The Niverville Curling Club, a fixture in the community since 1978, is grappling with the town council's choice to lease its rink space to another group. Mayor Myron Dyck cited the need for better utilization amid growing community demands and climate challenges. Club president Dustin Krahn has criticized the rushed process and lack of consultation.
In November 2025, the Niverville Curling Club presented its case at a town fall study session, hoping to secure its future in the aging facility it has occupied since 1978. However, in early December 2025, Mayor Myron Dyck informed the club that council had opted to negotiate the lease with a different user group. Dyck's letter expressed gratitude for the club's decades of volunteer efforts but emphasized the facility's need for new improvements to maximize community opportunities.
"The hope is that this will result in the curling rink space being utilized to its fullest extent, including new improvements and offerings that will provide a greater number of opportunities to the community," Dyck wrote. He acknowledged the decision's impact, noting, "The hours, money, and energy spent by the curling club ensured that those who loved to curl would have the chance." Yet, with Niverville's rapid growth, council prioritized other pressing needs for limited funds. As a potential bridge, council suggested the club contact the new group about running one final season.
NCC president Dustin Krahn responded sharply 10 days later, decrying the opaque and hasty process. "The disappointment lies in the complete lack of effort," Krahn said in an interview. "This is an outcome that we acknowledged was possible, but felt confident would not be a decision that was made over the course of a few weeks and based on two 30-minute, and very poorly planned meetings."
Krahn highlighted longstanding maintenance neglect, such as a failing furnace and poor lighting, which the club had raised for years without resolution. Despite these issues, the league remains full with growing membership, though new participants often turn to nearby communities with superior facilities.
On January 14, 2026, Dyck defended the move, pointing to the rink's vulnerability to warmer winters, fewer sub-zero days, and escalating costs. He advocated for a regional curling approach over competing local clubs, stating, "Council made the decision to see the potential for a regional curling club to succeed rather than two local chapters working against each other." Curling's role in future recreation remains open, with studies planned for 2026 once debts ease.
Krahn clarified that the club's push was for thorough discussion, not ironclad guarantees. "What is important is to answer that question, to do the work and to make sure that all options have been considered before we brush it aside," he said. The club has requested council reconsider or halt negotiations pending a proper study, leaving curlers at a crossroads after nearly 50 years of dedication.
