Moose Jaw has been buzzing with energy for months leading up to the Scotties Tournament of Hearts, and there are only a few more things left on the checklist before the tournament is ready to get started.
This week has been dedicated to transforming Mosaic Place from the Warriors’ home base into curling central.
Head ice technician Dave Merklinger — the man behind the Scotties' rinks each and every year — arrived with his team of volunteers on Feb. 10 to begin the process of building four sheets of curling ice on top of the existing hockey ice.
The ice-making crew is made of dedicated volunteers from around the country, who return every year to lay down the most vital piece of the entire tournament. Merklinger has laid the ice for the Scotties 17 times during the last few decades.
With logos installed, bunting in place, and that familiar blue carpet laid, the arena is expected to be ready for play by Feb. 13, just in time for some practise before the Wild Card qualifier game between Jennifer Jones and Tracey Fleury on Feb. 14.
Getting the ice in is actually one of the most precarious tasks during Scotties preparations, largely because it can be heavily affected by the weather. The crew will have to keep the arena’s temperature balanced to set the ice properly.
All of the other pieces — such as the TSN commentators' desk, the LED sideboards, the announcer’s desk — are being custom-built for the tournament and installed by Scotties volunteers and Mosaic Place Staff.
Luckily, because Moose Jaw previously hosted the tournament in 2015, building all those custom pieces has actually been easier on the crews since they have some knowledge of the arena.
The TSN crew will arrive on Feb. 12 to outfit Mosaic Place broadcasting equipment, and volunteers will begin their introductory tours before assuming their duties beginning Feb. 14.
This year’s tournament has over 400 volunteers helping, most of which are from the local area, but some of whom travel from out-of-province to lend a hand.
Athletes will begin arriving in the city as early as Feb. 12, to settle into Moose Jaw and grab some pre-competition practice time on the ice.
The national women’s curling competition is set to begin with opening ceremonies on Feb. 15, followed by the first draw of the tournament in the afternoon.
Ticket sales have been steady since the draws were set, said Scotties marketing coordinator Maddie Kelly, with a clear interest in draws that include Team Saskatchewan.
“We've noticed draws where Saskatchewan is playing, the tickets have been doing really well, so people are really supporting the province's team, which we love to see,” said Kelly. “I know the teams and the pools, and it's a very strong field this year so I think every game is going to be exciting.”
The HeartStop Lounge is also set to open on Feb. 14 after the Wild Card game and is open to ticket-holders throughout the tournament.
There are still tickets available for draws throughout the week, and the public is welcome to attend the Wild Card draw on Feb. 14 for free — a taster for the rest of the tournament.
Until then, Moose Jaw can rest assured that the Scotties crew are working hard in order to be ready for spectators to flood the stands for the 2020 Tournament of Hearts.
