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summer of year after it He i 1958. PORT PERRY CURLING CLUB MARKS THE BIG *S-O" Port Perry is extremely support- ive of all its community initiatives ir a and no where is this more evident then in curling, a sport which is cel- tc ebrating a landmark anniversary. Thad the pleasure of meeting ae \ 1958 22 iL with Dorene Ashbridge and Ted Sof Curling Griffen, who were involved in Port a Perry's early days of curling and was amazed at the history this sport ® has in our town. The Curling Club Officially began in Port Perry in 1954 in an old arena behind where the CIBC now stands. The arena was primarily used for hockey, but that would not de- ter the likes of Ted Griffen, Howard Hall and others. In fact, Dorene told me the story of how crooked the ice really was and to compensate Ted would throw a rock much harder than was normally necessary. She started to laugh and I knew a story was coming. “One time,” she began, “Ted threw a rock so hard that when it hit another one it shattered to pieces.” You could tell the memories flow back into Ted and Dorene’s minds as the tale un- | folded. og It is-hard to believe that 54 years has gone by and that 2008 marks the 50th anniversary of the new curling rink, on Old Simcoe Street. Both Dorene and Ted remi- nisced about the days the rink was built. Howard (a former Mayor of Port Perry) and Grant MacDonald were very instrumental in kicking off the project. Once it was decided to build a reminisced about the many y y njoy . The club is cel- Please turn to page 25 ebrating the 50th anniversary of the building of the local curling rink this month. Photo by Jon van Bilsen. Ted Griffen and Dorene Ashbridge, two longtime members of the Port Perry Curling Club sat down and 22 FOCUS - OCTOBER 2008 | 10.0CTOBER.40 pages 22 @ 922108 8:41:38 AM |