NORTH SIMCOE COUNTY’S- RICH HISTORY OF CURLING
By: Brian Belcourt – North Simcoe Springwater News
Like much of Ontario, curling in North Simcoe began on natural ice — frozen ponds, lakes, and outdoor surfaces. People of Scottish descent rought the sport to Canada in the 19th century, and it quickly became a popular winter pastime in rural communities around North Simcoe.
Over the decades, curling in North Simcoe became more than just a sport. Bonspiels (curling tournaments), youth programs, and competitive leagues brought communities together through the winter.
The Elmvale Curling Club was founded in 1870, making it one of the oldest curling clubs in Ontario. It began on natural ice, where residents played outdoors during the winter. In the 1950s, the club moved a few hundred metres to its current location at 14 George Street and installed artificial (man-made) ice sheets, greatly extending the playing season and improving ice conditions for league play. Historically — and still today — Elmvale’s curling club has been about community and camaraderie as much as competition. While some members compete in regional and provincial events, the club emphasizes fun and social connection across age groups. One of the club’s notable competitive achievements came in 1996, when the Elmvale Curling Club’s senior ladies team (skip Dorrie Fiegehen, with Marlene Tinney, Lorna Quesnelle, and Ev McFadden) won the Ontario Diamond Senior Ladies Curling Championship — a provincial title in their category. The club is also home to 1987 World Curling Champion Tim Belcourt.
In 1885, the first curling rink in Midland was constructed by D.L. White at the corner of Dominion and Gloucester Streets. Prior to that, curlers had been using a skating rink at the corner of Dominion and Second Street.
Plans for a dedicated curling facility in Midland began in 1919, when 200 people met with the town council and the Agricultural Society to organize a club and build a rink on the Midland Fairgrounds. The building was designed by architect Wilfred F. Smith and constructed by J.C. McMullen, with the Cummings brothers (Will and Isaac — lifelong club members) doing much of the work.
Midland’s curling enthusiasts played on natural ice initially; the first season (1919–20) had 22 teams competing under a 12-end format. In 1933, the club made a significant technological leap when artificial ice was piped in from the nearby Arena Gardens — at the time making Midland one of the only towns between Toronto and Winnipeg with artificial ice for curling and skating.
This refrigeration upgrade included 13 miles of underground cooling pipes and allowed much more reliable ice for league play and events. The club’s bonspiels became cornerstone social and competitive events, with large participation in mid-century bonspiels such as the 30,000 Island Bonspiel (formerly the Big Mixed Bonspiel). In 1976, Russ Howard — who would go on to become one of Canada’s most celebrated curlers — skipped a team to win the Colts Curling Championship while curling out of Midland, showcasing the club’s competitive strength. Although the original 1919-built clubhouse still exists and continues to host curling today, the club has also worked with local community organizations to keep facilities active and meet modern needs.
Curling in Penetanguishene was first officially recorded in 1903, when the club registered with the Ontario Curling Association — though local curling likely existed much earlier on natural ice during cold winters. Early curling was informal at first, with anecdotal evidence of multiple outdoor rinks in the community before organized facilities existed. One of the first major wins recorded with the Ontario Curling Association came in 1928, when a Penetanguishene team won the Ontario Junior Tankard.
In the late 1950s, the historic Penetanguishene Ontario Hospital curling building — one of the community’s main arenas — was condemned and closed, ending organized curling at that site. Curlers then had no dedicated home, motivating local members to plan for a new facility.
In 1971, plans began in earnest to build a new curling club in Penetanguishene. After discussions on size and funding, a six-sheet curling club was chosen as the goal. With strong community fundraising and volunteer labour, construction began on the site where the club now stands, in what is today a park area along the waterfront. By January 1973, the facility was completed enough to begin curling.
The Penetanguishene Curling Club has been home to some of Canada’s best competitive curlers, especially members of the Howard family. Team Howard (with Russ Howard as skip and Glenn Howard as third) won the Ontario Tankard multiple times while representing Penetanguishene, advancing to the Labatt Brier and securing national and world titles in the 1980s and early 1990s. The club has also hosted high-level competitions, notably serving as the venue for the 2015 Ontario Scotties Tournament of Hearts — Ontario’s provincial women’s curling championship — drawing spectators and competitors from across the province.
Today, Penetang fields leagues for all ages and skill levels, youth “Little Rocks” programs, social events, learn-to-curl opportunities, and more — keeping curling vibrant in the community.
North Simcoe is not just historic — it has also been competitive on the provincial and international stage, especially through the famous Howard family. Russ Howard and Glenn Howard, two of Canada’s most celebrated curlers, developed their skills at the Midland and Penetanguishene clubs.
Curling in North Simcoe County has a rich and enduring history, from outdoor pond games in the mid-1800s to organized club competition by the early 1900s. Major clubs in Elmvale, Midland, and Penetanguishene helped cultivate local sport, strengthen community ties, and achieve national competitive success. The region has played an important role in developing some of Canada’s top curling champions.
These curling clubs also play a major social role in their communities, hosting bonspiels such as Boxing Day in Elmvale, Pea Soup in Penetanguishene, and the Great Canadian Ladies Spiel in Midland. As I head to the Montana Brier in St. John’s, Newfoundland, it is encouraging to see local curling thriving in North Simcoe County.
Historical information sourced from the Elmvale, Penetanguishene, Huronia Museum and Midland curling club websites.