Doug Taylor made up our minds to make his personal curling stones final year while the COVID-19 pandemic meant he could not do so much else.
This year — with amenities closed — he made up our minds to make his own rink at the Gatineau River in Chelsea, Que.
The FIVE,500-square-foot rink sits on river ice that is about 30 centimetres thick, Taylor envisioned. That Is also how thick the Rideau Canal has to be before skaters can hop on.
“it is a honest amount of labor as a result of every time it snows or each time the river adjustments, and it changes incessantly, the ice changes and there is paintings to put it again into form,” he stated.
And to this point, folks seem to think that paintings is price it.
Taylor says he and his buddies have used the rink at night time. (Francis Ferland/CBC)
Archie Smith has curled for years, however said this is a fully other revel in.
“It’s cold, it is windy. The scenery is really good, and that just feels nice to be out right here,” he said.
“Relatively a wind blowing. It feels very Canadian.”
Made his own stones
Taylor made his personal curling stones out of chrome steel blending bowls filled with concrete throughout the pandemic lockdown in the iciness of 2021. Now he is cleared and maintained an ice floor to act as a curling rink the place players attempt to get close to a hockey puck.
Doug Taylor says he found instructions to make his own curling stones using stainless-steel blending bowls, concrete and a galvanized steel care for. A garden hose acts as a bumper. (Francis Ferland/CBC)
Sandy Foote described it like “curling bocce” and said the rink is an excellent addition to the realm.
‘It’s superb. I’ve by no means seen a curling rink on the river prior to,’ says Sandy Foote. (Francis Ferland/CBC)
“I BELIEVE Doug is an actual group builder. this is somewhat one thing to have this on the river. you’re going along the neighborhood trail and then there you spot Doug’s curling rink,” he stated.
“It’s superb. I Have by no means noticed a curling rink at the river earlier than.”
PAY ATTENTION: Quebec resident builds curling rink, complete with home made rocks:
Sandra Abma visits the selfmade bonspiel at the banks of the Gatineau River created via Doug Taylor FIVE:00