After more than 75 years, it was revealed that the Kamloops Curling Club (KCC) will be entering into a new era.
Recently, the City of Kamloops announced plans to replace the KCC and Memorial Arena with a new multi-sport facility that will include a modern curling centre.
The project is a part of the city’s Build Kamloops initiative, a multi-year program aimed at modernizing recreation infrastructure while reinforcing the city’s identity as Canada’s Tournament Capital.
For club members, this project marks the end of a meaningful chapter and the beginning of a more sustainable future for the sport in Kamloops. Their current facility opened in December 1949 and was expanded in the 60s and 70s, growing from a four-lane facility to its current eight-lane configuration.
“We just celebrated our 75th anniversary last year,” Melanie Kopytko, president of the KCC, said. “We’re about 900 members strong and there really isn’t much for openings; every night of the week is full.”
The club serves curlers of all ages and abilities, offering leagues for seniors, juniors, high school students, TRU students, women’s and men’s leagues, mixed teams and Special Olympics athletes.
“Our youngest curlers start around six years old and we’ve had members well into their 90s,” Kopytko said.
Despite the club’s consistent growth over the recent years, the facility itself has become increasingly difficult to maintain. As the building was built in 1949, insulation wasn’t as prominent then, meaning the building was mainly built with cinder blocks.
The weather outside affects the ice conditions. When the outside temperatures plummet, the building needs to be heated to remain within the ideal ice temperatures and the opposite when it warms outside. Given the building’s age, this maintenance can be costly.
The aging infrastructure also shortens the curling season, which typically runs from mid-to-late September through March. Club leaders believe a new facility could lead to a longer season and could position Kamloops as a destination for high-performance curling, even at the international level.
“With a new facility, we’d be able to put ice in earlier and keep it longer,” Kopytko said. “That opens the door to hosting elite training camps, competitive teams and even international curlers in the late summer and early fall.”
When members first learned the club could be replaced, emotions were mixed.
“Our initial reaction was shock and some nostalgic sadness,” Kopytko said. “A lot has happened in this building. Weddings, celebrations of life, community meetings. It’s been more than just curling.”
However, as the long-term benefits of a new facility became clear to members, sentiment began to shift.
“Once we got rolling, the excitement about a new building and the ability for curling to continue for another 75 years became very real,” Kevin Ihlen, KCC vice president and Chair of the Future of Curling Committee, said. “Members understand it’s time. This building is beyond its useful life.”
The committee came together in October of 2021, when Randy Nelson, Director of the KCC, said, “ I had heard some things on the radio about what [and] where curling might go and I didn’t like what I heard.” Which was when he called Ihlen and said they needed to make changes.
The committee partnered with the Kamloops Sports Council and the City of Kamloops to develop a proposal that would keep curling downtown while expanding recreation opportunities. The proposed complex would include curling alongside racquet sports like pickleball and squash, as well as potential commercial, residential and community spaces.
After presenting the proposal to the city council two years ago, the committee said support was unanimous.
“It was obvious it was no longer ours, the city had bought in,” Ihlen said.
To the club leaders, keeping the location of the facility downtown was non-negotiable
“Downtown accessibility was huge for us,” Kopytko said. “We’re close to transit, restaurants, hotels and housing, especially for seniors. People can walk here. It keeps curling connected to the community instead of pushing it to the outskirts.”
Nelson added that the downtown is not only beneficial for their members now, who take transit or live nearby, but will also strengthen the club’s ability to host tournaments and international teams.
In the new facility, the leaders hope to include a more accessible entrance to the arena; currently, the club has only stairs. With an elevator, the club would be able to expand into wheelchair curling as well.
Beyond the curling, the project also includes the demolition of Memorial Arena, a building deeply tied to Kamloops’ sports history.
The loss of the Memorial Arena has raised concerns in the community, but club leaders say preserving its legacy has been a priority in discussions with the city and the Royal Canadian Legion.
“The building itself isn’t what matters most; it’s the memory,” Ihlen said. “There will be recognition of [the] Memorial Arena in the new facility, whether through naming, plaques or displays. The history will move forward, even if the structure doesn’t.”