My family got hooked on watching curling during the Olympics. Yes, I realize it's a winter sport, but does anyone know of somewhere in Victoria or Vancouver (we'll be visiting in mid-June) where we could either watch people curl or take a lesson and try it ourselves? (I figure skating rinks are open here in NJ in the summer, so it doesn't hurt to ask.)

Curling isn't as popular in Vancouver as it is in other parts of the country, like Saskatchewan, but one Google search and I came up with this:

http://www.vancouvercurlingclub.com

You might want to e-mail them and ask them... they'd probably be able to point you in the right direction!

PortiaLucy: If you can check your local cable supplier for the TSN Sports Network from Canada as I think it should be available to your area. They carry all the Championship Rounds of Curling.....at this moment there are two games a day being played from London, Ontario for the Canadian Women`s Championship which will lead to the World Championships. And your State of Massachusetts, namely the city of Lowell will host the World Championship of Curling beginning April the first. Check out this link for curling info........ http://www.tsn.ca/curling/feature.asp?fid=62.

Over 1 million Canadians participate each winter in this wonderful sport.

Hi,

I can't guess how you'll be arriving in the Vancouver area, but IF your trip has you landing first in Seattle and driving up by car, there is the "Cloverdale Curling Rink" just about 7 miles north of the U.S./Canada border.

You would take exit #275 through "truck customs" and then continue northbound on the only road. Don't make any turns, and the first small town you come to will be "Cloverdale". The curling rink is on the road you'd have been traveling on already, on the right (east) side and perhaps a half-mile from your first entry into town.

I hope that curling is everything you want it to be.

I just googled 'summer curling bonspiel' and it came up with mentions of spiels in Powell River and Nelson BC. Most curling clubs close during the Summer months. You will find that the curlers in the clubs that are operating in the Summer are likely to be friendly and helpful. Curlers seem to be one big family.

As a curler I would have to say your main difficulty will indeed be finding a club that keeps the ice in in June (our season ends at the end of April, dont know about others).

Calling up or e-mailing clubs in the area will probably not only give you information on their own club, but most curlers are helpful so they may give you a good idea of who to call next who might still have ice in.

www.curling.ca is the Canadian Curling Association website. Under "learn to curl" you can look up a list of curling clubs contact info. Two I found in Vancouver / Victoria with websites are:

Vancouver
www.arbutusclub.com/

Victoria
www.esquimaltcurlingclub.ca/

Good luck and have fun, but I feel it is only fair to warn you that many people who try curling find it horribly addictive....

Curlers do their drinking @ the beach during summer months.

Thanks, all of you, for the great advice. I will check it all out.