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Bentley Curling Rink -20052005
Bentley, Alberta
Credits:Bentley Museum Society
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Senior curler calling the shots2010
Bentley, Alberta
Credits:Bentley Museum Society
Bentley Curling Club
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Senior curlers having their lunch2010
Bentley, Alberta
Credits:Bentley Museum Society
Bentley Curling Club
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Seniors curling at the Bentley Curling Rink2010
Bentley, Alberta
Credits:Bentley museum Society
Bentley Curling Club
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A senior sweeping during a game at the Bentley Curling Rink2010
Bentley, Alberta
Credits:Bentley Museum Society
Bentley Curling Club
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Bentley Senior's CurlingThe Bentley Curling Club has an active Seniors' Curling Division. There are usually about twelve rinks. The seniors who curl in Bentley come from Bentley, Sylvan Lake, Rimbey, Lacombe, Eckville and Blackfalds.
The seniors have draws at ten a.m. and twelve thirty p.m. every Monday. They also have a chance to curl again every Friday. On Friday it is called the "drop in". Whoever comes gets a chance to curl.
The seniors in Bentley not only get together to curl, they get together to socialize. One rink is responsible for bringing lunch every Monday. All the rinks meet for lunch between the two draws. The lunch consists of coffee, sandwiches and of course desserts.
In recent years the stick has become very popular amongst seniors. If it is difficult to deliver from the hack due to a bad back, sore knees, etc., you just start using the stick and stand up to deliver the rock. Some of the seniors use the" Fold-a-way" which was introduced by one of our own curlers, Joe Frostad, an inventor, an entrepreneur and once an avid member of the Seniors' Curling in Bentley. This apparatus is attached to the broom and folds up and away when not in use. Being able to stand up while delivering the rock has made it so many seniors can continue curling for years longer.
A seniors' bonspiel is held every January in Bentley. It runs for one week. It is a popular bonspiel and fills up quite quickly. A banquet is held at the end of the spiel.
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Outdoor Curling in BentleyEarly 1900's
Bentley, Alberta
Credits:Bentley Museum Society
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Ladies CurlingEarly 1900's
Bentley, Alberta
Credits:Bentley Museum Society
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Ladies curling in the early years - look at the brooms and the fashions.Mid 1900's
Bentley, Alberta
Credits:Bentley Museum Society
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Bentley Curling Rink1970's
Bentley, Alberta
Credits:Bentley Museum Society
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Old Bentley Curling Rink1946 -1948
Bentley, Alberta
Credits:Bentley Museum Society
Bentley Curling Club
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Bentley Curling ClubAs the settlers moved west, curling tagged along and quickly caught on. The sport had numerous virtues in our community. Curling gave folks a perfect opportunity for socializing, it could accommodate an unlimited number of teams and could be played by all, - men, women and children. This sport took place in mid-winter when people had more time and it was reasonably cheap to play.
During the early history of Bentley the village was served by a two-sheet curling rink behind the Garries Hardware building. In the early 1950's a new four-sheet curling rink was built where the present curling rink is located. A severe storm caused the building to start to collapse. Cables were installed to keep the building erect. Artificial ice was installed in 1967.
This curling rink was taken down in the spring of 1985 in preparation for a new curling rink and a new front end on the arena. This complex officially opened in April 1986 at a cost of $590,000.00. This structure with four sheets of curling ice, a lounge upstairs and attached kitchen in the front end of the arena is in use today. One of the first fund raising events was a "Roast". Bentley citizens roasted a well know curler and citizen of Bentley - Cecil Galloway.
Icemakers became known for making fast ice, straight ice, ice with a good swing - it was all part of the game - runs - falls - and negative ice - all these haphazard conditions made for exciting games but they are fading and making for more precise shots. Ice makers and some helpers in the old rink and the new are the following people and not necessarily in order. Carl Raabis, Paul Norvilla, Alvin Freeman, Phil Freeman, Cliff Knutson, Bruce Zeloff, Todd Brown, Edith McKinley, Lloyd Coates, Joe Powestend, Nathan Bersak, Curtis Klatz, Brian Sautner, and Bob Classen.
The "Corn Brooms" with their deafening sound will never be forgotten. These noisy brooms were much admired by the muscular front-end sweepers even though they left plenty of debris on the ice. They have been replaced by the brush broom.
The "Stick" has come into use in the last few years. As with the slider, when it was introduced it caused quite a commotion as some folks objected strongly. Just as sliders were accepted the stick is making a name for itself. Seniors are able to prolong their curling careers. The use of the stick promotes physical, mental, and social well being of seniors. Folks who are hindered by a disability and cannot get down or slide to throw their rock can now use the stick to deliver their rock.
The Bentley Curling Rink is available to Bentley School for use by the students and teachers for their physical education programs. Today the Curling rink is a busy place, Men's League, Women's Curling, Mixed League, Seniors and Junior curlers The curling club hosts bonspiels and fun days.
Junior High School Bonspiel
The sport of curling has been popular in Bentley School for years. The students are following the lead of their parents who have been avid curlers long before Bentley had a curling rink. They curled on an outside skating rink. Curling was reasonably cheap to play, once you had the rocks you just needed a house broom and you were away. There was no need for special clothing.
The following notice was taken from the February, 1951, issue of the Bentley Junior High School weekly newsletter, "Perroquet" written by Janet Peterson. "The Junior High is going to have a curling bonspiel on the rink beside the school. The rocks will be jam tins filled with ice or cement and a small pipe suitably bent is to be the handle. There will be three sheets of ice to play on. The teams will be picked by certain skips or the skips will be picked and the teams names put in a hat and drawn that way. WE HOPE SOMEONE WILL DONATE A TROPHY TO THE WINNER OF THIS EVENT. We also hope this will be an annual event in the Jr. High."
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Ringette - Bentley Baronettes - 19781978
Bentley, Alberta
Credits:Bentley Museum Society
Fred Peterson- coach
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Bentley Rebels Ringette Team1995
Bentley, Alberta
Credits:Bentley Museum Society
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