The 2008/09 season is underway, and all of us are now settling into our curling season routines. I wanted to take this opportunity to provide a couple of updates to you and all of the VCC members.

The VCC board and staff have been working hard to try to provide the best experience for our members, both on and off the ice. There have been a few changes that have been implemented and we would like to thank everyone for their cooperation.

The club’s new Online Registration System was launched this season. The Online Registration System will improve our club membership records and will be a huge help to the club, the leagues and most importantly, you.

Many members have already signed up, have you? If you have not registered, please visit www.vancouvercurlingclub.com/user and sign up today.

We have all grumbled about a rock picking up debris and having a great shot ruined. To help alleviate this problem, the league representatives voted and the club has introduced a new procedure this season: Having the winning team of each game run the sheepskin broom up & down the ice.

We hope to reduce the amount of debris on the ice and create a larger awareness about the types of debris on the ice with this new procedure.

If you are unsure of how to best clean the ice with the sheepskin brooms, please ask the VCC manager or ice staff for assistance – they will be more than happy to help.

The club also launched its new Open Ice Program this fall, and the response from the membership has been very enthuasiastic. Open Ice will be available at the VCC whenever it is possible as supported by free ice and staffing to support it.

Open Ice blocks are 30 minutes in length, and you are asked to sign in on the white board when you arrive.

You can click here to learn more about our open ice.

In addition to planned changes at the club, there have also been a couple of unexpected hiccups to start our season.

As our club manager, Ken MacDonald, has already communicated via email to many of you, the club had an unexpected slow start with our suppliers for The Last Draw lounge. Issues with some of our suppliers prevented a full menu being available and our draft lines being fully operational all the time.

Hard work by the club’s staff, though, has brought resolution to these issues and everything in the lounge is back up and running.

Looking ahead to the next couple of months, the Board of Directors invites you to join us for the inaugural VCC Ladies Totem Cashspiel. The 16-team event will feature some of the best women’s high performance curling teams from across Western Canada. So mark November 28-30 on your calendars and then come watch three days of exciting curling action at the VCC.

The following weekend, December 6-8, the VCC is hosting a Curl BC playdown f or the first time in a few years. The Women’s Coastal Playdowns will feature the top women’s high performance teams from Curl BC’s Regions 8-11: South Island, Mid-Island, North Island and Lower Mainland/Fraser Valley.

Three teams from this event will qualify to represent the Coastal Region at the 2009 BC Scotties - the Women’s Provincial Curling Championships - in Parksville. Spectators are invited to visit the club to enjoy some very competitive and exciting curling action.

At any time of the season, all members are welcome to bring forward your suggestions, comments and kudos to Ken MacDonald, our club manager, or to me
(at president@vancouvercurlingclub.com).

Yours in Curling,
Scott Allen
President, VCC Board of Directors