Pembroke Curling Centre Strategic Plan 2020 2030 · Resourcing of Goals, Objectives and...

Pembroke Curling Centre

Strategic Plan 2020 – 2030

Revision R0

Date: 2020 April 5

Pembroke Curling Centre Strategic Plan P a g e | ii Revision R0

Contents 1. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................... 1

a. Purpose of Plan................................................................................................................................. 1

b. Process Employed & Sources Used .................................................................................................. 1

c. Expectation for Plan Review and Revision ...................................................................................... 2

d. Acronyms & Abbreviations .............................................................................................................. 2

2. Pembroke Curling Centre Overview .................................................................................................... 3

a. Brief History ...................................................................................................................................... 3

b. Aims and Objectives ......................................................................................................................... 3

c. Corporate Status............................................................................................................................... 3

d. Associations within the PCC ............................................................................................................. 4

e. Management Organization .............................................................................................................. 4

3. PCC Current Status ............................................................................................................................... 6

a. PCC Membership, Fees & Overview of Its Activities ....................................................................... 6

b. Organized Curling and Occasional Users ......................................................................................... 7

c. Property & Ice Condition .................................................................................................................. 9

d. Sponsorship & Partnerships ........................................................................................................... 11

e. Facility & Ice Rentals ...................................................................................................................... 11

f. Financial Position ........................................................................................................................... 12

g. Volunteers ...................................................................................................................................... 12

4. SWOT Analysis .................................................................................................................................... 14

a. Internal Environmental Analysis .................................................................................................... 14

i. Membership ............................................................................................................................... 14

ii. Learn to Curl Program ................................................................................................................ 15

iii. Internal Relations & Communications ................................................................................... 16

iv. Ice Usage ..................................................................................................................................... 17

v. Volunteers .................................................................................................................................. 18

vi. Sponsorship & Partnership ........................................................................................................ 18

b. External Environmental Analysis ................................................................................................... 20

i. Local Demographics ................................................................................................................... 20

ii. Banquet Halls & Rental Space .................................................................................................... 20

Pembroke Curling Centre Strategic Plan P a g e | iii Revision R0

iii. City of Pembroke Pool Project ............................................................................................... 21

iv. Communication & Information .................................................................................................. 21

v. Impaired Driving ......................................................................................................................... 21

vi. Climate Change ........................................................................................................................... 22

vii. Canadian Curling Demographics & Curling Clubs .................................................................. 22

viii. Support from Curling Associations ........................................................................................ 23

ix. Grant & Donation Programs ...................................................................................................... 23

x. Local & Regional Curling Competition ....................................................................................... 24

5. SWOT Summary .................................................................................................................................. 27

6. PCC Goals & Objectives ...................................................................................................................... 29

7. Resourcing of Goals, Objectives and Actions .................................................................................... 32

8. Conclusions & Recommendations ..................................................................................................... 34

Appendix A: Member Questionnaire Results Summary ............................................................................ 36

Appendix B: Focus Group Discussion: Questions/Input, Participants, Moderators ................................. 41

Appendix C: People Interviewed in Depth ................................................................................................. 43

Appendix D: Research Sources ................................................................................................................... 44

Appendix E: PCC Registration Form 2019/20 ............................................................................................. 45

Appendix F: PCC Hall and Ice Rental Form ................................................................................................. 46

Appendix G: PCC Financial Statements for 2018/19 .................................................................................. 47

Appendix H: Sample Advertising for New Leagues & 50+ Curling Instruction........................................... 51

Appendix I: Fundraising Ideas .................................................................................................................... 52

Appendix J: Sample Promotion Product for Recruitment (Curling Canada) .............................................. 53

Appendix K: Sample Project Funded Through NSTF-Ontario Donation Program ...................................... 54

Appendix L: Listing of Overarching Goals, Related Objectives and Underpinning Actions ....................... 55

Pembroke Curling Centre Strategic Plan P a g e | iv Revision R0

Acknowledgements

The authors of this Strategic Plan, Revision 0, wish to acknowledge the support and contributions of the following:

- Pembroke Curling Centre Board of Directors - Members that Participated in the Questionnaire (Member Survey) - Members, Contract Employees, Volunteers, and Board Directors that participated in

interviews and/or supplied supplementary information - Members that participated in the Focus Group Discussions - Members that participated in the review of draft revisions and offered constructive

feedback Sharon J. Andrews Christine A. Fahey

Pembroke Curling Centre Strategic Plan P a g e | v Revision R0

DOCUMENT HISTORY & CHANGE CONTROL SUMMARY

Release No.

Revision, Issue

Revision Date

Release Purpose Written By Received/ Accepted By

1 0, D1 2020

January 29

Initial draft D1 of Revision 0 issued for Board Members

review and comment SJA, CAF

Not applicable

2 0, D2 2020

March 14

Second draft D2 of Revision 0 issued for PCC Member

review and comment SJA, CAF

Not applicable

3 0 2020 April

5

Revision 0 issued for use by PCC Board of Directors and

Members SJA/CAF

W. Cheliak, on behalf of

the PCC Board of Directors

Pembroke Curling Centre Strategic Plan P a g e | vi Revision R0

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Pembroke Curling Centre has been the focus of curling activity in Pembroke, Ontario for nearly 150 years. From its humble roots on the outdoor ice on the shores of the Ottawa River, to today’s four-sheet facility on Herbert Street, the PCC has endured, holding fast to traditions while at the same time, evolving with the times.

The Strategic Plan is prepared as a management tool for the PCC Board of Directors, the volunteers who serve to oversee the management and operations of the club. The Plan provides:

a) a review of the current status of the PCC; b) an analysis of its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats; and, c) recommendations on the goals, objectives and actions the Board should champion to

ensure the PCC not only survives, but thrives, in the 21st century.

The key recommendations to the Board include:

Renovate the club facilities upstairs and down to create a modern, comfortable atmosphere, that is fully accessible;

Thoroughly review the condition of the critical ice plant and equipment and plan/budget for its eventual replacement;

Take additional measures to keep debris off the ice;

Establish a formal volunteer program with defined roles/tasks;

Increase/improve communications with members;

Improve relations between the PCC Board and the Seniors and Youth Associations and work to establish PCC events that engage members of all ages; and,

Strive to increase the value that the PCC brings to the community.

The Plan identifies that volunteers are essential for the completion of the vast majority of the 83 actions recommended within. Therefore, it is important for the PCC Board to make it a high priority to put in place the essential measures for recruiting, organizing and recognizing volunteers.

If/when this Plan is fully implemented, the PCC will be able to achieve its mission and objectives as set out in its By-Laws and rightly take its place as a cornerstone recreation asset to the City of Pembroke and the curling community at large.

Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, which was declared by the World

Health Organization on March 11, 2020 and continuing as this

Strategic Plan was finalized, the timing for the recommendations in

this Strategic Plan will need to be reconsidered by the Pembroke

Curling Centre’s Board of Directors.

Pembroke Curling Centre Strategic Plan P a g e | 1 Revision R0

1. INTRODUCTION

a. Purpose of Plan

The Pembroke Curling Centre (PCC) Strategic Plan (the Plan) aims to provide a road map for the management of the PCC for the period 2020-2030. It includes some quick wins to harvest some “low hanging fruit”, as well as a recommended set of goals and underlying objectives and actions. The Plan considers the current operating position of the club, its mission and aims, the changing environment in which the PCC operates, and the expectations of PCC membership.

b. Process Employed & Sources Used

This plan was developed in five steps, using standard business planning techniques as noted in Figure 1.

Figure 1: Roadmap for Creating the PCC Strategic Plan

After the mandate was given to the authors by the PCC President, on behalf of the Board of Directors, the initial focus was to gather information. Internal sources included the PCC Constitution and By-Laws, financial statements, information provided in interviews with Board members and others, and Membership input provided through a written questionnaire (Member Survey) and via Focus Group sessions. Externally, online research was conducted that included stories of curling club successes and failures (including closures) across Canada; membership volunteer expectations and programs, Canadian Curling Association surveys, and


funding mechanisms for not-for-profits. These sources are further elaborated in Appendices A, B, C and D of this Plan.

Following the gathering of information, a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis was undertaken. The purpose of performing a SWOT analysis is to identify everything that could potentially impact the future success of the PCC and to facilitate the setting of goals. From the SWOT analysis, goals were developed that fall into one of five Priority timeframes, as shown in Table 1 below.

Table 1: Action Priorities and Associated Completion Timeframes

Priority Action Completion Timeframe

1 Immediately/Quickly: by the end of June/20

2 Near-term/Soon: by the end of June/21

3 Mid-term: by the end of December/22

4 Distant: by the end of December/25

5 Long-term: by the end of December/30

The goals and objectives were presented to the Board of Directors at its January 21/20 meeting. The first complete draft of this Plan was provided to the Board at the end of January/20 for its review and comment by mid to late February. The second complete draft will consider Board feedback and be provided to the PCC membership for review and comments by mid-March/20. The final version (Rev. 0) the Plan will consider membership input and be submitted to the Board for its receipt/acceptance in early April/20.

c. Expectation for Plan Review and Revision

The PCC Strategic Plan is a living document to guide PCC management. It is expected that the Plan will be periodically reviewed (at least every 2 years), and revised as required to reflect changes to the planning basis, progress made against the goals, evolving priorities, and new (unanticipated) developments. Whenever the Plan is revised, it is recommended that the PCC Membership have an opportunity to both provide input and to review the draft Plan prior to its receipt/acceptance by the Board.

d. Acronyms & Abbreviations

Various acronyms and abbreviations are often used in this Plan, as listed in Table 2 below.

Table 2: Acronyms and Abbreviations Used

AGM Annual General Meeting

L2C Learn-To-Curl

NFP Not-For-Profit

OVCA Ottawa Valley Curling Association

PCC Pembroke Curling Centre

SCA Senior Curlers Association

UOVJCA Upper Ottawa Valley Junior Curling Association (Youth Association)


2. Pembroke Curling Centre Overview

a. Brief History

Curling has a long history in the City of Pembroke, Ontario. The Pembroke Curling Club began in 1872 with curling held on the shores of the Ottawa River and within 10 years the club moved indoors to a shared curling/skating facility. Over the next few decades the club migrated to a “two-sheeter” then to a building on Lake Street at the corner of Victoria Street. In 1968, as plans were advancing for the construction of a new curling facility, a fire destroyed the Lake Street club. Under the leadership of club member and local veterinarian, Dr. William (Bill) Holden, the construction of the Herbert Street location was fast-tracked and ready for games on November 1, 1968. Curling has rocked this location ever since.

b. Aims and Objectives

The Pembroke Curling Centre (PCC) sets out its aims and objectives in its By-Law No. 1:

Promote the sport of curling among the public at large;

Provide a curling facility for the benefit of the community at large;

Foster friendly relations and good fellowship among members and encourage participation in activities;

Preserve the traditions of the game of curling;

Co-operate with other curling clubs in the interest of fellowship and curling;

Further benefit the community by increasing physical activity of members of the public who wish to participate in the sport of curling;

Educate members of the public and, in particular, members engaged in the sport of curling as to proper physical activity with respect to the sport of curling;

Provide financial assistance to those needy members of the community who are unable to afford to participate in the sport of curling by reason of their lack of financial means; and,

Work closely to promote the aforementioned objectives with the Senior Curling Association of Pembroke Inc. and Upper Ottawa Valley Junior Curling Association Inc., and to provide a facility for those associations.

c. Corporate Status

In 2011/12, the corporate status of the PCC was changed from a private for-profit club with member shares to a public, Provincially-registered not-for-profit (Ontario NFP) entity. At the same time, the organization’s name was revised from the Pembroke Curling Club to the Pembroke Curling Centre. The NFP status allows the PCC to apply for grants; it also exempts the club from corporate taxation, and enables it to receive a rebate of net HST payments.

The PCC By-Laws govern the management of the corporation. Article 2.7 of By-Law No. 1 defines six classes of membership for organizing members: Regular, Senior, Youth, Student, Social and Honourary Lifetime Members.


Senior Members and Junior Members are those that are respectively registered under the Senior Curling Association and the Upper Ottawa Valley Junior Curling Association. Senior Members are granted the privileges of Regular Members at the Annual General Meeting. The Social Member class for non-curlers has been inactive since about the time the PCC became a public NFP organization.

d. Associations within the PCC

As noted above, some PCC Members are affiliated with one of two associations.

The Senior Curlers’ Association (SCA) was formed and incorporated in 1987 as a NFP organization. The SCA operates in accordance with its By-Laws and is led by a Board of Directors. Today, the SCA is focused on the well-being and promotion of Senior curling in the City of Pembroke and surrounding regions. It organizes day-time curling draws and special events for its active members and may solicit funds through grants or donations to assist in the repair and maintenance of the curling facilities, supply of equipment for curlers and promotion activities.

The Upper Ottawa Valley Junior Curling Association (UOVJCA, Youth Association) is a non-incorporated NFP organization formed1 to look after the interest of young curlers who are members of the PCC. Led by a Coordinator, facilitated by two certified coaches, and supported by parents of the curlers, the Youth Association provides instruction, convenes leagues, develops coaches and competitive teams, and organizes bonspiels. The association also undertakes fundraising to support its activities.

Both the Senior and Youth associations have seats on the PCC Board of Directors, as noted below.

e. Management Organization

The PCC is managed by a Board of Directors, in accordance with its By-Laws. The Board is comprised of nine elected Officers, each of whom is elected for a two-year term and who holds a portfolio of responsibilities, as well as representatives of the SCA and UOVYCA. The 2019/20 Board membership is listed in Table 3 below.

Table 3: 2019-2020 PCC Board of Directors

President: Bill Cheliak Vice-President: Aaron Barry Past President: Dave Trautrim

Treasurer: Brian Mueller Secretary: Margaret Lomore Games: Cindy van Loan

Ways & Means: Amy Brosseau Property: Dennis Lafreniere Membership: Rick Lomore

SCA Rep: Jane Duff SCA Rep: Vickie Bradfield UOVJCA Rep: Becky Downey

1 The date the UOVJCA was formed is not known. Pembroke youth have been involved with curling since at least the 1980’s when the Patterson rink won the Boys provincial championship. In the 1990’s Little Rocks curling instruction was organized for curlers aged 6-12 and in the early 2000’s, the Bantam and Junior divisions of the Youth association were formed for teens.


The PCC Board of Directors oversees the day-to-day activities of the PCC, planning, and financial management of the club. The Board meets 8-10 times per year; generally, regular meetings of the Board are not held in June, July and December. Each June, there is an Annual General Meeting (AGM) of members, following the conclusion of the curling season and the completion of the Corporation’s fiscal year (April 30). All PCC members are invited to attend the AGM.

The PCC retains three contract staff: Bar Manager, Ice Technician, and Custodian. Otherwise, the PCC is operated by a dedicated group of volunteers. Further information on volunteers is provided in Section 3g of this Plan.


3. PCC Current Status

a. PCC Membership, Fees & Overview of Its Activities

For the 2019/20 curling season, 292 people have registered with the PCC as of November, 2019, an increase of 4% over the previous season. Those registered include: 119 Regular members, 115 Senior members, 33 Youth members and 25 curlers who enrolled in the Learn to Curl (L2C) program. In addition, there are 13 Honourary Life Members2, only one of whom is an active curler. There are no Student members registered for the current season.

Among the members, 37 are New members; that is, those who were not previously members at the PCC. About 85% of the New members are L2C program alumna. Overall the ratio of male to female curlers is approximately 2 to 1. Between 40 and 50 Regular and Senior members curl once per week, with Sunday and Friday nights being the most popular draw for these curlers. Almost all Youth curlers are also once/week curlers. In 2019/20, five (5) half-year memberships were sold.

The current fee structure for those registered at the PCC is given in Appendix E. The rates are primarily delineated by the number of curling games/week (one, or more than one; i.e. unlimited); by league (Friday night, Sunday morning, other), and by membership Association (Senior, Youth, or no association; i.e. ‘Regular’ members). Discounts are offered for new PCC members and for L2C graduates who join the PCC as members. The capital levy must be paid by all members except Youth members and those curlers enrolled in the L2C program. Fees to rent a locker and to participate in the raffle for a free membership are optional. Registration can be completed online or in-person at one of two registration sessions; fees may be paid in either one or two installments, and in the forms of cash, cheque, debit or credit.

The PCC membership is active. The vast majority of members (73%) curl two or more times week. PCC bonspiels are generally fully subscribed and Fun Days well attended. Some members form teams and participate in bonspiels organized by other clubs, especially those in close proximity (e.g. Eganville, Deep River). Several members participate in interclub leagues played throughout the Upper Ottawa Valley. The coached Junior teams travel to highly competitive bonspiels. On an ad-hoc basis, members form groups to go on “road trips” to attend major curling events as spectators; e.g. Men’s Brier, Ladies’ Scotties, Pinty’s Grand Slam.

The PCC organizes relatively few social events for its members. The majority of events are linked to bonspiels and typically include a dinner, and sometimes a dance. The recent survey of membership conducted in 2019 October indicated that Members want more opportunities to socialize at the PCC and seek a wider variety of activities and either live or streamed music (e.g. Sirius XM or Spotify). It is understood that volunteers would need to organize social events.

Similarly, the PCC has but a few fundraising activities. The annual Yuk-Yuk’s comedy night held in April is the largest event. Throughout the year, there is a progressive 50/50 draw for members, and an annual draw for a free membership (entry via membership form). Senior and

2 Honourary Lifetime Members are not required to pay fees.


Youth associations also run weekly 50/50 draws, hold raffles, and seek donations to raise money to support their respective needs and priorities.

b. Organized Curling and Occasional Users

The PCC provides regular organized curling opportunities for its members on 6 days of the week. Most of the curling is formalized into leagues, as set out in Table 4 below. Each of the leagues has one or two convenors to form teams, schedule games, track results, etc. In the 2017/18 season, the PCC introduced doubles curling in a new Friday morning league. All other curling at the PCC is in the 4-person traditional team format.

The SCA provides convenors for all weekday, day-time curling leagues. The PCC recruits league convenors for other leagues; however, many of these convenors are in fact, Senior members.

The majority of the leagues are social in nature with a primary focus on enjoying the sport and camaraderie and developing skills, and less emphasis on winning (though wins/losses and scores are usually recorded). Teams in social leagues are generally made up from individual entries and are shuffled 2 or 3 times throughout the curling season; this helps people get to know one another and promotes fellowship among curlers.

A few of the leagues are competitive in nature with a primary focus on shot-making and greater emphasis on winning games. These leagues typically attract more experienced curlers and a team entry is the norm. Team compositions remain consistent throughout the entire season. Newcomers can “break in” to these leagues by signing up as a spare, or by joining up with others to enter a team of their own3. There are no restrictions to new teams joining any league.

Learning and instruction on the fundamentals are the focuses of the Sunday afternoon Youth curling, in Little Rocks (U13) division; game play and strategy is also part of the Bantam/Junior (U15/U18/U21) divisions. Not surprisingly, learning is also the main focus of the L2C program which offers 10 weeks of on- and off-ice instruction on Sunday evenings. The Rookie League on Sunday night offers a blend of learning, practicing skills and social curling for L2C graduates and curlers with up to 5 years of experience. As of 2019, all participants under the age of 26 are required to sign a Provincially-mandated form to acknowledge Rowan’s Law4.

Around the margins of the aforementioned leagues and programs, 8 bonspiels and 2-4 “Fun Days” are typically convened during a PCC season. A few times per year, bonspiels and major ice rental contracts “bump” regular league play scheduled for weekends. Most of these events are reserved for member curlers, while a few are “invitationals” and open to curlers from other clubs. One bonspiel – the Reiche Community Spiel – is open to anyone to participate – curlers and non-curlers alike. The PCC Director of Games is the lead organizer for half of the weekend

3 Convenors of team leagues may also form teams from individual entries.

4 The Ontario Government has enacted Rowan’s Law (Concussion Safety), 2018, S.O. 2018, c. 1 (“Act”). Ontario

Regulation 161/19, the Act requires all sport organizations as defined in the Regulation (“Sports Organization”), to have a Concussion Code of Conduct. This Concussion Code of Conduct must require participants, as set out in the Act, to review the Ontario Government’s issued Concussion Awareness Resources on an annual basis. A participant is subject to a Concussion Code of Conduct for each Sports Organization a participant registers with.


bonspiels while weekday events, such as the ‘Doc’ Holden Spiel and Fun Days, are convened by the SCA. The L2C program convenors organize the Rookie Spiel while the Youth Curling Association independently organizes its open and in-club bonspiels and events on weekends. One of the issues identified with PCC bonspiels is the lack of information available to organizers about past years’ bonspiels; such as, what worked or didn’t work; profit/loss data, formats, themes, number of curlers sought vs. attended, catering, etc.

Table 4: Summary of League and Program Play at the PCC for 2019/20 Season

Day Time Players Format Entry / signup

Atmosphere / Calibre

Ends Played

Ice Used / Ice Free

Mon.

10:00 am Open 4-person Individual Social 8 4/0

6:45 pm Open 4-person Team Competitive 8 4/0


Tue.

8:30 am Men,

Senators 4-person

Jitney / pickup

Social 6 2/2


1:00 pm Ladies 4-person Individual Social 8 3/1

6:45 pm Ladies 4-person Individual Social 8 3/1

Wed. 6:45 pm Open 4-person Individual Social 8 4/0

Thur.

8:30 am Men,

Senators 4-person

Jitney / pickup

Social 6 2/2

10:15 am Open 4-person Team Competitive 8 4/0



Fri.

9:45 am Open Doubles Team/Ind. Social 8 3/1

11:30 am Open Doubles Team/Ind. Social 8 3/1

6:45 pm Open 4-person Team/Ind. Social 6 4/0

Sun.


1:00 pm Little Rocks n/a Individual Learning n/a 4/0

2:30 pm Bantam/Jr. n/a Individual Learning 4 4/0

5:00 pm L2C n/a Individual Learning n/a 4/0

5:00 pm/ 6:30 pm*

Open 4-person, Rookies

Individual Social /

Learning 6

4/0 2/0

*Times are modified after completion of the L2C instruction period. In Jan/20, there are 12 teams and two draws.

There are several other semi-regular or occasional demands on the PCC ice other than leagues and bonspiels, as noted:

Ladies’ Autumn Leaves interclub play – Pembroke hosts 1-2 x/year, Wednesday, 4 sheets.

Mens’ Low Cup interclub play – Pembroke hosts 3x/year, Wednesday, 4 sheets

Open Super League interclub play – Pembroke hosts 2x/month, Tuesday night, 1 sheet.

Junior competitive team practices – every Saturday from 11 am- 3 pm, 2 sheets


PCC On-ice Clinics by Curl Ontario – Every 1-2 years, Saturday and Sunday, 4 sheets

Ice rentals – generally Wednesday, Friday afternoon, or Saturday, occasional, 1-4 sheets

Regional/Provincial competitions – the PCC successfully hosted one of the Provincial Qualifiers for the Ontario Women Masters Championship in 2016/17 and the Gore Mutual Provincial Curling Championship for high school curlers in 2018/19.

In aggregate, over the entire season, the occasional demands noted above typically consume 400-500 ice-hours, or the equivalent of 4 sheets each used for 100-125 hours. This usage is generally scheduled in timeslots not allocated for regular league play or bonspiels.

Finally, the Ice Technician requires time to do regular maintenance on the ice. Cleaning and pebbling is done following league games; weekly maintenance tasks are normally performed on Wednesdays between the hours of 9 am and 6 pm, working around rentals and other events.

c. Property & Ice Condition

The PCC Board’s Director of Property oversees the operating condition of all aspects of the PCC facility, including building systems, ice plant and equipment, and exterior grounds.

The Ice Technician maintains and records the status of the ice plant and equipment. A small subcommittee provides oversight of the ice condition and engages with the Ice Technician on issues and projects to improve ice quality. One issue that needs resolution is the structure of the end boards and its inaccessibility to the piping that runs beneath. The Ice Technician has recommended reconstruction of the end boards with hatches and installation of carpet rolls over top of the end boards that can be easily stored in maintenance periods and the off-season. Another improvement recommended in the Member Survey is the addition of a second set of display screens and cameras for the far end of the ice hall, akin to those at the window end, so all team members can see the rocks in the house.

The ice condition is generally good. The Ice Technician is certified and applies his expertise to making the ice in early October, to the mid-season refresh (burn) over the Christmas holiday, and to daily and weekly routines. On the whole, members are satisfied with the ice quality; however, many would like to see more action taken to reduce the amount of debris on the ice. In the Member Survey, many respondents suggested a new policy be implemented that would require the removal of street footwear at the entry to the club, and their storage in the cloak room or new cubbies. Further, the Ice Technician has recommended retaining carpeting on the end boards because it helps to remove residual dirt from shoes that is not caught by the Boot Boy or the tacky stomp sheets at the entrances to the ice hall.

In general, the PCC is in fair shape for a building of its age – 51 years old. Major repairs to the roofs over the ice hall and the main hall were completed 6 and 3 years ago, respectively. Lighting in the ice hall was converted to energy efficient LED bulbs and the main panel has been updated. Exterior lights have also been updated and placed on timers. The parking lot has been graded. Minor maintenance on HVAC and plumbing systems is regularly performed and fire alarms routinely tested.


Architecturally, the layout of the building poses some challenges from accessibility and space optimization perspectives. The interior décor is very dated. Floor tiles, carpeting ceiling tiles, and wall paint all require updates or repairs. Broken windows need replacement. The kitchen requires minor electrical and lighting upgrades and its operations some small changes to comply with recently amended provincial public health regulations. Over time, “stuff” has accumulated in many closets, nooks and crannies. Some purging and organization effort has been undertaken and more is needed. Outside, the stairs and handrails require repair. The installation of a scrolling LED sign, or traditional letterbox sign, could help promote PCC activities and rental options.

A $149,400 Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) grant was secured by the PCC in late 2019 to fund a construction project to provide barrier-free access to the main level and a barrier-free washroom on the main level. A formal presentation of the grant was made on January 25/20, during the Community Bonspiel, by the MPP for Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke, John Yakabuski, as shown in Figure 2. The new barrier-free access and washroom will not only be of assistance to members and their guests who want to partake in PCC social and curling activities, but will also make the PCC more attractive and competitive for rentals, and more suitable for hosting community events. In conjunction with the OTF project, the PCC has the opportunity to fundraise and roster a volunteer-led team to undertake many of the complementary architectural and facility improvements noted above.

Figure 2: OTF Grant Presentation

L-R: Trillium Representative, Ron Reiche (Bonspiel Sponsor), Cindy Van Loan (PCC Director,

Games), Bill Cheliak (PCC President); John Yakabuski (MPP, Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke)


d. Sponsorship & Partnerships

At the beginning of each curling season, under the leadership of the Director of Ways & Means, sponsors for the curling club are secured. In return for their support, sponsors receive advertising in the ice hall, in the membership directory and on the PCC website. The revenue from sponsors totals approximately $10,000 annually.

For bonspiels, only the Community Bonspiel held annually in January has secured a headline sponsor (C.A. Reiche & Sons Building Supplies). It is not known what attempts have been made to find sponsors for the other annual bonspiels: President’s Invitational in October, the PCC Home Opener in November, the Youth Invitational in November/December; the Doc Holden Seniors Spiel in December, the Rookie Bonspiel in February/March and the PCC, SCA and Youth Associations respective Closing Bonspiels in March/April.

Through the Fundraising Committee of volunteers, sponsors for the annual Yuk-Yuk comedy show are solicited. The gifts of money and food offset the costs of running the event and door prizes help to sell more tickets. This event has run since 2016 and has raised an average of $6,800 annually for the PCC, largely from ticket and bar sales.

In the competitive curling leagues, and within the Youth Association, some teams are sponsored. The sponsors’ contributions typically provide for team uniforms (jackets).

In the past, donations from sponsors and PCC members have enabled the purchase of new curling stones for Sheets 2 and 3. A similar approach could be employed to replace the curling stones on Sheets 1 and 4. Each new stone has an estimated cost of $1000 (2016 cost figure).

Currently, there is no program or initiative to bring sponsors and their employees into the PCC to try curling, or to recognize them for their financial contributions.

e. Facility & Ice Rentals

The PCC offers its facilities for rent to third parties in accordance with standard contracts handled by the PCC Bar Manager. The rates for various rental options are set out in Appendix F. Of note, one sheet of ice can be rented for $56/hour and the hall rental is $300, or $250 for the hall and bar combined. All rates cited exclude the Harmonized Sales Tax.

The ice is most often rented to businesses, organizations or individuals for team building, socializing and fundraising. The main hall is typically rented for dance and party functions. During the off season (May-September), the ice hall is available for rent as well. The data retained on the number and nature of facility rentals is limited.

Over the past few years, the ice rentals have totalled 10 times/season5. The biggest, regular client is the RCEME (military) spiel that is held annually in February and runs from Thursday – Saturday or Sunday. Most ice rentals are for a couple of hours.

Annual hall rentals are few. Sometimes the rentals include use of the kitchen facilities. Rentals are expected to increase following the completion of the project to provide barrier-free access and washrooms on the main level.

5 The ice and hall rental estimates are approximate because no hard data was available.


There are no known past rentals of the ice hall during the curling offseason. In the fall of 2019, however, the PCC was approached by the organizers of a local pickle-ball league as to the possible rental of the ice hall and main lounge during the spring/summer months of 2020. This rental opportunity remains under review.

f. Financial Position

After several “touch and go” years, the PCC has regained a position of financial stability, thanks in large measure to the re-establishment of the Corporation as a public, NFP organization, the Board’s leadership and fiscally conservative decisions, and to PCC members that fundraised to repay loans. The financial statements for the PCC for the fiscal year that ended on April 30, 2019 are provided in Appendix G.

As confirmed by the PCC’s Treasurer, the PCC financial statements for the past three years show a steadily improving position overall. Membership revenues have slightly increased. The bar sales have been relatively constant. Funds borrowed to finance major roofing and parking lot projects have been (and continue to be) repaid at an aggressive rate. The mandatory capital levy for major upgrades and repairs that was initiated in 2018/19 applied to regular and senior membership classes, has enabled lighting and other electrical upgrades, and acquisition of important ice-making equipment. Additionally, revenue from sponsorships, fundraising events like Yuk-Yuk’s comedy night, weekly 50/50 draws, and by activities led by Senior and Youth Associations, have enabled the pay down of loans taken for capital upgrades and the supply of equipment for curlers (brooms, stabilizers, and sticks). And as noted previously, the OTF grant will fund the barrier-free access project.

Notwithstanding the important progress noted above, the PCC remains vulnerable should there be an unexpected or premature failure of essential infrastructure or ice plant equipment. The relatively small Capital Reserve account and operating cash balance could be quickly consumed if such a risk were to occur. Similarly, a large decrease in membership or other revenue sources would limit the services that could be offered. Hence, there is an ongoing need to sustain and grow membership, increase rentals and sponsorship levels, generate bar sales, fundraise, engage more volunteers, and reduce debt and expenses. Further, it is helpful to remain abreast of potential funding sources for infrastructure, (e.g. Curling Canada’s Capital Assistance Program), to help to ensure the PCC’s doors remain open. With continuous attention to its short and long-term position, and sound decision-making, the PCC will remain financially stable.

g. Volunteers

As a NFP organization, the PCC must keep its costs under tight control. The Board has only three contracted staff positions (Bar Manager, Ice Technician, Custodian) and otherwise relies on volunteers to operate the club. This fact is not well communicated to PCC members and many members may be unaware of the critical roles and huge contributions of volunteers.

Today, an estimated 20% of all members regularly volunteer their time and talents; some of these members volunteer in multiple capacities. Some volunteers have reported that they feel “burnt out” and want to be replaced or relieved of part of their volunteer duties by new


volunteers. Generally, the PCC operation relies on too few people and is at risk of not being able to deliver services if more members are not willing to step up to help out.

It is also noteworthy that in a few circumstances, the volunteer roles require specific expertise and that it will take some time and training to effectively transfer the requisite skills and knowledge from current volunteers to their successors.

The range of roles currently performed by the PCC’s small yet highly dedicated group of volunteers is set out in Table 5 below.

Table 5: PCC Volunteer Service Roles

Volunteer Roles Number of Members / Supporters Involved

Bartending About 40 Members hold the Smart Serve designation yet only 15 Smart Servers regularly tend bar.

Curling League/Program Convenors

20 Members convene leagues or other organized curling. They also participate in the in-person registration sessions.

L2C Program 2 coordinators and 8-10 qualified instructors

Kitchen Team 2 Non-member Kitchen Coordinators lead regular support team of 5 members

Fundraising Chair and 10 Members supporting

PCC Bonspiel Organization One chair and 2-3 Members supporting

PCC Board of Directors 12 Board positions

SCA Activities 9 Board positions; 4-5 organizers of bonspiels and fun days; and 6 organizers for Christmas and End-of-Year dinners.

UOVJCA Youth Activities 1 Youth Coordinator, 2 certified coaches, and 3 regular parent supporters

Ottawa Valley Curling Assoc. liaison

1 Member

PCC Webmaster and PCC Facebook Content Manager

1 Member

Ice Committee 3 Members

Christmas Decoration Setup and Take Down

2-3 Members


4. SWOT Analysis

A SWOT analysis is a strategic planning technique used to help an organization identify its Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats related to business planning. For this plan, the Strengths and Weaknesses were determined by conducting an analysis of the Internal Environment of the PCC. For the Opportunities and Threats, the wider External Environment in which the PCC operates was considered. Together, these analyses shed light on where the PCC needs to focus for business planning and management purposes.

a. Internal Environmental Analysis

The internal part of the SWOT analysis considers the PCC environment as it exists and operates today, and focuses on the matters that its management has control over or can influence. From a business perspective, the elements below specifically inform the summary of Strengths and Weaknesses that are presented in Table 10.

i. Membership

Registration data for the PCC has been archived since 2003/04 and is plotted in Figure 3 by the primary membership classes. Over the last 17 years, the total number of members (including L2C curlers for the past 6 years) has fluctuated significantly. In the past three years, levels have been more stable, with overall growth of 5%.

Figure 3: PCC Registration Data 2003/04 – 2019/20

159 139 136

119 113 116 94 94 100 102 100 104 106

134 123 120 115

171

150

172

194

154 139

117 119 123 128 121

102 90

77 80 92

119

72

44

16

37 31 25

376

327

353 362

300 287

241

263 266 268 264

345

278

300

277 279 292

46 38 45 49

33 32 30

50 43 38 43

67

38

73

37 36 33

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

Senior

Regular

L2C

Total

Bantam/Jr/LR


It is essential for the PCC to closely track membership data for a number of reasons. Most importantly, it is the members that enable the games themselves. Secondly, it is the fees paid by members that represent the largest single source of revenue for the club operations; in 2019/20 they totalled nearly $85,000. Thirdly, the changes in numbers over time in each membership class provide indications as to efforts needed annually to attract new members.

On the third point, it is noteworthy that there is limited structured data collected on membership; in part this is because there are multiple ways for members to register and few of them are electronic and linked to a database platform. Without more consistent use of electronic registration forms, and a single database to capture, store and analyse the data, it will continue to be difficult to confidently determine where the turnover is occurring.

Related to the third point is the absence of a practice for recording the reasons why members leave (and join) the club. As such, the explanations for the dips (and spikes) in Figure 3 are anecdotal. For example, an internal theft purportedly caused a significant departure of members from 2008-2010. Otherwise, the reasons for turnover are believed to wide-ranging, including job relocations, extended winter vacations, life events (e.g. births, retirements, deaths); declining health/injury; demands of children/dependents; loss of interest in curling; and, departure of friends from the club. Adopting the practice of conducting exit (and entry) interviews would help the PCC to discern what it needs to do to retain current members and to attract new ones. This is particularly important because the PCC membership is its lifeblood.

ii. Learn to Curl Program

The Learn to Curl (L2C) program was introduced to the PCC in the Fall of 2014. Approximately 225 people have graduated from the L2C program since its inception6. Graduates of the L2C program then have the opportunity to play in one or more leagues for a modest supplemental fee. The subsequent season, L2C graduates are offered the discounted New member rate, and subsequently would be expected to join as Regular members. Over five years, the “conversion rate” of L2C graduates to regular PCC membership is approximately 40%. This rate is helped by the Rookie League, formed in January, 2015, to absorb the L2C graduates and other curlers with 5 or fewer years of curling experience. In the 2019/20 season, the vast majority of L2C graduates joined the Rookie League.

Table 6 below shows the rate of integration of L2C graduates into PCC curling leagues. It is highly variable, with the highest levels in the Sunday night Rookie League and other social leagues and the lowest in the competitive ones. As well, the requirement for team entries on Mondays and Thursdays, and the practice for early (informal) registration for the Thursday day-time leagues in March of previous season may pose barriers for L2C graduates wishing to join these leagues.

Feedback provided in the recent PCC member survey also indicates that a mentorship program that matches L2C graduates with experienced curlers would help some L2C graduates to transition into regular curling leagues.

6 In its first two years, L2C was offered in the Fall and the Winter (2 sessions annually). Since then, only in the Fall.


Table 6: Integration Rates for L2C Graduates into Regular PCC leagues (2018 November)

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Sunday

AM: 1/24 4% AM: 2/36 5.5% AM: 6/40 15% AM 1/24 4% AM 6/28 21%

1 PM:6/23 26% 1 PM: 2/32 6%

PM: 4/52 8% PM: 8/28 29% PM: 9/28 32% PM: 6/28 21% PM: 20/44 45% PM:21/24 88%

iii. Internal Relations & Communications

As noted in Section 2 of this Plan, the Senior and Youth associations were formed to represent the interests of their respective classes of the PCC membership. In aggregate, their members represent 50.6% of the entire 2019/20 club membership. From interviews with some Board Members and from input provided in the Member Survey, there is a desire to build stronger bridges and to increase the level of communication between the Senior and Youth associations and the PCC executive leadership team.

There is also a keen interest in having more opportunities for inter-generational events (e.g. opening and closing bonspiels, social events, fundraising activities, etc.) in which all members of the PCC are welcomed and encouraged to participate, and to rally behind common interests. Some members feel that the PCC operates as three distinct clubs under one roof and would prefer to have one united club to which they are truly proud to belong.

On the theme of greater inclusivity, some members have suggested the renaming of the weekday “Seniors” league curling to “Day-time” curling, so that it is clearly communicated to all who are available to participate that they are welcome, regardless of their age or membership in the SCA. Similarly, some members have offered that it would be good to allow the competitive Youth teams to participate in more of the evening curling leagues. Still others would like to see skills competitions and fun events that are designed for curlers of all ages.

More generally, PCC members are not satisfied with internal communications. Through the recent survey input, Member needs include:

Regular updates on what has happened and is planned to happen at the PCC;

Information about curling in the region: clinics, bonspiels; OVCA updates, etc.;

Timely posting of PCC Board of Director meeting notices, minutes, and decisions;

Improved organization of all of the bulletin boards and the PCC website; timely removal of stale items in both places;

Clarity on fundraising goals, status of fundraising efforts (e.g. how much raised and to go);

Information about outstanding debts and status of loan repayments;

All information provided in print copy and electronically; all forms of information consistent in content; and,

Opportunities to regularly submit feedback and express opinions.


iv. Ice Usage

The number of PCC leagues (day-time, evening, weekends per Table 4) and their participation rates confirms there is high interest and participation levels among members in curling. Table 7 below shows the number of ice hours used by these regular leagues totals 38.5 hours weekly. Over a 24-week season, this amounts to 924 hours of ice usage. This number represents just 46% of the ‘available’ ice time. The determination of the ‘available’ time assumes 12 usable ice hours per day, which is 80% of the 15 hours from 8 am to 11 pm each day that many curling clubs operate7. On a weekly basis, there are 84 ‘available’ hours for curling activity. On a seasonal basis, there are 2016 ‘available’ ice hours for curling.

Based on the information in Table 7, the highest usage day at the PCC is Sunday when 75% of the ‘available’ ice time is used for regularly scheduled curling. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, the ice is used 63% of the ‘available’ time. On other days of the week, there is considerable ice availability, with Wednesday and Saturday having the lowest usage rates at 17%. Mondays and Friday afternoons also have significant ‘available’ ice times.

Table 7: Ice Usage (Hours) by Regular Leagues and Organized Curling Programs

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Wkly Ttl

Morning 2 3.5 0 3.5 3 2 2 16

Afternoon 0 2 0 2 0 0 4 8

Evening 4 2 2 2 1.5 0 3 14.5

Total Used 6 7.5 2 7.5 4.5 2 9 38.5

Available 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 84

Usage Rate 50% 63% 17% 63% 38% 17% 75% 46%

As noted in Section 3 of this Plan, some of the ‘available’ ice time is consumed by bonspiels, Fun Days, rentals, and weekly maintenance. Still, there remains slack in overall ice usage and this gives the PCC the opportunity to accommodate more leagues or rental-based curling. By way of illustration, there has been considerable success experienced at the Comox Valley and Delta Thistle curling clubs filling un-used ice times with fun/social ‘beer’ leagues.8 The Delta club also offers a 6-week introduction to curling for those aged 50+, with a focus on stick delivery. Partnerships and creative advertising have been central to marketing these new leagues – see sample in Appendix H. Closer to home, in Ottawa, there are fun leagues for teachers, shift workers, etc. where club membership is not a pre-requisite.

In the slack ice time, the PCC also has the opportunity to respond to interests expressed by Members in the recent survey to make the ice available for practice (individual and teams); to try new curling formats such as ladder play and skills competitions; and/or to host more bonspiels, clinics, Fun Days, or Open House/Bring-a-Friend events.

7 The other 20% of the time (3 hours daily) is allocated for ice maintenance and inefficiencies. 8 The Comox Valley Curling Club partnered with a local craft brewery to start a 5-week Friday Night Fun League on

a night when the club was otherwise dark. Similarly, the Delta Thistle club offers a Friday 6-pack league. Both attract newer curlers and non-members.


v. Volunteers

As described in section 3g, relatively few members volunteer their time and talents to provide essential services in support of day-to-day operations at the PCC. In the Member survey, the importance of volunteers was highlighted in the optional feedback submitted. Consequently, a series of Focus Group discussions were convened that engaged 16 members to explore the topic more fully, including good and poor volunteer experiences, recruitment practices, the idea of mandatory volunteering9 (called “volun-tolding” by some), and appropriate recognition of volunteers and their contributions.

The key insights arising from the Focus Group discussions were:

The need for a volunteer coordinator and committee to recruit and organize volunteers;

The need for the Board of Directors to recognize the essential role that volunteers play in club operation and success;

The need to clearly define the volunteer roles, specific duties, time commitment, skills required, etc.;

The need for better communication to members about the vital role members play as volunteers in support of club operation;

The need to collect information from members as part of the registration process about their volunteer interests, related skills, etc.;

The need for succession planning and mentorship to ease the turnover of long-standing volunteers to new ones; and,

The need to take action on above items with some urgency.

Further details on the Focus Groups are provided in Appendix B of this plan.

vi. Sponsorship & Partnership

PCC sponsorship successes are most evident in the advertising seen on the walls of the ice hall and on the PCC website. Sponsors also advertise in the annual membership booklet; however, delays in payment often delay the issue of the booklet, especially so for 2019/20 when the booklet was not published.

Based on research conducted for this Plan, there appears to be considerable room to expand sponsorship and generate more revenue for the PCC by employing best practices recommended by curling associations and used effectively by other curling clubs. Among these practices are:

Place the lead responsibility for securing sponsors with a person with strong sales skills and knowledge of local/county business environment;

9 Many curling clubs (e.g. Renfrew, Arnprior, Carleton Place) require their members to commit to giving a

prescribed minimum number of volunteer hours throughout the year and to log/track this effort. In some clubs, a discount of membership fees is available to those that commit; in other clubs; those that don’t commit (or deliver on their commitments) are charged a supplementary fee. See also Section 4.b.x of this Plan.


Keep excellent records of sales contacts and outcomes to support upselling to existing sponsors and avoid unnecessary duplicate contacts with uninterested businesses;

Undertake marketing activities in advance of sponsorship sales efforts to help promote the benefits of sponsorship of the PCC and of bonspiels;

Initiate sponsorship sales long before the start of the curling season; pursue multi-year commitments where possible; and, ensure all are fully paid by the start of the season.

Prepare sponsorship kits that outline a menu of advertising options (e.g. ice hall wall signs, in-ice decals, scoreboard decals, website ads, community banners, LED digital displays) and prices, thus making it easy for sponsors to make a selection10.

In addition, the proven business practice of partnering has not been fully exploited and currently, the PCC has no strategic partnerships. A strategic partner is another business or entity with whom the PCC enters into an agreement that aims to help both organizations achieve more success. Possible strategic partners for the PCC could include, for example:

City of Pembroke – the PCC is a key facility in the municipality. A strategic partnership could lead to designating the PCC as an Emergency Registration centre in times of disaster, enabling the PCC to qualify for upgrades to infrastructure; e.g. emergency power system. The PCC also pays property tax and has a direct stake in municipal taxation decisions. Finding workable tax solutions and engaging elected officials in curling club events have been central elements in sustaining curling clubs in Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan.

Local Golf Clubs & Fitness Clubs – a substantial proportion of the PCC memberships are regular or occasional golfers and/or members of Fitness Clubs. A strategic partnership with one or more local clubs could lead to cooperative advertising, preferred registration fees for referred members, collaborative fundraising projects, etc.

Local Craft Breweries and Distilleries – curling followed by a social beverage is an age-old tradition of the ‘roaring game’. With two local craft breweries near Pembroke, and a least one distillery, the opportunity for the PCC to partner with beverage companies to sponsor one or more leagues or bonspiels is real.

Curling Equipment Suppliers (e.g. Goldline, Hogline) – members have two opportunities annually to purchase curling supplies from a specialist supplier – in November and December when they visit the PCC with a trunk show. Otherwise, members must drive to Ottawa to make purchases. A strategic partnership could result in establishment of a small pro-shop at the PCC (perhaps to additionally serve as a distribution point for local curling clubs) enabling trials of new equipment and local purchases year-round, as well as more donated items for fundraising raffles.

10 Curling clubs with sponsorship kits include: Baie D’Urfe Curling Club, QC; Chilliwack Curling Club, BC; Dixie Curling Club, Mississauga, ON; St. Catharines Curling Club; Idlerton, ON Curling Club


b. External Environmental Analysis

The external part of the SWOT analysis considers the wider environment in which the PCC operates and how it is changing. These environments include broad local and national characteristics and trends, as well as curling-specific factors. The elements below are expected to be directly relevant to the PCC business planning for the coming years, and specifically inform the summary of Opportunities & Threats presented in Table 10.

i. Local Demographics

Based on census data collected by Statistics Canada, the population of Pembroke was 13,882 in 2016, a decrease of 3% compared to 2011. The Pembroke population distribution also reflects an aging population - the median age was 46.9 years in 2016 which is 3.2 years older than in 2011. By contrast, the neighbouring community of Petawawa - which does not have a dedicated curling facility11 - saw a 7.5% increase to its population from 2011 to 2016, to a total of 17,167. Its median population in 2016 was 30.8 years. Based on this information, there is significant opening to market curling more aggressively in Petawawa, with a focus on formats/leagues that appeal to the younger demographic. The large military and somewhat transient demographic of the Petawawa population should also be taken into consideration.

Looking at age characteristics in the 2016 Pembroke census data through a gender lens, the ratio of males to females in all age brackets from 15 to 49 is 49:51. However, in the 50 to 54 and older age brackets, the ratio diverges. For example, by the 60 to 64 age bracket, the ratio is 46:54; by the 70 to 74 age bracket, the ratio is 43:57; and by the 80 to 84 age bracket, the ratio is 34:66. Taking these census data into consideration with 2014 University of Waterloo research that showed the important roles curling clubs play in rural communities in offsetting the winter blues by giving women a reason to leave the house, offering recreation, and “a place where they can talk with other women, seek advice and build friendships, and take leadership roles; increasing both their confidence and resiliency when coping with rural challenges”, suggests where/how the PCC could direct at least some of its membership recruitment effort.

ii. Banquet Halls & Rental Space

Within the City of Pembroke, there are few banquet halls with the capacity and facilities to host large parties (>150 people with tables/chairs). Following the barrier-free project completion, halls that will be comparable with the PCC in size, décor, accessibility and facilities (kitchen, bar, dancing area, etc.), as well as rental fees, include the Knights of Columbus Hall and the Pembroke Legion. Other halls that are suitable for parties include the slightly larger Rankin Cultural & Recreation Centre (20 km south of Pembroke), the Petawawa Lions Community Hall, and the much larger and more up-scale (and expensive) Germania Club and Best Western Hotel.

11 Curling is available at the Petawawa Civic Centre on the community arena that is also used for hockey, figure skating and public skating. Recreational (pickup) curling is possible only on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Many years ago, there was a six-sheet rink at CFB Petawawa.


Similarly, from a meeting space perspective, there are limited facilities outside of hotels that offer quality space for meetings and small parties (baby showers, anniversary celebrations, etc.). The lower lounge space at the PCC can accommodate approximately 50 people; however, it would need significant décor updates and equipment fit-up for business meetings or seminars (e.g. projector, retractable screen, Wi-Fi booster, conference telephone, white boards, etc.)

iii. City of Pembroke Pool Project

The City of Pembroke is exploring opportunities to build and operate a new aquatic facility, to replace the aging Kinsmen Pool that is immediately adjacent to the PCC on Herbert Street. In the Summer of 2019, a survey of local residents was conducted to assess community needs and the level of interest in maintaining a community pool. The City is continuing to explore opportunities to develop the pool project, including a potential partnership with the YMCA. The location of the new pool has not yet been determined; however a possibility is that will be situated on city-owned land adjacent to the existing pool, and in close proximity to the PCC. It is also anticipated that the new pool will include one or more ancillary facilities such as fitness equipment, meeting space, and a food concession. As the PCC carries on its business of providing curling facilities and serving as a community recreational hub, it will be important to consider synergies with the proposed new aquatic facility, and the possibility of shared resources.

iv. Communication & Information

In 2020, the dominant forms for communicating between individuals under aged 40 are social media (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube), text messaging and email. For many, their preferred sources of Information today are online sources. For those in the 40 to 65 years age bracket, communication involves a mix of electronic and traditional methods such as telephone calls and face-to-face conversations are the norm. Information may be gleaned from the internet, however, printed sources are also routinely referenced. For those over aged 65, generally there is preference for traditional communication and information sources. While there are some seniors with good/strong computer literacy, while there are others who have basic skills or who have never worked on a computer, or made an online purchase.

The PCC has tried to stay abreast of the fast changes that are happening in communication platforms and strives to provide information in multiple formats (e.g. hard copy, website, Facebook, Curling Club App). The PCC will need to continue to keep up with the evolution in electronic communication; however, based on its projected membership demographic and Member Survey feedback, it will likely have to support traditional and digital communication formats for at least the next 10-15 years.

v. Impaired Driving

Police enforcement and public views on impaired driving (whether by alcohol or drugs) have resulted in a decline in people going out to curling clubs for socializing, particularly in rural areas where there are limited taxi services and neither public transit nor ride-sharing12 options.

12 Lyft and Uber ride-sharing services do not operate in Pembroke at this time.


This has led to loss of membership, smaller turnouts at events, and stagnant bar sales. This same change, however, has led to the reduction in excessive drinking and the often-related poor behaviours, and created a more enjoyable atmosphere for PCC members and their guests.

The PCC might consider setting up an informal ‘Designated Driver’ roster or an Operation Red-Nose type of service for its social events to offset the declines in participation and bar sales.

vi. Climate Change

Greenhouse gas buildup in the earth’s atmosphere is having a marked effect on the climate globally, with extreme weather events occurring more frequently, and with greater severity. Such events, particularly if they include unseasonable temperatures and/or unusual humidity levels, can make it challenging to retain high quality ice conditions for curling. In this regard, the PCC Ice Technician has recommended the addition of a dehumidifier which could extend the curling season by 3-4 weeks and enable better ice quality when the outside temperature and humidity levels significantly fluctuate.

Furthermore, extreme winds and precipitation pose risk to maintaining curling facilities weather-tight. Regulations relating to energy efficiency, carbon production, waste management, etc. are expected to tighten in the future and more grant programs or other incentives may be offered to facilitate conversions to operations with a lower carbon footprint or less waste generation. It would be prudent for the PCC to stay on top of regulatory changes and to make note during facility inspections as to which equipment/systems could be affected when they are next replaced. Additionally, the PCC could implement Curling Canada’s tips on energy efficiency in curling club operation, where applicable.

vii. Canadian Curling Demographics & Curling Clubs

According to Curling Canada, the number of Canadians who curled at least once per year grew from 1.512 million in 2015 to 1.986 million in 2019. This growth in participation is attributed to the explosion of mixed doubles curling, the introduction of stick curling, the increase in commercially-sponsored and nationally broadcast competitive events, and the ongoing international success of Canadian competitive curlers.

Notwithstanding the growth in the number of curlers, as described above, the number of curling clubs in Canada is on the decline overall. In 2017, Curling Canada reported there were approximately 1500 curling facilities across the country. Significant consolidation of clubs has occurred in major centres in and around Toronto, Winnipeg, MB and Regina, SK as they struggled to cope with operating costs and declines in membership, and or pressure from ownership at joint golf-curling facilities. Nevertheless, across Canada, in big cities and small towns alike, there are many stories of curling club survival, renewal and prosperity. Key success factors include taking a business approach to club management, using innovative fundraising campaigns, making use of online and print marketing and advertising, leveraging member skills and talents in a structured volunteer program, and a willingness to try new curling leagues and formats. Clubs that stagnated and failed to change with the times were most often those that had to close their doors.


It is important for the PCC Board to be cognizant of the changes taking place in the broader curling landscape in Canada and to proactively seek out and learn from other club’s experiences to assure the PCC’s future. There are many good ideas/practices to be adopted or copied (no need to reinvent the wheel) that could help sustain many facets of the PCC operation. For example, there is a wide range of fundraising activities that have worked for other clubs; a sampling of these is provided in Appendix I.

viii. Support from Curling Associations

Curling Canada, the Ontario Curling Association (Curl ON), and the Ottawa Valley Curling Association are three organizations that enable curling in Canada through the products, services and resources they offer. In doing so, these organizations support individual curlers; promote curling as a healthy winter sport; sponsor competition and development; and build local curling club capacity. Among the benefits available to curling clubs like the PCC are:

Training clinics for curlers at all levels, on-and off-ice officials, and coaches;

Courses and seminars for those involved with club management; e.g. Business of Curling, Managing and Marketing Your Online Presence;

Programs that introduce the sport to schoolchildren (e.g., Egg Farmers’ Rocks & Rings) and promote the junior development (e.g. Tim Horton’s Hit, Draw, Tap skills competition).

Scholarships for post-secondary education;

Low-interest loan programs for capital improvements and grants for curling instruction programs, purchase of little rocks, hosting events and helping teams travel; and,

Customizable posters and marketing materials (print, digital, video) to grow membership and sponsorship (see sample recruitment poster in Appendix J).

These curling associations (or their affiliates) also manage and oversee competitions for elite, competitive curlers, and work with local clubs who wish to host regional play-downs, and provincial and national championships13. There are also large competitions targeted at specific groups of curlers; (e.g. stick curlers, deaf curlers, postal workers, firefighters, fraternal organizations like Kinsmen) that rely on host curling clubs and communities. In return for their essential volunteer support and hospitality, they receive significant publicity and economic benefits, and build capacity to host other events. The PCC has proven that it can host regional qualifiers and provincial championships and can leverage this success to secure other events.

ix. Grant & Donation Programs

Over the past 20 years there has been a gradual decline in direct government support for arts, culture, sports and recreation. Consequently, the groups that provide programming and facilities have increasingly had to find other channels to raise the capital required to deliver their missions and build/maintain their infrastructure. In the place of semi-guaranteed, annual funding support are grant and donation programs to which recognized organizations and their members can apply. Among those funding sources that could be explored by the PCC are:

13

Curling Canada sets minimum requirements for tournament durations, sheets of ice and seating capacities in host curling clubs and arenas, hotel rooms, banquet facilities, etc.


Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) Grant: Provides funds for projects that result in more healthy and vibrant communities. The OTF has six priority action areas, including “active people”.

National Sports Trust Fund (NSTF) Ontario: Permits Provincial Sport Organizations (e.g. Ontario Curling Council) and their members to establish revenue generation programs for which a charitable tax receipt can be provided for qualifying donations. A sample NSTF project description, initiated by the Arnprior Curling Club to purchase new rocks, is provided in Appendix K of this Plan.

Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women Grant: Supports opportunities for girls and women to participate in sport and/or promote sport to girls and women

Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations Grade 9 Try Day: Provides Grade 9 students with the opportunity to be exposed to new/unconventional sports or physical activities.

Ontario Sport and Recreation Communities Fund: Supports short-term projects that deliver high-quality and meaningful experiences to individuals at every phase of life. The OSRCF is targeted at populations who lack equitable access to participate and/or have been historically less physically active.

Ontario Sport Hosting Program: Provides project-based funding to help applicants to host and deliver major national and international amateur sporting events in Ontario.

As a NFP entity, and an affiliate/member of provincial and federal curling associations, the PCC is eligible to participate in the above-noted and potentially other grant and donation programs. While the PCC has recently secured the OTF grant for its barrier-free project, it should remain alert to other grant and donation program opportunities to fund its other priorities. Furthermore, it should develop the ability to: find/mine the opportunities; skillfully articulate the ‘asks’ and the ‘benefits’; and, consolidate the data/information (e.g. volunteer hours) that is almost always required to be submitted. In essence, the PCC needs the expertise to submit high quality grant and donation applications to the offering agencies on a timely basis, on its own, or with its strategic partners.

x. Local & Regional Curling Competition

Renfrew County, ON and Pontiac County, QC have eight dedicated curling clubs, as listed in Table 8 below. No community has more than one facility. While half of the clubs have four sheets of ice, the PCC has the largest membership; about 33% more than both the Arnprior and Renfrew clubs. The PCC, Arnprior and Renfrew clubs have similar curling seasons while the other local area clubs generally are 2-4 weeks shorter.


Table 8: Renfrew & Pontiac County Curling Clubs and # Sheets of Ice at Each Club

Pembroke Curling Centre - 4 Shawville Curling Club - 3

Deep River Curling & Squash Club - 4 Cobden Curling Club - 2

Killaloe Curling Club - 2 Renfrew Curling Rink - 4

Eganville Curling Club - 2 Arnprior Curling Club - 4

Fee-wise, there is some variation in the fee structure and the rates charged across the four 4-sheet clubs in Renfrew County, as illustrated in Table 9 below. Key observations include:

All clubs offer memberships for Adult Unlimited Play for Full and Half Seasons, Adult Learn to Curl (or other instruction), and variations of youth programs (e.g. Junior, Bantam, Little Rocks). Overall, there is only a small spread in the fees charged by the Pembroke, Arnprior, Renfrew and Deep River clubs for each of these classifications, and instructional and youth rates are consistently modest. Pembroke’s fees, whether the highest, lowest, or in the middle, are generally competitive with the other three clubs.

In some membership classifications, there is a more significant spread in the rates charged; e.g. Adult, One League/Draw rate ranges from a low of $260 in Renfrew (50% of Unlimited Play rate) to a high of $450 in Arnprior (82% of unlimited rate). The PCC’s once/week curlers pay $371, (71% of the unlimited rate). Similarly, for New Curlers, the Full Season rates range from $325 to 415. Pembroke’s rate is very competitive at $330.

There are unique rate offerings at some clubs. For example, Pembroke offers Seniors rates for Full and Half seasons for both Unlimited Play and One Draw (League). A 10% discount is offered relative to Regular member rates for unlimited senior curlers while single draw curlers pay just 1% less than their Regular counterparts. The PCC also offers a student rate for those enrolled full-time in post-secondary education and a 10% family discount when both parent and child register. These classifications are responsive to the PCC By-Law objective to help those in the community who otherwise may not be able to participate for financial reasons. Another unique fee is offered at the Arnprior curling club. Under its Snowbird Flex plan, members pay 60% of its Full Unlimited Play rate and may be away for any 10 weeks per season. This flexible form of the Half-Season rate could be attractive to some PCC members.

All clubs except Pembroke run a volunteer program. In Renfrew and Deep River, members who don’t volunteer must pay a tax or levy of $50 or $75, respectively. In Arnprior, a discount of $40 or $80 is offered based on their commitment to volunteer for 5 hours (half season members) or 10 hours (full season members). All hours are tracked. Given the need for more volunteers, the PCC should consider establishing a formal volunteer program.

Pembroke is the only club to charge a capital levy as part of its registration fee. This $30 fee aims to build a reserve for capital maintenance projects and is applied to all who register in the senior, regular, special, and new member categories. This practice seems very prudent given the age of the facility and the importance of maintaining key infrastructure, though the revenue generated annually is not large (about $7,000).


Table 9: Comparison of Fees and Rate Structure at Renfrew County Four-Sheet Clubs

Registration Categories Pembroke Arnprior Renfrew Deep River

Adult, Full Season Unlimited Play 530.00$ 550.00$ 490.00$ 540.00$

Adult, Half Season, Unlimited Play 318.00$ 275.00$ 295.00$ 292.00$

Adult, Full Season One League/Draw 375.00$ 450.00$ 260.00$ 390.00$

Adult, Full Season, Friday league only1 or Special2 250.00$ 360.00$

Adult, Half Season, One League (excl. Sr. Men Day League) 225.00$ 225.00$ 165.00$

Senior (55+), Full Season, Unlimited Play 475.00$

Senior (55+), Full Season, One draw 370.00$

Senior (55+), Half Season, Unlimited Play 285.00$

Senior (55+), Half Season, One draw 222.00$

Young Adult (aged 21-30 years) 390.00$

Full time Student (Post Secondary) 115.00$

Single Draw 80.00$

Snowbird Flex (any 10 weeks away) 330.00$

New Curler, Full Season, Unlimited3 330.00$ 415.00$ 390.00$ 325.00$

New Curler, Full Season, Once per week 320.00$

New Curler, Half Season, Unlimited 275.00$ 245.00$

New Curler, Half Season, Once per week 225.00$

Juniors/Bantam/Youth (aged 14-20, U18) 110.00$ -$ 80.00$ 90.00$

Little Rocks (U13) 90.00$ 80.00$ 60.00$

Juniors extended fee (league play) 150.00$

Adult Learn to Curl - 10 weeks 4 100.00$

Adult Learn to Curl - 12 weeks 169.00$

Novice / Learn to curl - 5 weeks 100.00$

Rookie Rock (basic)/Learn to Curl - 6 weeks instruction5 60.00$

Rookie Rock (intermediate) - 6 weeks instruction 100.00$

Social Member(Spare a maximum of 3 times), Full Season n/a 50.00$ n/a 30.00$

Spare Fee615.00$ 25.00$ 15.00$

Family Discount (when Parent registers with child) -10%

Capital Levy7 30.00$

Equipment Locker 20.00$ 20.00$ 20.00$ 20.00$

Adult Non-Volunteer Levy/Tax (optional)8 50.00$ 75.00$

Volunteer Discount - 10 hours of service 80.00$

Volunteer Discount - 5 hours of service 40.00$

Name Tag 10.00$

Early Bird Registration Discount9 15.00-$

Installment Fee for Adult and New Curler Full Seasons 10, 11 -$ 10.00$ 15.00$ -$

Draw for 2019/20 Membership Fee 10.00$

Table Notes

10. Deep River has a 3- equal payment plan: Oct. 30, Dec. 15, and Jan 15 and does not charge an installment fee

11. Eganville charges a $50 surcharge for membership dues that are paid after January 1; applies to current and new members

You

th

6. Non-members can spare for $15/game in Pembroke (limit 7 games) and Deep River; in Arnprior, sparing policy applies to Half Season and Once/week curlers; after

3 games/half season, they pay spare fee of $25.

1. Friday night league in Arnprior is impacted by weekend bonspiels; 15 weeks only

2. Special leagues in Pembroke include: Friday night, Saturday morning, Sunday morning and Sunday evening leagues

3. In Deep River; New Curlers pay a sliding fee for first 3 years that is 45%, 60% then 75% of full fee. In year 4, full fee applies

4. In Pembroke, Learn to Curl graduates can join the Sunday evening league or weekday leagues for fees of $100-150.

5. In Eganville, Learn to Curl fees can be credited towards membership.

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7. In Pembroke, the Capital Levy is mandatory for seniors, regular, special and new curler membership categories; all other curlers are exempt.

8. Non-Volunteer Levy does not apply to New Curlers in Renfrew; all other Members in Renfrew, and all adult members in Deep River must volunteer or pay levy/tax

9. Arnprior has 3 payment plan: Nov. 1, Dec. 1, and Jan. 1 for a $10 installment surcharge


5. SWOT Summary

The summary of the PCC’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) is given in Table 10. The entries are the result of the internal and external environmental analyses above.

Table 10: SWOT Analysis Summary

INTERNAL

STR

ENG

THS

S1 The project to install a lift and main floor washroom is funded. It will provide accessibility for all who come to the PCC.

W1 Communication between the Board and its members is inadequate, and relations between the Board and the Senior and Youth associations could be improved.

WEA

KN

ESSE

S

S2 The PCC has a relatively stable membership overall, and in the primary senior, regular and youth membership classes. The rate structure addresses the wide demographic of PCC curlers.

W2 Relatively few dedicated volunteers are carrying the bulk of the load for tasks that enable PCC operations. Volunteer needs and roles are not fully documented.

S3 The subscription rates for the wide-ranging curling leagues and organized programs is indicative of an engaged community of curlers.

W3 Governance has weak spots: The Board has not set its business goals or objectives. Performance expectations for contract staff are not tied to PCC priorities. Committees are not formed as By-Laws require. Meeting notices and minutes are not posted timely-enough.

S4 There is good ice quality, the ice plant is in decent condition, and maintenance needs and priorities are well understood.

W4 There is minimal documentation as to the duties/expectations of Directors. Turnover of Board members (every 2 years) does not always result in effective knowledge transfers.

S5 The Senior and Youth Associations are active and committed to ensuring their members’ needs are met.

W5 The PCC website is complicated to operate, difficult to revise, and at times, challenging to navigate/ find information.

S6 The Learn-to-Curl (L2C) program that fosters/feeds PCC membership is flourishing.

W6 Business record-keeping practices are weak; membership data is challenging to analyse; sponsorship and rental records are not always archived.

S7 The PCC has demonstrated its ability to host successful regional and provincial curling competitions.

W7 The PCC décor is very dated; the kitchen requires electrical, lighting, and cooking appliance upgrades, and more broadly, the risk is increasing that the 51-year old facility will need major maintenance.

S8 Pembroke’s youth curling program produces teams that compete at a high level regionally and provincially.

W8. There is no organized effort or support at the club level for training members to become certified coaches or officials.

S9 The PCC is in a reasonable financial position with good attention paid to debt repayment

W9 Beverage and food services are limited in terms of the scope of offerings and hours of operation.


Table 10: SWOT Analysis Summary (cont’d.)

EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT

OP

PO

RTU

NIT

IES

O1 The design and implementation of a multi-faceted marketing & advertising strategy could raise the profile of curling and its health benefits, promote the PCC as a community asset, and grow hall/ice rentals, memberships, sponsorships, etc.

T1 Pembroke’s declining population and increasing median age poses threat for growth in PCC membership.

THR

EATS

O2 Youth and senior membership classes could be increased by bringing Rocks & Rings to schools; accessing grant for Grade 9 Try Day, promoting stick curling among seniors groups, and hosting “bring a friend” days.

T2 Changes to environmental legislation that drive lower carbon footprints and reduced waste generation could be costly or difficult to implement.

O3 The characteristics of the increasingly popular (mixed) doubles curling game could be used to attract new curlers in the 25-50 age bracket and new leagues.

T3 The relatively high number of curling clubs within a 45 minute drive of Pembroke makes the PCC vulnerable to membership leakage.

O4 Grants, sports-oriented donation programs, and refreshed fundraising initiatives could be pursued to grow PCC revenues for operations, programs, and member services; to purchase new rocks for Sheets 1 & 4; and to fund capital projects.

T4 The laws and social stigma associated with impaired driving, and the limited availability of taxis to service rural areas, will reduce participation in social events and decrease revenue from bar sales.

O5 Implementation of proven best practices for keeping ice clean, and the installation of a dehumidifier could substantially improve ice quality, and extend the curling season.

T5 Changes to Ontario regulations concerning public health could impose restrictions on how the kitchen is used for some events.

O6 Strategic partnerships with the City of Pembroke and other entities with shared goals could lead to greater PCC success and on shorter timelines.

O7 Growing the PCC’s capacity to host regional play-downs and other high-calibre curling events could provide significant economic benefits for the PCC and the community at large.


6. PCC Goals & Objectives

Based on the aims and objectives of the PCC as set out in its By-Laws, as well as the review of the current status of the PCC, options as outlined in plans for other curling facilities, and information gathered from members and other sources, it is recommended that the PCC adopt the following goals. These goals aim to ensure the PCC remains sustainable over the Long-term, providing social and competitive curling opportunities for its members and serving as a hub for healthy activity in the community.

Quick Wins:

Items that are either very time sensitive or that will have an immediate impact on the members; i.e. low-hanging fruit; are identified as Quick Wins. Acting on these items will demonstrate that the PCC Board is listening to the ideas brought forward by the membership. Thirteen actions were identified as Quick Wins; however, the following three are those that could have a near-immediate impact:

a. Make timely postings of notices of meetings of the PCC Board, and records (minutes) of Board meetings and decisions, in both print and electronic formats. (Starting April/20)

b. Establish regular communication channels outside of PCC Board meetings for leadership representatives of the Senior and Youth associations to discuss opportunities for cooperation and collaboration and needs for support, resolve issues and share successes and plans. (Apr. 20/20)

c. Review the need for a Board of Director position to be responsible for the coordination and oversight of the significant volunteer component of PCC operations. (by 2020 AGM)

Excluding the Quick Wins above (priority 1), Table 11 below lists the Goals and Objectives and their respective priorities and time horizons:

1 – Quick Win

2 – Near-term/Soon

3 – Mid-term

4 – Distant

5 – Long-term

The underpinning actions for the goals and objectives are provided in Appendix L.







Table 11: Goals, Related Objectives and Time Horizons

1 Build and sustain a stable and active PCC membership base that is reflective of our community.

1.1 Raise the profile of the sport of curling, and welcome the public to join the PCC 4-Distant

1.2 Provide a range of registration fees and payment options 3-Mid-term

1.3 Create and secure electronic records of membership 2-Near-term

1.4 Provide members with the opportunity to provide timely input and feedback. 2-Near-term

2 Implement best business practices in the management and operation of the PCC.

2.1 Ensure governance of the PCC is aligned with current and emerging requirements and remains accountable to PCC membership

3-Mid-term

2.2 Formalize and recognize the important roles of PCC volunteers. 2-Near-term

2.3 Improve relations between/among the primary PCC membership classes (e.g. seniors, juniors, regulars) and their respective leadership teams.

2-Near-term

2.4 Adopt marketing and advertising best practices in promoting the PCC 3-Mid-term

2.5 Manage the PCC to achieve short and Long-term financial stability 3-Mid-term

2.6 Keep PCC members informed of goals, results, problems, needs, and events 2-Near-term

2.7 Build and sustain strategic relationships and partnerships with the City of Pembroke, Renfrew County, Curling Associations and other parties that could markedly impact the business operations of the PCC.

2-Near-term

2.8 Provide food service to meet the needs of PCC members, guests and renters. 2-Near-term

2.9 Ensure the PCC’s physical and electronic assets, members and volunteers are protected and secure.

3-Mid-term

3 Maintain high quality curling facilities and provide social events to maximize members’

enjoyment of the PCC.

3.1 Implement practices to maintain high quality curling ice. 2-Near-term

3.2 Provide incentives for members and their guests to go to the PCC for reasons other than curling.

3-Mid-term

3.3 Capitalize on the growing trend of mixed/open doubles curling. 2-Near-term

3.4 Provide the equipment that curler’s need to enable social and competitive curling. 4-Distant

3.5 Provide the opportunity for curlers to develop new skills 3-Mid-term

4 Provide a modern, efficient, comfortable, and clean clubhouse and ancillary facilities.

4.1 In conjunction with the barrier-free project, undertake a separately funded modernization of the décor on upper and lower levels to make the facility more attractive and useful to its members and potential renters (e.g. business, social).

4-Distant

4.2 Ensure the PCC is well maintained and the risk of serious, unexpected breakdown of critical systems/equipment and/or of regulatory non-compliance is managed.

2-Near-term


5 Honour past curling traditions and forge new traditions by welcoming the broader curling community to the PCC.

5.1 Build the organizational capability to host major curling events at the PCC with the goal of hosting 3-4 events of increasing profile over the next 10 years.

5-Long-term

5.2 In conjunction with updates to the PCC facilities (objective 4.1), undertake a project to preserve the history of curling in Pembroke.

3-Mid-term

5.3 In 2022, celebrate the 150th anniversary of curling in Pembroke, Ontario. 3-Mid-term


7. Resourcing of Goals, Objectives and Actions

The resourcing of the aforementioned goals and objectives, and the 83 underpinning actions set out in Appendix L will inevitably require multiple sources, as described below and illustrated in Figure 4.

The majority of the improvements relate to club management and operations, and primarily require human capital to implement. Board Members and other interested volunteers drawn from the PCC membership would be the main resources needed to execute 78% of the actions (65 in total). Hence, it is strongly recommended that a volunteer program be established early on and that the Board establish a Director position that would be responsible for this program.

About 31 of the above-noted 65 actions, while substantially volunteer labour-driven, are also expected to require small sums of money (in the order of a 100’s of dollars each) to implement. It is assumed that the associated funds will be fairly readily accessible.

The minority of actions – 22%, 18 actions in all - would require discernable financial resources to implement. These are largely expected to be fundable from ordinary PCC revenue streams and should be taken into consideration when annual budgets are set. To accomplish a few of the actions, however, extraordinary financing sources such as focused fundraising campaigns, grants, or donation programs will inevitably be needed. These primarily relate to actions where the PCC will need to acquire substantial goods and materials or expert professional services.

Figure 4: Resourcing for Goals

The distribution of actions in terms of their recommended priorities and completion timeframes is given in Figure 5. Of the 83 total actions, 46 of them (55%) are deemed Near-term/Soon Priority 2 actions; i.e. due between July 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021. There are also 13 actions (16%) tagged as Quick Wins Priority 1 and due by the end of June, 2020. A further 17 actions (20%) are suggested to be Mid-term Priority 3 with completion in the 18-month window

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Mix of Volunteer Labour & Financial Resources

All or Almost All VolunteerLabour

Mostly Volunteer Labourwith Some Financial

Mostly Financial with SomeVolunteer Labour

All or Almost All Financial


ending December 31, 2022. The remaining 7 actions fall in the Distant 4, Long-term 5 and Completed classifications.

Figure 5: Distribution of Action Priorities

With so many actions reliant on volunteer labour, it will be imperative to ensure they are appropriately resourced and sequenced. An important next step is to quantify the resources required for each of the actions, with the initial focus on those occurring in the next 18 months.

8.

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Action Timing Recommendations

1 Quick Win (by Jun 30/20)

2 Near/SoonJul 1/20- Jun 30/21

3 Mid-termJul 1/21 - Dec. 31/22

4 DistantJan. 1/23 - Dec. 31/25

5 Long-termJan. 1/26-Dec. 31/30

6 Completed

Distribution of Actions by Priority Classification


Health Organization on March 11, 2020 and continues as this





8. Conclusions & Recommendations

The Strategic Plan was developed to help the PCC’s Board of Directors plan and manage the operations of the curling club. Since there was no such plan already in place, this Plan could serve as a blueprint for the consideration of short, Mid-term and long-range goals and objectives that aim to help the PCC satisfy its aims and objectives, as set out in its By-Laws.

This Plan incorporates input from PCC members, Board and Contract staff that was obtained from a Member Survey, Interviews, and Focus Group Sessions. It also relies on extensive online research that included searches of best practices for curling club survival and rejuvenation, varying membership practices and fee structures, supports/tools provided by Canadian curling associations, grant programs, etc.

A SWOT analysis was performed to frame the PCC’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, as gleaned from analyses of the internal and external environments. In turn, these informed the setting of goals, objectives and actions, as fully set out in Appendix L of this Plan. Collectively, these actions address the elements that are central and essential to the success of the PCC. In Figure 6 below, the three-legged stool image is meant to symbolize how all of the parts contribute to that success.

Figure 6: Priorities for the PCC Curling Centre

Mem

bers

hip


A variety of resources will be required to carry out the overall action plan, many of which will be in the form of human capital and best drawn from those with the greatest stake in their completion: the PCC membership. As such, it is highly recommended that the actions to establish a formal volunteer program, and to recognize the immense contributions of volunteers by establishing a Board position, be given high priority.

Financial resources (operating, capital, grants, donation programs, new fundraising, etc.) are also recommended to be budgeted as part of annual PCC planning efforts.

Finally, in keeping with Members’ desire to remain informed, it is recommended that there be regular Board reporting to the entire membership on plans and progress related to the goals, objectives, actions and timelines as set out in this Plan and/or adopted by the Board.


Appendix A: Member Questionnaire Results Summary

In the fall of 2019 PCC members were asked to complete a survey with 10 questions to provide feedback on many aspects of the curling club. Fifty-one members provided feedback. With 292 people registered in 2019/20, this response represents a 17% overall participation rate.

Among those who responded, there was a good cross-section of ages and length of membership:

8% were aged 25 and younger, 18% between ages 25 and 45, 25% between ages 46 and 60 and 49% aged 60 and older.

29% of respondents have been members less than 5 years, 29% between 5 and 10 years, 24% between 10 and 20 years and 18% have been members for more than 20 years.

60% were female and 40% were male.

On the question of why members chose to curl, the primary reasons are to support a healthy lifestyle, to socialize with others, for the competitive aspects of the game and to improve their skills. Over the next 5 years, 87% of those who replied expect to curl the same number of times a week or even increase the times they curl. Only 13% expected to be curling less or not at all.

Members receive information from multiple sources – bulletin boards, Facebook, the PCC website, word of mouth, and the membership directory – however, concerns were raised about a lack of consistent communication, difficulty using the website, and the disorder/messiness of bulletin boards.

They also expressed a need to see various types of information. This includes league information (teams, spares, schedules, scores, convenors, etc.), club news (events, news, clinics, etc.), bonspiel information (details and sign-up sheets), information from the Board (meetings, minutes, etc.) and also updates from the Ottawa Valley Curling Association.

When asked to consider what they liked least about the PCC, members offered many ideas as to what should change. Among the suggestions were:

Make the building accessible and add an accessible washroom on main hall level

Renovate the décor of the upper hall and lower lounge

Improve the lighting

Make improvements to the parking lot (pavement, better salting/sanding, lighting)

Provide cleaner curling ice

Offer healthy food options at the bar and potentially in the kitchen

Offer energy drinks and better beverage selection at the bar

Organize more non-curling social events at the club

Openly communicate the fundraising objectives/goals; funds raised to date, events

Make the website more user friendly and make use of other social media options to improve communication


Utilize technology to survey members to get feedback on a variety of initiatives/bonspiels, etc. (e.g. purchase Survey Monkey)

To attract new members, retain current members, and convert L2C graduates to members, there were many suggestions including: review of membership fee structure and payment options, promoting/advertising the sport to all ages and to various groups (schools, military, Chalk River) and creation of a mentorship program to assist newer curlers and L2C graduates.

Members expressed concerns about the need for more volunteers to support various activities at the club such as convening leagues or bartending.

Members also saw value in increasing hall rentals to generate more funds, however, concern was expressed that renovations would be needed to support this initiative.

The following are summarized results from key questions from the survey.


Appendix B: Focus Group Discussion: Questions/Input, Participants, Moderators

Questions & Input:

1

Q: What kinds of volunteer work have you done?

A: Wide variety of volunteer experience – fundraising, canvassing, coaching, bartending, board members of other community organizations, coordinating activities, administration work

2

Q: What does the notion of volunteering mean to you?

A: Giving of time and expertise/talents, help others, give back to community, social aspect, non-monetary rewards, provide leadership, learn new skills

3

Q: What are the primary influencers, why did you volunteer?

A: To fill a need/could see benefits, had time and skills, personal fulfillment, try something new, mentoring opportunity, social aspect/meet new people, giving back, could see more help was needed, was asked to volunteer, family history of volunteering

4

Q: What are the reasons you stopped volunteering?

A: Time commitment, internal politics, not/under-appreciated, same people always volunteering, I’ve done my share, burn out, not right for me, lack of communication of expectations, not fun anymore

5

Q: How are volunteers recruited at PCC?

A: Word of mouth, approached by committee chair, email requests, sign-up sheets on bulletin board or at bar, convenor announcements before/after game, face-to-face invitation, table at registration

6

Q: How can PCC improve volunteer recruitment practices?

A: Acknowledge volunteers, have information session/what’s needed (tasks, expectations, time commitment, roles/responsibilities, job descriptions), have a volunteer committee/board member to champion, enticement (reduce fees/draw for a prize), multiple methods of communication (social media), utilize website as database of tasks/roles/signup, provide training e.g. Smart Serve

7

Q: What are your views about PCC creating a mandatory volunteering program with financial incentives (volunteer or pay extra fee)?

A: Negative approach/volunteering is not a mandatory aspect of curling, might lose members, communicating this initiative is KEY, discuss at AGM and get member feedback, need more publicity about the need for volunteers


8

Q: When you completed a volunteer task, at PCC or elsewhere, what kind of recognition did you receive?

A: Award, lunch, plaque, gift card, thank you card, personal thank you

9

Q: What do you believe PCC should adopt to recognize/thank volunteers?

A: Dinner for volunteers, raise awareness of volunteers to attract more, personal thank you note at end of year, post volunteer list on website/Facebook/Bulletin Boards/Emails to members, track volunteer efforts, periodic draws (new broom, bar chit, parking spot at front entrance for a month), nominate volunteer for City of Pembroke civic award, verbal thank you at club

10

Q: Based on the discussion, what do you believe was the most important insight you heard?

A: Need a volunteer coordinator/committee to strengthen recognition (on the BOD), communication and organization/what’s needed and when, need clear job descriptions, need better communication, need to get the message out (subtly yet clearly) that PCC needs more volunteers to continue to succeed, mentorship, acknowledgement, need to act soon

11

Q: Is there anything not discussed that you believe is highly relevant to attracting and sustaining volunteers at PCC?

A: Volunteering creates a sense of community at PCC, volunteering can be fun, takes a great deal of effort to organize/plan/manage volunteers successfully, many volunteers are getting older so need a mentoring process to transfer skills/knowledge

Participants:

Leanne Cheliak Sheila Handke Scott Murray Keith Selle

Jane Duff Mary Lou Hansen Christine Reavie Leann Selle

Karen Gallinger Amber Luloff Mel Ready Mary Smeltzer

Garry Gervais Dorothy Martin Janet Ryan Dick Trumble

Moderators/Recorders:

Christine Fahey Sharon Andrews


Appendix C: People Interviewed in Depth

Bill Cheliak PCC President

Brian Mueller PCC Director, Finance

Rick Lomore PCC Director, Membership

Cindy Van Loan PCC Director, Games

Dennis Lafreniere PCC Director, Property

Mike Alexander Former PCC Director, Property

Brian Gardner PCC Bar Manager

Mark Lawrence PCC Ice Technician

Joanne O’Connor PCC Fundraising Chairperson

Lorraine Robertson PCC Kitchen Coordinator

Keith Selle PCC Long-time Member

Leann Selle PCC Long-time Member


Appendix D: Research Sources

Curling Club Websites:

Pembroke Curling Centre St. Catharines Curling Club

Arnprior Curling Club Delta Thistle Curling Club

Renfrew Curling Club Idlerton Curling Club

Carleton Place Curling Club Baie D’Urfe Curling Club

Kingston Curling Club Fergus Curling Club

Dixie Curling Club St. Albert Curling Club

Barrie Curling Club York Curling Club

Comox Valley Curling Club Brampton Curling Club

Appleton Curling Club Deep River Curling & Squash Club

Curling Association Websites/Networks:

Ontario Curling Association (Curl ON) Curling Canada

Ottawa Valley Curling Association Nova Scotia Curling Association

Ottawacurling.com Ontario Curling Council

Online News Media Sources:

Globe & Mail Global News

Toronto Star CBC News

Advertiser News Battleford Now

Other Sources of Information, Reports, etc.

City of Pembroke website, employees and elected officials

Seniors Curling Association Letters Patent and By-Laws

Statistic Canada Census Data, 2016 and 2011 Pembroke Curling Centre Inc. By-Laws

University of Waterloo, Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies

OVCA presentation: Managing and Marketing Your Online Presence

Curl Canada Business Plan & Annual Report 2019


Appendix E: PCC Registration Form 2019/20


Appendix F: PCC Hall and Ice Rental Form


Appendix G: PCC Financial Statements for 2018/19


Appendix H: Sample Advertising for New Leagues & 50+ Curling Instruction


Appendix I: Fundraising Ideas

Progressive 50/50 Draw Bingo Book sale

Catch/Chase the Ace Yard sale Casino night

Donated prize raffles Pizza sales on Friday night Grey Cup pool / raffle

Gift basket draws Paint night/day Stanley cup party

Closest to the Button Contents Cash calendars Chicken and wine bonspiel

Skills Contests Comedy night Chili and Ribs fundraiser

Poinsettia sales Car Rally Dances, Christmas party

Annual community bonspiel Euchre tournaments Pull tickets

Annual Fundraising Gourmet Dinner and Dance

Bocce ball tournaments Dinner every Friday night

Video Lottery Terminals Golf tournament Poker nights

Annual themed gala with silent auction

Donation tree “leaves” at differing values - $200, $350, $500, $1000

Donations from community organizations

In memoriam donation requests for deceased members

Donations from local businesses including gift cards

Member donations through tax receipted programs

Estate gifting by members Flea market Horse races

Vacation/trip raffle Hosting major events Grants

Live auctions of donated items Open mic events / talent shows Personalized mugs

Raffles on Toronto Blue Jays game tickets, hockey tickets, etc.

Quiz/Trivia nights Meat sale/ Steak sale/ Chicken Pot Pie Sale/ Sausage Sale

Money from recycling metal, batteries, and electronics

Summer barbecue Bake sale

New Year’s Eve party Wine and food tastings Fashion show

Selling rock sponsorship Bottle drives Super Bowl party


Appendix J: Sample Promotion Product for Recruitment (Curling Canada)


Appendix K: Sample Project Funded Through NSTF-Ontario Donation Program


Appendix L: Listing of Overarching Goals, Related Objectives and Underpinning Actions

Overarching Goals:



3 Maintain high quality curling facilities and provide social events to maximize members’ enjoyment of the PCC.


5 Honour past curling traditions and forge new ones by welcoming the broader curling community to the PCC.

For each of the goals above, there are related objectives, and for each objective, one or more underpinning actions. Each action in the Appendix L pages that follow has been assigned one of the following priorities, per the table below.

Action Priorities and Associated Completion Timeframes

Priority Action Completion Timeframe

1 Immediately/Quickly: by the end of June/20

2 Near-term/Soon: by the end of June/21

3 Mid-term: by the end of December/22

4 Distant: by the end of December/25

5 Long-term: by the end of December/30






Pembroke Curling Centre Strategic Plan P a g e | 56 Revision R0 Goals, Related Objectives, & Underpinning Actions:


1.1 Raise the profile of the sport of curling, and welcome the public to join the PCC Completion Date

1.1.1 Hold free open houses and demonstrations near the beginning and end of curling

seasons. Advertise widely and leverage OVCA/Curl On tools. Send invitations to community groups and organizations with large memberships.

2-Near-Term

Apr. /21

1.1.2 Work with school boards to offer the Egg Farmer’s Rocks & Rinks program to

elementary students.

4-Distant

Apr./23

1.1.3 Host a Tim Horton’s sponsored Hit Tap Draw competition for youth curlers in Renfrew

County and invite the public and media to come and see the best “Next Gen” curlers.

2-Near-Term

Apr. /21

1.1.4 Work with the Pembroke Lumber Kings to have a curling demonstration during an

intermission of a junior hockey game.

3-Mid-term

Sept. 30/21

1.1.5 Broaden advertising of curling and the PCC through online and conventional media

channels, and in the City of Pembroke’s recreational advertising (see also objective 2.4)

2-Near-Term

Sept. 30/20

1.2 Provide a range of registration fees and payment options Completion Date

1.2.1

Review registration fee structure, fees charged for member classes and leagues, discounts offered, capital levies, optional surcharges, etc. to ensure they remain competitive with Renfrew County competitors and fairly priced for the services offered, and responsive to the PCC By-Law No. 1 aims and objectives.

3-Mid-term

Jul. 30/21

1.2.2 Review current payment options and explore opportunities for expanding payment

terms (timing, number of payment plan instalments, payment forms) while ensuring PCC operational cash flow and accounting requirements are met.

3-Mid-term

Jul. 30/21

1.3 Create and secure electronic records of membership Completion Date

1.3.1 Redesign the PCC registration form to collect more discrete information, including

volunteer interests, and convert to a PDF fillable format that links to a database.

1-Immediately

June 30/20

1.3.2 Communicate the ease and security of online registration and promote its use by new

and current members as a means to generate electronic records and facilitate tracking.

2-Near-Term

Aug. 30/20

1.3.3 Leverage the availability of electronic and online registration records to update the

PCC website data needed by members by early November.

2-Near-Term

Oct. 30/20, annually

1.3.4 Analyze membership data annually to identify changes and trends, and use this data

to inform decisions on membership recruitment, curling offerings, etc.

2-Near-Term

Apr. 30/21, Annually

1.4 Provide members with the opportunity to provide timely input and feedback. Completion Date

1.4.1 Purchase a Survey Monkey subscription to enable quick and easy engagement of PCC

Membership.

2-Near-Term

Sept. 30/20


1.4.2 Conduct surveys on new and/or proposed changes to curling, programs and facilities

that affect members.

2-Near-Term

Oct. 30/20

Twice annually

1.4.3 Conduct surveys following bonspiels to solicit members’ feedback regarding

opportunities to improve offerings, timing, food, etc. 2

2-Near-Term

Starting Oct. 25/20



2.1 Ensure governance of the PCC is aligned with current and emerging requirements and remains accountable to PCC membership

Completion Date

2.1.1

Review the composition of the Board of Directors and the allocation of responsibilities among Board members, to ensure all accountabilities relevant to club management and operation are addressed in position descriptions and that the responsibilities are reasonably and fairly distributed.

2-Near-Term

By June/21 AGM meeting

2.1.2 Mitigate the risk of loss of corporate knowledge by staggering the turnover of

members that hold elected Board positions and consider increasing the term of the President from current 2 years to 3 years for continuity purposes.

2-Near-Term

Before June/21 AGM meeting

2.1.3 Make timely postings of meeting notices for the PCC Board, and records (minutes)

of Board meetings, decisions, and By-Laws in both print and electronic formats.

1-Immediately

Starting April/20

2.1.4 Review/update the By-Laws and Strategic Plan of the PCC periodically. Engage

membership on material changes that may affect its interests. Post revisions to By-Laws and Strategic Plan.

3-Mid-term

Aug./21

Bi-annually

2.2 Formalize and recognize the important roles of PCC volunteers. Completion Date

2.2.1 Review the need for a Board of Director position to be responsible for the

coordination and oversight of the significant volunteer component of PCC operations. (See objective 2.1.1 above).

1-Immediately

Before June/20 AGM meeting

2.2.2

Design and launch the PCC Volunteer Program and implement as follows:

a) Form a team to design and implement the volunteer program 2-Near-Term

Sept. 1/20

b) Identify the existing and new volunteer roles / services required and for each role/service, define the: range of tasks, skills/knowledge needed, training provided, frequency and duration, working conditions, etc.

2-Near-Term

Mar. 31/21

c) Collect information from members regarding their volunteer interests, skills and expertise and match these to the operational needs;

2-Near-Term

Jan. 31/21

d) Roster volunteers for specific tasks, events, projects, etc.;

2-Near-Term

Feb. 28/21, annually

e) Seek feedback from volunteers on their PCC volunteer experiences and make changes, as necessary;

2-Near-Term

Mar. 31/21, annually

f) Ensure the value and efforts of volunteers are appropriately recognized.

2-Near-Term

Mar. 31/21, annually



2.2.3 Review the existing volunteer bartending service by consulting with the current

cadre of volunteers and the Bar Manager. Key elements include closing of till, working conditions; level of personal risk/accountability.

2-Near-Term

Dec. 18/20

2.3 Improve relations between/among the primary PCC membership classes (e.g. seniors, juniors, regulars) and their respective leadership teams.

Completion Date

2.3.1

Establish regular communication channels outside of PCC Board meetings for leadership representatives of the Senior and Youth associations to discuss opportunities for cooperation and collaboration and needs for support, resolve issues and share successes and plans.

1-Immediately

Apr. 30/20

2.3.2 Ensure club opening and closing bonspiels, curling clinics, major fundraisers, and

other key events in the PCC seasonal calendar are designed to be inclusive, where all members are not only allowed to participate but actively encouraged to do so.

2-Near-Term

Oct. 9/20

2.3.3 Strike a joint committee to celebrate Curling Day in Canada (Feb. 27, 2021).

2-Near-Term

Oct. 9/20

Annually

2.4 Adopt marketing and advertising best practices in promoting the PCC Completion Date

2.4.1 Appoint a qualified person to design a marketing and advertising strategy for the

PCC that employs traditional and online methods.

2-Near-Term

June 30/21

2.4.2 Designate one or more people to implement the marketing and advertising strategy

to feed into and support the membership registration campaign, the solicitation of sponsors, hall and ice rental activities, etc. led by others.

3-Mid-term

Aug. 30/21

2.5 Manage the PCC to achieve short and long-term financial stability Completion Date

2.5.1 Ensure all revenues and expenses are tracked in appropriate detail in the ledger.

Ensure financial presentations clearly and plainly communicate financial status.

1-Immediately

Apr. 30/20 ongoing

2.5.2 Undertake a bottoms-up review of the condition of all capital assets and major

equipment and systems (in the club house and ice plant) to ensure the capital maintenance and replacement costs and schedules are documented.

2-Near-Term

For June/21 AGM

2.5.3 Ensure fundraising campaigns, fee structures & rates, capital levies, grant and

donation initiatives, debt repayments, etc. duly consider ongoing operational needs and capital asset requirements.

3-Mid-term

July 31/21

2.5.4 Provide transparency in the reporting of PCC financial status to members. Ensure

annual reports presented at the AGM are sufficiently detailed and provide information in “plain speak” so that the majority of members will understand.

1-Immediately

For June/20 AGM

2.5.5 Assess the benefits and costs of engaging a PCC Club Manager to manage all aspects

of operation and supervision of the contract staff.

3-Mid-term

Jan. 31/22

2.5.6 Review the merits of having PCC participants attend the annual Curling Canada

seminar “The Business of Curling” and/or other business-relevant courses.

3-Mid-term

Jan. 31/22



2.6 Keep PCC members informed of goals, results, problems, needs, and events Completion Date

2.6.1 Address the PCC website challenges, including the difficulties for managing the

website, navigating the website to find information, keeping content current (archiving stale items), etc.

2-Near-Term

Oct. 31/20

2.6.2 Establish a periodical newsletter (or equivalent) to keep members apprised of

developments and plans for the PCC and distribute in print and electronic formats.

2-Near-Term

Sept. 1/20

2.6.3 Continue to adopt and adapt to technology changes that support communication.

2-Near-Term

Sept. 30/20

As required

2.6.4 Provide orientation and/or training sessions for members on the use of the PCC

website, Facebook page and Club Manager app.

2-Near-Term

Nov. 30/20

2.7 Build and sustain strategic relationships and partnerships with the City of Pembroke, Renfrew County, Curling Associations and other parties that could markedly impact the business operations of the PCC.

Completion Date

2.7.1 Establish annual meeting protocol with the City of Pembroke and Renfrew County

managers responsible for recreation and health and financial matters.

2-Near-Term

Aug. 31/20

2.7.2 Attend meetings of Ottawa Valley Curling Association, Curl ON, etc. and identify

opportunities that could benefit the PCC and/or its members.

1-Immediately

June 30/20

ongoing

2.7.3 Work with Renfrew County to establish the Warden’s annual curling bonspiel (akin

to Warden’s annual golf tournament) for elected officials and staff.

2-Near-Term

Mar. 31/21

2.8 Provide food service to meet the needs of PCC members, guests and renters. Completion Date

2.8.1 Prepare a business case that examines alternative operating models for the PCC

kitchen, ranging from the current volunteer operation to a fully subcontracted commercial service (see also objective 4.1.5).

2-Near-Term

Oct. 31/20

2.9 Ensure the PCC’s physical and electronic assets, members and volunteers are protected and secure.

Completion Date

2.9.1 Review the adequacy of the current level of protection for PCC physical assets and

member’s personal property, and present recommendations for security upgrades within and outside of the building and insurance coverages.

2-Near-Term

Sept. 30/20

2.9.2 Conduct regular reviews of the electronic assets of the PCC and ensure safeguards

against cyber threats remain robust and protective.

3-Mid-term

Sept. 30/21, Quarterly

2.9.3 Review the risks to volunteers who may work alone, particularly on weekends or at

night, and recommend measures to ensure their personal safety.

2-Near-Term

Oct. 30/20



3.1 Implement practices to maintain high quality curling ice. Completion Date

3.1.1 Establish a new protocol for the mandatory removal of outer (street) footwear at

the entrance of the PCC and provide facilities (e.g. cubbies) for their neat storage. 2-Near-Term

Sept. 30/20

3.1.2 On both end boards in the ice hall, replace carpeting with removable runners and

rebuild the sub-structure with hatches to improve access to piping below. 2-Near-Term

Aug. 31/20

3.1.3

Communicate to all curlers (members, out-of-town curlers, and renters), the requirements to use the Boot Boy to clean curling shoes and to tread on the sticky mats in order to keep the ice clean. Grippers should be cleaned periodically and replaced if worn. Post signs, make announcements at the start of season/bonspiels, and incorporate in rental contracts.

2-Near-Term

Oct. 8/20, annually

3.1.4 Provide more waste buckets and brushes for the cleaning of brooms. Hang brush

handles on the buckets themselves to prevent their separation. Add buckets/brushes on sheets 1 and 4 at mid-ice benches.

2-Near-Term

Oct. 1/20

3.1.5 Ensure the contract for the Ice Technician includes specific requirements for

cleaning, scraping and maintenance, and the related frequencies. 1-Immediately

June 30/20

3.1.6 Ensure proposed changes to curling requirements or club facilities that could impact

the quality of the ice are discussed with the Ice Technician well in advance. 2-Near-Term

Sept. 1/20

3.2 Provide incentives for members and their guests to go to the PCC for reasons other than curling.

Completion Date

3.2.1 Establish a Fun Committee to take the lead for organizing a monthly social night

(e.g. cards, trivia, games, open mic, etc.) with light food offerings and live or streamed music.

2-Near-Term

Oct. 31/20

3.2.2 Improve the lounge atmosphere by playing music, and changing up the bar offerings

to include seasonal craft brews, drink-of-the-month specials, better quality wines, and a wider selection of non-alcoholic beers and cocktails.

3-Mid-term

Oct. 31/21

3.2.3 Purchase a big screen TV (75-85”), comfortable seating and organize watching

parties for major curling and other sporting events (e.g. Super Bowl, Stanley Cup final, etc. (Consider in conjunction with Objectives 4.1.1 – 4.1.3)

3-Mid-term

Dec. 31/21

3.3 Capitalize on the growing trend of mixed/open doubles curling. Completion Date

3.3.1 Build on the success of the Friday morning doubles league by offering one or more

weeknight evening offerings. 1-Immediately

June 30/20

3.3.2 Install washers or painted circles in the ice to enable accurate placement of rocks

for doubles curling, including the various power play options. 2-Near-Term

Sept./20

3.3.3 Hold clinics to introduce members to doubles curling and to discern the main

differences from traditional 4-person team curling. 2-Near-Term

Oct. 15/20

3.3.4 Organize a mixed doubles bonspiel that bring together senior, regular and junior

members and promote interclub play in the Ottawa Valley. 2-Near-Term

March 30/21



3.4 Provide the equipment that curler’s need to enable social and competitive curling. Completion Date

3.4.1 Remove and replace/repair equipment and tools that are broken or damaged,

including brooms, stabilizers, measuring devices, sliders, grippers, etc. and increase the number of sticks so there are two on each sheet of ice (one each end).

2-Near-Term

Oct. 8/20

3.4.2 Work with Goldline, Hogline or other suppliers to provide samples of equipment

and protective headgear for members/renters to use or trial. 2-Near-Term

Oct. 8/20

3.4.3 Install cameras and video terminals at the far end of the ice hall on each sheet of

ice, to enable curlers to see the house at the window end of the ice hall. 3-Mid-term

Oct. 8/21

3.4.4 Complete a fundraising or donation campaign and replace the curling stones on

Sheets 1 and 4 over a three-year period. 4-Distant

Apr. 23/23

3.4.5 Create an inventory of donated used shoes for new curlers (L2C, renters) to use. 1-Immediately

Start now, ongoing

3.5 Provide the opportunity for curlers to develop new skills Completion Date

3.5.1 Host curling clinics and seminars for L2C graduates and other curlers with limited

experience to further develop their skills and knowledge of the game.

2-Near-Term

Dec. 1/20, ongoing

3.5.2 Host curling clinics and seminars for intermediate and advanced level curlers to

sharpen their skills and knowledge of the game; e.g. angle raises, directional sweeping, come-from-behind strategies.

2-Near-Term

Dec. 1/20

ongoing

3.5.3 Sponsor members who are interested in acquiring statistician skills, coaching

qualifications, etc. and willing to apply these voluntarily to meet PCC needs.

3-Mid-term

Aug. 31/21

3.5.4 Develop a mentoring program and find experienced curlers who are willing to be

matched to L2C graduates to help them as they transition into league play.

2-Near-Term

Nov. 30/20



4.1 In conjunction with the barrier-free project, undertake a separately funded modernization of the décor on upper and lower levels to make the facility more attractive and useful to its members and potential renters (e.g. business, social).

Completion Date

4.1.1 Form a team to lead a multi-phased renovation project to update the décor on the

upper and lower levels of the PCC (see also objective 3.2.3 and 5.2.1) Completed

4.1.2 Create a plan to update décor for the main hall to meet the needs of curlers and their

guests, and renters.

2-Near-Term

Aug. 31/20

4.1.3

Create a plan to update décor for:

a) The lower lounge to create a multi-use space, suitable for social events, small gatherings, business meetings/seminars, etc.

3-Mid-term

July 31/21

b) The locker rooms, clean and paint the walls, clean the floors, ensure locker tops are cleared of items no longer used by members.

3-Mid-term

July 31/21

d) The lower-level washrooms, potentially replace older low efficient toilets with new water efficient models.

3-Mid-term

July 31/21

e) The renovation of the kitchen, addressing known electrical, appliance, plumbing and space/layout issues (see also objective 2.8.1).

3-Mid-term

July 31/21

4.1.4

Implement the plan to update décor for:

a) The main hall to meet the needs of curlers and their guests, and renters. 3-Mid-term

Sept. 30/21

b) The lower lounge to create a multi-use space, suitable for social events, small gatherings, business meetings/seminars, etc.

3-Mid-term

Nov./22

4.1.5

Implement the plan to update décor for:

a) The locker rooms, clean and paint the walls, clean the floors, ensure locker tops are cleared of items no longer used by members.

4-Distant

Feb./23

b) The lower-level washrooms, potentially replace older low efficient toilets with new water efficient models.

4-Distant

Feb./23

c) The renovation of the kitchen, addressing known electrical, appliance, plumbing and space/layout issues (see also objective 2.8.1).

4-Distant

Apr./23

4.2 Ensure the PCC is well maintained and the risk of serious unexpected breakdown of critical systems and equipment is managed.

Completion Date

4.2.1

Prepare an inventory of all building systems and major equipment (mechanical, electrical, architectural, instrumentation, ice plant, etc.), together with their inspection frequencies and critical spare parts. Generate a checklist for the Property Committee to record the results of inspection and maintenance of building systems.

1-Immediately June 30/20

4.2.2

Conduct inspections of building systems and equipment, archive inspection records and make semi-annual reports to the Board of systems and equipment that need repair or replacement.

2-Near-Term

June 30/21 semi-annual

report.


5 Honour past curling traditions and forge new traditions by welcoming the broader curling community to the PCC.

5.1 Build the organizational capability to host major curling events at the PCC with the goal of hosting 3-4 events of increasing profile over the next 10 years.

Completion Date

5.1.1 Form a team to explore opportunities to host major curling events at the PCC. 2-Near-Term

Nov. 30/20

5.1.2 Reach out to the OVCA and its affiliates to identify opportunities for Pembroke to

host a regional play-down for an Ontario curling championship – could be ladies, men’s, mixed, youth, seniors, masters, stick, deaf, Special Olympics, etc.

2-Near-Term

Jan. 31/21

5.1.3 Within 3 years host a regional play-down for an Ontario curling championship (e.g.

Scotties or Tankard zone play-down)

4-Distant

Apr. 30/23

5.1.4 Within 5 years host an Ontario curling championship (e.g. Travelers’ Curling

Championship for Club Champions)

4-Distant

Apr. 30/25

5.1.5 Within 10 years, in conjunction with the City of Pembroke, host an Ontario Provincial

championship (e.g. Men’s/Women’s/Mixed, U-18, Juniors, Seniors, Masters, Grand Masters, Doubles).

5-Long-term

Apr. 30/30

5.2 In conjunction with updates to the PCC facilities (objective 4.1), undertake a project to preserve the history of curling in Pembroke.

Completion Date

5.2.1 Form a team to plan and carry out the project to preserve and display the history of

curling in Pembroke, Ontario. 1-Immediately

Apr. 30/20

5.2.2

Log/Inventory all of the curling memorabilia (e.g. photographs, trophies, banners, and other objects linked to important events) displayed and stored in the PCC. Set criteria for keeping, disposing or re-purposing memorabilia. Propose plans for physical displays, electronic albums, etc. as well as display schedules for the retained memorabilia. Ensure member interests and floor space requirements are considered.

2-Near-Term

Sept. 30/20

5.2.3 Build/Create displays of memorabilia and ensure their timely rotation (see actions

5.3.2 and 5.3.3 below).

3-Mid-term

Sept. 30/21

5.3 In 2022, celebrate the 150th anniversary of curling in Pembroke, Ontario. Completion Date

5.3.1 Form a team to plan and organize events to celebrate the 150th anniversary of curling

in Pembroke 1-Immediately

June/20

5.3.2 Create a plan of anniversary events for the 2021/22 & 2022/23 curling seasons (see

actions 5.2.2 and 5.2.3 above)

2-Near-Term

Dec. 1/20

5.3.3 Organize anniversary events and ensure they are well advertised and

captured/recorded as a significant event in the history of the PCC.

3-Mid-term

Nov. 30/21

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