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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1991-10-30, Page 17Getting the ice ready for the curling season is Exeter Curling Club's Elmer Rowe. Here he sprinkles a thin layer of water on the surface called pebbling. The Exeter Centennials brought their season to a close with their annual award's banquet Saturday evening. Recieving their respective trophies are: Hustle award winner Pat Donnel- ly (left), MVP Charlie Wise, and Most Sportsmanlike Doug Hocking. Rowe prepares Curling Club ice with care EXETER - When Elmer Rowe turns on the lights this week at the Exeter Curling Club, dozens of curlers will be waiting. Rowe is the ice maker at the 31 year-old facility, a position he has held for the past 22 years. While Cam Stewardson has had the ice in at the South Huron Rec- reation Complex for about a month now, Rowe was putting the finish- ing touches on his four sheet rink late last week. "When we get complete ice in, we'll have about an inch of ice," said Rowe. "We start right from the sand base just like you do in the back- yard," he added. The biggest difference between arena ice and that in the curling club is what is called pebbling. On a very regular basis, Rowe puts a sprinkling of water on the ice so it bubbles up. "When the rock sits up on the pebble it just glides to the other end." The pebble is scraped off every day and between games Rowe is out with his sprinkling device add- ing more water. Without pebbling, the rock goes a couple of feet and stops. "The top temperature of the ice is 24 or 25 degrees that's the best tem- perature you can have. The brine runs through the pipes at about 21 degrees (fahrenheit). That's the most ideal conditions." Last week the warm weather played a factor in the temperature of the ice during the making pro-. cess and Rowe had to keep a care- ful eye on the surface. The walls of the Exeter Curling Club are insulated and under the ice there is about four inches of styro- foam which, according to Rowe, is a very important part of the ice. He said that has prevented frost from getting up which used to put small bumps in the ice which would make it a real challenge for the curler to read the ice. When bonspiels are held at the Exeter Curling Club, Rowe is there all day from 9 a.m. until late at night, making sure the ice is in good shape. The local club started this week with the Monday men's league, Tuesday afternoon ladies, Tuesday night men's Wednesday ladies and the Thursday challenge. Many local curlers are looking forward to the Post Harvest Bon - spiel. Executive format changed at Exeter club EXETER There a few changes around the Exeter Curling Club this winter, the most notable being the change in the executive. Arnold Mathers is the president of the club and he said for the first time, there will be just one presi- dent and not one for both the men and the women. "We felt it would be a more effi- cient and equitable way to run the club," said Mathers. He noted it will alternate between a man and a woman each year. There has also been a different format set up for committees. "We'll have to see how it works. We've been working towards it for a couple of years." Last year was the fust fora youth program at the Exeter Curling Club las area elementary school children CHRISTMAS CRAFT CLASSES Children Classes Held Wednesds from 4 - 5:15 p.m. Nov. 20 - Together we will decorate a 12" twig candy cane using raffia, red and golf accents. $15.00 Nov. 27 - An adorable teddy bear is nestled on this grapevine wreath accented with gold, red and green $15.00 Dec. 4 - "The Fresh Wreath Class". Children love working with fresh pine, cedar and balsam to create an aromatic wreath. Well top is off with a bright velvet bow. $15.00 Adult Classes 7 p.m. at the store Nov. 6 - Wednesday. Karen will help you create a table topiary to bring back memories of years gone byl Using natural materials, grapevine, moss, baby's breath and touches of Christmas $40.00 and up Nov. 12 - Tuesday. Design a Victorian heartshaped wreath using drieds, ribbons and Christmas ac- cents. Kathy will head this class. $40.00 and up Nov. 13 - Wednesday. Accent your mantel, door or staircase with this quality 9' garland. Karen will give you many ideas on how to decorate garland with bows and accents. Now methods with bows will be Dec. 2 - Monday. Penny will guide the class to dec- orate a fragrant fresh wreath of greens enhanced with seasonal bows and accents. Take home a beautiful outdoor decoration to enjoy throughout the season. $25.00 & up Dec. 4 - Wednesday. Kathy's talent will be evident as she works with the class to create a lovely out- door swag using fresh greens, ribbon and accents. $25.00 8 up Dec 4 - Accent a potted halo of fresh ivy. Karen will show the newest look using this ivy plant. $40.00 & L. 5 - Thursday. The topic this evening will be discussed. $45.00 and up general and Christmas plant care and to top it off, Nov. 14 - Thursday. This evening you Mil take Karen will guide you through the steps to create a home 3 Christmas crafts, great for teachers gifts, or Christmas green planter perfect for gift giving. You bazaars, Penny will show you hoW to Make a deco- will discuss how accents can be changed to suit the rated paper bow, a velvet bow with pine cones and season. $25.00 a duster of cinnamon sticks tied with raffia. Bow Doc. 9 - Monday. Artificial greens worked into a making is a highlight of this class. $30.00. swag can be hung on your wall, door or used as a Nov. 20 Wednesday. This evening Kathy will help table centre. Penny will guide you as you design you create a door tree with fragrant Christmas this versatile Christmas favorite. Colour choice greens. $35.00 and up. 'available. $30.00 & up. Nov. 21 - Thursday. Penny will help you create a Dec. 11 - Wednesday. Fill a rustic wicker door bas - Victorian Grapevine Sleigh, filled with artifical ket with fragrant fresh greens. Red paper ribbon, greens and Christmas touches. A lasting keepsake raffia and pine cones finish the look. The accents to be treasured for many Christmas' to come. can be changed with the season. Karen teaches $40.00 & up. 00 & up Nov. 28 - Thursday. "The Newest Exciting Look' Dec18 - Wednesday. Take home this classic FTD door or window grapevine arch decorated with a Candle arrangement for your Christmas table. Ka - pleasing combination of drieds and Christmas ac- thy will guide you step by step as you design this cents. Guaranteed to be a delight to create and dis- using fresh Christmas flowers and greens. $35.00 play in your home. Penny will inspire you. $40.00 & up SAMPLES ON DISPLAY IN STORE Pre -registration and deposit required. PST and GST not included. Prices include alt supplies but please bring a glue gun if required. COUMTPT rLowks' "Y11 HAwv5t.6xcttr 55 Z360 we deli*v'6ffik8 came to and took advantage of free foe. -"They loved it, we had an excel- lent response. Members that could, helped out." This winter, the youth program will continue with a league as more and more of the younger curlers are getting involved. "That's the future of the club," said Mathers. A membership committee has been set up to increase the aware- ness of the club and to get some new members. Mashers expects a few new faces around the building this winter. "The last year or so there's been a decline in membership. Other things like skiing are increasing in popularity." Town should spread the wealth around is a good guy, bad guy situation. In the eyes of some you are doing the right thing, others however feel they too should get a piece of the pie. The town of Exeter along with the townships of Usbome, Ste- phen and Hay all contribute fi- nancially to the budget of the rec centre. Exeter, having the largest population of those four munici- palities obviously pays the most. But those parents with children playing minor hockey, and who skate with the Exeter Figure Skating Club receive a grant; in other words they get a rebate for living in Exeter. , "Exeter pays a major part of our deficit, the other three didn't change their subsidies for a number of years," said South Huron rec- reation director Lynne Farquhar. "Usbome has increased theirs each year and Stephen has re- mained the same. What Exeter is saying is the debt is going up and everyone's kick in the kitty should go up, but it hasn't necessarily. "The idea is we're not going to subsidize kids from other places but we'll subsidize those organizations in Exeter being hit hard," said Farquhar. Although the Exeter municipal office was reluctant to release the exact figure which is given to minor hockey and the figure skating club, Katherine Ens president of the Exeter Figure Skating Club said this year the club is getting a grant of $1,600. "It's based on the number of Exeter skaters," she said. Last year 17 skaters were from outside the town boundaries. Ens said the Figure Skating Club then deducts a certain portion off the registration fees of those who live in Exeter. "We pro rate it so a junior skater gets $5 off and a senior gets around $30. We take it off when they register." Ens said she has received more than one phone call from non - Exeter residents questioning the cost of registration. Sharon Lynn, past president of the Exeter Minor Hockey Associa- tion says that organization gets $30-35 per player. The EMHA re- ceive the grant for five years total and then it is dlscontinued. Lynn said it's now in the third or fourth year. The Exeter and Area Ringette Association has not applied for a grant in the last two years. Michelle Hodgert said three years ago they got $7 per girl and a Intal of $210. • "We were under the assumption that since 'we weren't playing in the Rec Centre they weren't subsidizing us," said Hodgert. The rin- gette teams practice and play most of their games in Hensall. Stephen Township has their own arena but still pay $5,000 to the South Huron Recreation Board's budget. Although they do have their own facility, there are always a few participants for whom it is closer to come to Exeter than go to the Huron Park Arena. That holds true for Hay Township as well which is paying $1,625 this year. Taxpayers in that municipality also have the choice of sending the children to play in either Hensall or Zurich. Usbome however does not have an arena, which means all of their children come to Exeter, that is why they pay $15,500. But when it comes to adults, it's an entirely different situation. Next year I am hoping to play in the men's slo-pitch league. When I, a Mt. Carmel resident sign up, I'll pay the same as the guy from Ex- eter. He doesn't get a rebate. sidelines by Fred G roves "They (Exeter council) figure adult programs should break even which they don't," said Farquhar. "We tried to break down what areas were losing money and basi- cally the arena is the biggest loss," she added. '?or four years, Farquhar did a user study, breaking each program ..,wn whether it be hockey or slo-pitch and seeing where each par- ticipant lived. That became a waste of time because it was the same percentages year after year. It's a difficult situation the town of Exeter is in. Giving a rebate to children for their participation in sports is an excellent idea. It may- be gives a few the chance to play in these financially tough times, but giving to the minor sports who use the ice and not to the adults like rec hockey, is simply not fair. You have to spread the wealth around, or don't open your purse at all. We Hear A Lot Of Talk About Combines... Talk is cheap. Growing a crop isn't. After all that tilling, planting, tending and worrying, we'd like to reap ALL that we sow. lk Is cheap... The Proof ALWAYS COMES OUT HERE ISN'T IT TIME YOU TRIED AN AXiAL FLOW? CALL US TODAY FOR FULL DETAILS ON "PROOF IN THE BIN" 0 0 ace'lEtam FARM EQUIPMENT - EXETER, ONTARIO Sales, Service & Rentals since 1932 (519) FAX (519) 235-2121 1-800-265-2121 235-2791 ■I11111111t111111101