The Cargill Curling Training Centre in Morris is getting a financial boost this year as part of Canada's 150th anniversary celebration.

The announcement for the $76,000 grant was made Friday evening at the Curling Clubs annual general meeting by training centre coach Lorne Hamblin. Hamblin says the funds will be used for the installation of geothermal system in the rink that will allow them to maintain the ice during the summer months.

" By putting in a geothermal loop it prevents the perma frost from going down and heating the building. This gives the capacity to get rid of more heat when they start the ice plant in the rink, the problem with summer ice is getting rid of the excess summer heat and humidity. So we now have added 45 tonnes of a ground loop system which I don't pretend to understand, but it's over a mile of pipe underneath the ice barried in the cool ground that will disperse the heat from the ice plants."

Phase one of the training centre was completed last fall, installing various types of equipment including what Hamblin says was the biggest highlight, a 55 inch TV that picks up live video of the athletes. The information recorded is than used to assist in analysis and correction. Also installed were two HD Cameras, 6 speed traps, 5 lasers and training gates all stored at ice level for easy access.

Hamblin added that the boost from this federal grant is what the club needed to really finish the project.

"For us to receive $76,000 to put this together from the Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Fund along with all the support from our private sector that helped us to get to this reality, we just want to give out a huge thank you to everybody."

The grant announcement was teamed up with the clubs annual general meeting as a joint event. Highlights from the last year were also shared along with some exciting events and projects for the 2017-2018 year. Over forty club members were in attendance and enjoyed dinner together while talking about the training centres success stories from the past year.