Dartmouth Curling Club Reopens for 80th Season After Year-Long Closure
The Dartmouth Curling Club in Nova Scotia is reopening after being closed for the entire 2025-26 season due to mechanical failures. Repairs, funded by provincial grants and insurance, are complete, with registration returning strongly as the club marks its 90th anniversary.
The Dartmouth Curling Club in Nova Scotia is set to reopen for its 80th season of play following a closure that lasted the entire 2025-26 season. The shutdown was necessitated by significant mechanical issues within the facility's cooling system.
According to reports, the reasons for the extended closure included a leak in the brine piping, a compressor failure, a fractured pipe near the scoreboard side, and headers and valves that required replacement. To address these infrastructure problems, the club secured funding through a rink revitalization grant from the province and some insurance coverage received in June. Additionally, the club received approval from the Nova Scotia Sport Trust Fund in August to assist with the reopening plan.
Repairs were completed in late November after workers tore up flooring at both ends of the ice shed to locate the leak under wood flooring rather than concrete. Following the repairs, three days of testing showed no leaks in the cooling system, allowing the club to move forward with preparations for members.
During the one-year closure, the club’s 595 members were dispersed among other local facilities, including Mayflower, Halifax Curling Club, CFB, and Lakeshore curling clubs. Community support allowed these displaced members to continue curling during the interim period.
As the club prepares to welcome players back, registration for the upcoming season is approaching a 75 per cent return rate of curlers. This reopening coincides with a milestone year for the organization, as it celebrates its 90th anniversary of formation, which occurred in 1936.