The Manitoba Historical Society has recognized CurlManitoba (and its predecessors Manitoba Curling Association, Manitoba Ladies Curling Association, & Manitoba Branch of the Royal Caledonian Curling Club) with the presentation of the Society’s Centennial Organization Award.
The award is presented to non-profit and not-for-profit organizations that have operated continuously in Manitoba for 100 years or more. This program parallels MHS’s Centennial Farm and Centennial Business Awards.
The award was presented at the Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Manitoba Open Bonspiel at Charleswood Curling Club, Thursday, January 19 by MHS President Dan Furlan and Council Member Gary Moir.
In making the presentation, Furlan & Moir explained that the award honours organizations which have enhanced Manitoba’s social, cultural and economic life for over 100 years.
To date, the award has been presented to about 35 organizations by the Manitoba Historical Society which was formed in 1879, predating the Manitoba Curling Associations by about a decade.
CurlManitoba President Keith Johnston, who accepted the presentation on behalf of the 135 years of Association Presidents who have preceded him, expressed sincere appreciation for the recognition as acknowledgement of the important role the sport of curling has played in clubs and communities right across the province.
The original curling association, the Manitoba Branch of the Royal Caledonian Curling Club of Scotland, was formed following a meeting at Winnipeg’s Granite Curling Club on December 6, 1888. The seven originating member clubs were the Granite and Thistle Clubs from Winnipeg plus the clubs from Carberry, Portage, Morden, Stony Mountain, and Stonewall.
In 1908, most likely because of costs relating to the formal membership in the Scottish Association, the organizational structure and the name were changed to Manitoba Curling Association – in affiliation with the Royal Caledonian Curling Club of Scotland.
By 1921, a revised Constitution simply stated “the organization shall be called the Manitoba Curling Association and shall be affiliated with the Royal Caledonian Curling Club of Scotland.”
In 1925, the Manitoba Ladies Curling Association was established. The men’s (MCA) and women’s (MLCA) curling associations operated independently for the next 75 years, with one important junction point. In the early 1980’s a ‘joint council’ was established with representation of five persons (usually the executive committees) from each organization meeting together to manage projects of mutual interest. Mainly this related to the technical development aspects of the sport, including the hiring of the first technical sport staff.
In 2000, the Manitoba Curling Association and the Manitoba Ladies Curling Association amalgamated to form one provincial curling association. It was known as the Manitoba Curling Association.
In approximately 2010, the organization adopted the name now utilized – CurlManitoba. While the legal name of the organization remains Manitoba Curling Association, this name is rarely used except in formal situations such as legal contracts.
Pic names: Gary Moir-MHS, Keith Johnston, Dan Furlan – MHS President, Craig Baker
