion from four to five sheets followed in 1931.[1]

The Ottawa Curling Club has a number of different curling leagues that participate at the club. Some are club leagues, while others (like the teachers league or the Rainbow Rockers Curling League) are rentals. Official leagues at the club are the Monday Ladder (open), Business Women (Tuesday), Getting Started/Learn to Curl (Tuesday), Open Cash (Wednesday), Business Men (Thursday), Mixed (Friday), Saturday Men, Sunday Open, Daytime League, Little rocks/bantam and the University/College League.

The club championship is held annually. It is a playoff round featuring the top teams from each of the leagues at the club.

• Jenn Hanna - 2005 Scott Tournament of Hearts runner-up
• Earle Morris - 1985 Ontario men's champion (represented the R.C.N. Curling Club); 1982 Quebec champion; 1980 Manitoba champion, invented the Stabilizer curling broom, coach of the Australian curling team skipped by Hugh Millikin)
• Jean-Michel Ménard - 2006 Brier Champion and World Championships runner-up
• Eldon Coombe, 1972 provincial champion
• Craig Savill - 2007 Brier and World Champion lead for Glenn Howard
• Rachel Homan - Four time provincial bantam champion; 2006 Canada Games gold medalist; 2010 Canadian Junior champion; 2013, 2014 and 2017 Scotties Tournament of Hearts champion; 2017 World Champion
• Andrew Mikkelsen - 1996 Canadian Junior Champion
• Gilles Allaire - 2004 Northern Ontario Mixed Champion
• Chris Gardner - former provincial bantam and junior mixed champion
• Stephanie Hanna - 2005 Scott Tournament of Hearts runner-up (with sister Jenn)
• Matt Paul - 2005 Canada Cup of Curling participant
• Michael Raby - former World Deaf Curling Champion
• Neil Sinclair - 2007 Canada Games silver medalist
• Robyn Mattie - 2003 Canadian Junior Runner-up
• Emma Miskew - Four time provincial bantam champion; 2006 Canada Games gold medalist; 2010 Canadian Junior Champion; 2013, 2014 and 2017 Scotties Tournament of Hearts champion; 2017 World Champion (third for Rachel Homan)
• Alison Kreviazuk, 2013 and 2014 Scotties Tournament of Hearts champion (second for Rachel Homan)
• Lisa Weagle, 2013, 2014 and 2017 Scotties Tournament of Hearts champion; 2017 World Champion (lead for Rachel Homan)

Source: 2006-07 Ottawa Curling Club Directory. See also Hall of Fame

• Sir Sanford Fleming, inventor of standard time[6]
• Alexander Mackenzie, former Prime Minister of Canada[6]
• John Morris & Brent Laing, 1998 & 1999 World Junior Champions[7]
• Brad Gushue - Alternate for John Morris at the 1998 World Junior Championships (Member in name only)[7]
• Melanie Robillard - curled with Jenn Hanna in 2000 and as part of the German National Team with Andrea Schöpp won the 2008 European Mixed Championships Kitzbühel, Austria, won the 2009 Women European Championships Aberdeen, Scotland, participated with the German National Team that finished 6th in the Women Curling event at the Olympics in Vancouver and was part of the German Women National Curling Team that won the Women World Curling Championships Swift Current, Saskatchewan, Canada[8]
• Markku Uusipaavalniemi - skip of the 2006 Olympic silver medalist Finnish team
• Hugh Millikin - skip of the Australian national team
• Roy Ananny - Canadian Football League player[9]

The Ottawa and Rideau Curling Clubs used to host the John Shea Insurance Canada Cup Qualifier. In 2003, both clubs hosted the 2003 Canadian Junior Curling Championships. The club also hosted the 2006 and 2007 Canadian Blind Curling Championships.

* As Scotties champions, the Homan rink represented Canada at the 2014 Scotties Tournament of Hearts, without having to play in the women's provincials.

• Website
• Rainbow Rockers Curling League