Curling rink says goodbye to ice tech, welcomes new staff

Facundo Rodriguez
frodriguez@maplecreeknews.com

Saying goodbye to valued employees can sometimes be tough. Maple Creek’s curling rink will see longtime ice tech Graham Dupont say farewell after 14 years with the rink.
Dupont was described by his colleagues as a very hard worker, putting his heart and soul into his work. Curling Club president Von Yarshenko says he will be truly missed.
“He was the backbone of the curling rink,” she said. “He always went way above and beyond his job description, he just really loved the curling club.”
When the tough times arose in the curling rink to find funding, Yarshenko says Dupont always stepped up to the plate to find ways to bring in more revenue to the club.
“He would apply for grants; create curling draws which all go directly to the operations of the rink, just everything he could to help keep the building running,” she said.
Though Dupont intends to retire, his commitment for the rink is so much so that he plans to stay for an additional year, without pay, to mentor the new employee.
The club will now welcome Pete Bryant as a new staff member. Bryant is no stranger to many in the community; he has spent his past eight years in Maple Creek. Bryant describes himself as someone who follows the ice. Besides working with ice for 15 years, Bryant has also spent time working in the oil and security industry for three years. He says he is excited about the new opportunity here in and happy to be part of the team.
“I’m glad to have received this new position; it’s very exciting to be able to be here, I love working with ice, and I hope I can be a great addition to the club,” he said.
The curling rink will be introducing some new changes this year in hopes of getting more people to come out to participate. Half memberships will now be available meaning you can get a membership that will last from the beginning of the season late October to Christmas time. As well there is the option for January to mid-March. The club will also continue with its usual raffle tickets which go toward operations of the curling rink.

NEWS PHOTO FACUNDO RODRIGUEZ
Pete Bryant will be the new ice tech/maintenance employee with the curling rink. Bryant has being a member of the Maple Creek community for 8 years.

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