Crokicurl nearly set for return to Broadway

Crokicurl is beginning to take shape in Saskatoon.

Members of the Saskatoon Fire Department joined volunteers on Sunday to begin flooding the temporary rink with an estimated 2000 gallons of water.

“If the fire department doesn’t come and help, then we have to fill (the rink) up by garden hose and that takes a long, long time,” Broadway Business Improvement District executive director DeeAnn Mercier said.

“It’s a huge team effort.”

In addition to the 15-person volunteer workforce, there were two truck loads of sand dropped off to provide the base for the rink for the five-day build.

Like any outdoor project in January, the cold provides some extra challenges.

“The (sand) fill started freezing up in big clumps, so we we’re using sledge hammers to break apart some big chunks,” she said. “It’s just like a work bee as fast as you can because it’s so cold.”

It’s all with the intent of getting the rink up and running for Thursday, when the annual Winterruption festival takes over Broadway Avenue.

With temperatures hovering around -30C, Mercier said workers had to get creative when trying to provide a level playing surface.

“The lot where it’s at is at a pretty steep slope, so everybody was using shovels, pitchforks and rakes to level out the sand,” Mercier  said.

The finishing touches are being applied throughout the week, as the rink will be flooded a few more times, rings will be painted on and the crokinole quadrants of the rink will be marked out.

“I really hope people come out and try it out,” Mercier said three days ahead of Crokicurl’s launch. “It’s a great opportunity to just try and throw a curling rock.”

Crokicurl will run from Jan. 24 to Feb. 24 in the area outside Broadway Roastery on Broadway Avenue.