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During a day charged with bittersweet emotions, local curlers watched an era end Saturday as the last rock glided across the ice at Roseland Golf and Curling Club.
After more than four decades serving as the home to Windsor’s curling community, Roseland’s rink has officially closed.
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In a final bonspiel, two of the club’s veteran members — James King and Bobby Cunningham — were chosen to throw the ceremonial final rocks.
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“I am really upset, but we have to move on,” said King, 84, who started curling at Roseland with his wife in 1980 and has been a familiar face at the rink ever since.
“Everybody in this room right now shares the history of our endeavours and winning bonspiels.
“It’s sad that they’re going to close the place, but we’re going to continue elsewhere.”
Next fall, all six of Roseland’s curling leagues will relocate five minutes away to Capri Pizzeria Recreation Complex, also located in South Windsor, but with one fewer sheets.
City council made the decision last August to axe curling at Roseland, despite a passionate effort from local curlers to keep the leagues at the club.
For Bobby Cunningham, Roseland has been the place he’s wanted to curl at “ever since it opened.
“It keeps me alive and keeps me going,” said Cunningham, who has only missed one curling season at Roseland since 1979.
“There is only one season that I did not curl full-time because I was having knee problems and surgeries. Other than that, I was here curling.”
Cunningham was at Roseland all day Saturday, crossing brushes and sharing stories with dozens of other curlers who came out to share one last bonspiel together at Roseland.
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