North Bay’s sports tourism marketing push has produced a big reward.
The northeastern Ontario city will be hosting the world’s best women curlers in 2018.
Curling Canada and the World Curling Federation announced Dec. 6 that North Bay Memorial Gardens will be the site of the 2018 Ford World Women’s Curling Championship, March 17-25.
It’s the first time the city’s main arena has hosted a Curling Canada championship event, and the first time North Bay has hosted an international curling event.
The only other occasion Ontario has hosted such an event was in Hamilton in 1996.
“North Bay is curling country, so I know the 2018 Ford World Women’s Curling Championship is going to do very well; not just with the people in North Bay, but also with the entire Northern Ontario region,” said Peter Inch, chair of Curling Canada’s board of governors, in a release. “Working collaboratively with our friends at the World Curling Federation, I have every confidence that North Bay’s curling community and its amazing volunteers will put on a spectacular show.”
The 4,000-seat Gardens underwent a $16.2-million interior and exterior renovation to attract an Ontario Hockey League franchise from Brampton in 2013. It was a controversial upgrading project at the time due to cost overruns.
Since then the municipality has continued to invest in the 61-year-old Chippewa Street facility to market it as a multi-purpose venue for sports and conferences.
“We are extremely honoured to have been chosen to host the 2018 Ford World Women’s Curling Championship,” said North Bay Mayor Al McDonald, in a statement. “It is a great opportunity to showcase our beautiful community to the region as well as visitors attending from around the world. We are looking forward to treating everyone to a memorable week of women’s curling right here in the City of North Bay.”
