By: Michael Bennett, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Ridgetown Independent News
Another major sporting event is coming to Ridgetown next year.
Ridgetown was the co-host of the Ontario Special Olympics in 2024 and is home to a new American Premier Hockey League team.
And in 2027, the provincial high school curling championships will be coming to town.
The Ridgetown Curling Club will be one of three sites in Chatham-Kent hosting the 2027 Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations girls’ and boys’ curling championships from March 30 to April 3.
The Chatham Granite Club will be the main site, while games will also be played at the Golden Acres Curling Club in Blenheim and at the Ridgetown club.
It is the first time that Chatham-Kent has hosted OFSAA curling, as over 200 of Ontario’s finest high-school male and female curlers will be coming to the municipality.
“Most of the games will be in Chatham, but they need extra ice; they asked if we would be able to make our club available,” said Sheila Young, chair of the Ridgetown Curling Club. “It works well with us, and we’re happy to help out.”
There will be opportunities for residents to be part of the OFSAA experience, as volunteers will be needed for a number of roles, and sponsorship opportunities will be available for local businesses.
Young said more information on volunteers and sponsorships will be available later this year.
Matt McKay, curling coach at Ursuline College Chatham and committee member of the OFSAA event, said he is happy to have Ridgetown and Blenheim clubs on board.
“We’re dealing with student-athletes, and we are trying to make sure we don’t have any late nights, so we needed Blenheim and Ridgetown to help provide extra facilities to make that happen,” McKay said. “Both clubs have stepped up and are fully involved in making sure the event is a success.”
McKay said Ursuline College, the host school, applied last year to host the bonspiel.
It’s essentially a two-year process between being approved and holding the event,” he said. “Before we applied, we realized that this was a large undertaking and we would need a dedicated committee to make it work,” he said.
McKay is part of the committee along with Greg Aarssen and Ursuline staff members Steve Whyte and Darby Kalp.
Whyte, as committee chair, said the group aims to provide a top-notch curling event, combined with a special experience for students, faculty and family members throughout their stay in Chatham-Kent.
“We want to offer the finest curling experience to the students and their families, but it’s also an opportunity to show off our community to people from across Ontario,” Whyte said. “We’re planning special events for curlers and their families.”
Along with the competition, there will be a banquet for all participants and families, as the organizing committee is also looking into hosting a special night of entertainment.
Mayor Darrin Canniff is throwing his support behind the bonspiel.
“This event is huge,” he said. “This is part of the bigger picture of attracting people to Chatham-Kent and impressing them.”
“What the committee is presenting is likely one of the best OFSAA events ever,” Canniff said. “That’s their target, and I fully expect them to deliver, and a lot of people will be impressed with our community.”
Shannon Paiva, CK Tourism and Economic Development manager, said she is thrilled that Chatham-Kent will play host to the 2027 championships.
“This is an incredible opportunity to showcase our community and its outstanding tourism assets to visitors from across the province,” Paiva said. “With an estimated economic impact of roughly $150,000, including local labour, this event will bring meaningful benefits to our local businesses and residents. We couldn’t be more excited to welcome athletes, families, and fans to Chatham-Kent for what promises to be an unforgettable championship.”
The 2026 OFSAA curling championship bonspiel was held in Thunder Bay on March 25-28.
Stratford District won the gold medal in the girls’ division, while Port Perry was the boys’ champion, with Sarnia St. Patrick finishing fourth.
Ridgetown District High School has had two boys’ teams qualify for OFSAA in recent years.
The 2023 team of skip Eric Van Maanen, second Liam Duffy, lead Brandon Stirling, vice Nathan Towsley and coach Deb Reitberger, went 1-4 in North Bay after finishing second to St. Patrick in both the LKSSAA and SWOSSAA championships.
The Royals’ 2021 rink of skip Rob Ingram, along with Crawford McKinlay, Bill Brien, Willy Boldt and Paul DeNijs, won both LKSSAA and SWOSSAA but did not medal at the provincials.
The 1975 Tilbury Titans’ boys team, skip Brian DeRooy, vice Rick Roelandt, second Ken Baute, and lead Don Marshall, is the only Chatham-Kent rink to win an OFSAA championship since it became an official sport in 1970.
Chatham Collegiate Institute’s Peter DeKoning, Larry Smyth, Ed Kys and Dan O’Neill won two OFSAA silver medals and one bronze medal as they attended three OFSAA bonspiels in a row from 1971-73.
