The Golden Broom Bonspiel will be held Nov. 8-10 at the Fort Macleod Curling Club in honour of life member Harvey Bourassa.
Curlers will hit the ice next month to honour a long-time supporter of the sport in Fort Macleod.
The inaugural Harvey Bourassa Memorial Bonspiel will be hosted by the family on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 8-10 at the Fort Macleod Curling Club.
“We thought it would be a good idea,” said Mike Bourassa of honouring his uncle Harvey, who died July 14 at the age of 94.
Harvey Bourassa was an avid curler for 65 years until retiring at the age of 88, and was a long-time draw master for bonspiels at the Fort Macleod club, which made him a life member.
Bourassa travelled extensively as a curler across Alberta, B.C., Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario.
In 2013, Bourassa was awarded the Minister’s Seniors Service Awards for his volunteer work with the curling club, Holy Cross Church and other organizations.
Organizing committee members are Mike Bourassa, Jill Larson, Sherry Zoeteman, Travis Doyle and Wendy Larson.
Registration is open to people of all ages, with a maximum of 32 teams accepted by the Oct. 30 deadline.
“Harvey curled a long time and knew a lot of people, and we have a pretty big family,” Mike Bourassa said of the likelihood of filling up the draw. “We’re hoping for a good turnout.”
“There’s all different aspects of his life. Even if you don’t curl very much, or don’t even know how, that’s one thing he was all about is growing the sport and welcoming newcomers.”
The $300 per team registration fee covers a minimum of three eight-end games.
In addition to the action on the ice, there will be a beer gardens from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.
Supper will be served at 6 p.m. on Saturday. Extra supper tickets are available for $30 apiece.
The curling club will have wings and appetizers available on the Friday night, with the beer gardens and a supper planned for the Saturday.
The bonspiel this year will be known as the Harvey Bourassa Memorial but in future will go by the name “The Golden Broom.”
That’s an in joke around Harvey Bourassa’s lack of interest in sweeping.
“Uncle Harvey always said he swept really hard, but I think he had the same broom for 40 years,” Mike Bourassa said with a laugh. “It was always a big joke among anybody who curled with or knew Harv that he wasn’t really known for his sweeping.”
The plan is to paint Bourassa’s old broom gold and put in on a plaque with space for the names of the bonspiel winners.
“We’d like to make it an annual event if it goes well,” Mike Bourassa said.
For information or to register, contact Mike Bourassa at 403-849-7529 or use the QR code on the poster and ad. Or the following online form:
