The Abbotsford Curling Club has announced the annual Masters Bonspiel event will not be occurring as originally planned.
A Facebook post from the club on Tuesday (Oct. 29) stated that refrigeration plant repairs are taking longer than expected and the Masters, which was scheduled to run from Nov. 8 to 10, will either be postponed or cancelled depending on future ice availability.
The post added that special tools and parts are needed for repair. The refrigeration plant problems initially surfaced last week and ice has not been able to be created.
These issues caused the moving of a qualifying event for the 2025 Canadian Mixed Doubles Trials from Abbotsford to Maple Ridge. The event was expected to attract 25 teams and scheduled to occur from Oct. 31 to Nov. 3. The tournament involves a series of elite teams and athletes from across Canada, including Olympic curlers Jennifer Jones, Brent Laing, and Lisa Weagle. The Golden Ears Curling Club will now host the event.
ACC members will still be involved in the running of that event. The closure also led to the postponement of the Senior Ladies Bonspiel, which was set to occur on Oct. 25 and 26.
In addition to the larger events, weekly leagues at the ACC for curlers of all ages are also unable to play.
The club bar will still be regularly operating during the repairs.
As per the ACC's operating agreement with the City of Abbotsford, the club is responsible for the refrigeration plant and associated costs, including repairs.
For more information, visit abbotsfordcurling.com.