Back for the 2026-27 season
The club's own website puts it plainly: "CHCC will be back for the 2026-27 season!" It said construction was on schedule and that it expected to have the keys to the newly renovated space by the end of July. Registration for the season is open, and league play is scheduled to start on October 5.
The club's information does not say how the renovated building differs from the old one, what the renovation cost, or whether there will be an opening event. Those details have not been announced in the material we reviewed, so anyone planning to drop by is best off checking with the club directly.
The fire that changed everything
The club's alarms went off about 90 minutes into April 24, while the building was empty. Between 60 and 70 Ottawa firefighters responded to what Ottawa Sports Pages described as a raging fire, and it took two hours to calm the flames.
Ottawa Fire Services determined the fire was accidental. It started in the kitchen of the empty building.
What was lost
The damage was heavy. The second floor, which housed the kitchen, bar, lounge and offices, was completely destroyed. The heat was strong enough to blow out the glass panels overlooking the club's four ice surfaces.
For a curling club, that second floor is more than extra space. It is where members gather before and after games, and it held the offices that keep a league running. The sources we reviewed do not say what condition the ice surfaces themselves were left in, so we are not going to guess.
Paying for what insurance did not cover
After the fire, the club started a GoFundMe campaign seeking $100,000. The money was meant to replace operational equipment and furnishings that insurance did not cover. We have not seen an update on how much of that target was raised, and it is not clear from the club's information whether the goal was met.
What this means for Ottawa curlers
For members, the practical news is simple. Registration for the 2026-27 season is open, and the first league games are on the schedule for October 5. A club that lost its kitchen, bar, lounge and offices in a single night is now planning a regular season of league play, which is the kind of timeline many members would have hoped for when the construction plans were first announced.
If you curl or have been thinking of trying it, the club's website at carletonheightscc.ca is the place to check registration and league details. Anything about fees, league nights or opening arrangements should come from the club itself, because those specifics were not part of the information available to us.
Sources: Ottawa Sports Pages, Carleton Heights Curling Club
