London, Ont. ready for Tim Hortons Brier 4 weeks out

With the Tim Hortons Brier one month out, London officials say they are prepared for the major curling event.

Budweiser Gardens will host the annual Canadian men’s curling championship from March 3 to 12.

This will be the third time London has hosted the Brier. The old London Gardens held the event in 1974, and Budweiser Gardens (then named the John Labatt Centre) welcomed Canada’s best men’s curlers in 2011.

Peter Inch, vice-chair of the host committee, says organizers are really into the swings of things with the first draw four weeks out.

“We’re ready, we’re going to show Canada a great time in London,” said Inch, who is also a member of the Curling Canada Hall of Fame.

The transformation of Budweiser Gardens from a hockey and basketball area into a curling rink will begin on Feb. 26. Inch says no rocks will be thrown until March 2, a day before the championship starts.

“We’re allowing some of the club curlers from the four (London) curling clubs to be the first ones to curl on the ice,” added Inch.

To help ensure the event goes off without a hitch on or off the ice, Inch says the committee has 400 volunteers signed up and ready to help, noting that 80 per cent of the slots were filled within one month of the call going out.

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While the main action happens on the ice, a staple of Briers since 1982 is the Original 16 Patch, also known as the Brier Patch.

What first started in Brandon, Man., has become an annual tradition where a nearby building or even temporary tent is used as a place for the curlers, fans and volunteers to interact, grab a drink and watch some live entertainment.

The RBC Place will be used for the Brier Patch this year, with entertainment scheduled daily throughout the week, most days multiple times. There will also be autograph sessions with the teams, daily games and an artisan market on the first Sunday, March 5.

Between hosting the curlers, their families and coaches and having fans from across Ontario and Canada visit London, officials say the city can expect a nice economic boost in the lull following the height of COVID-19.

Zanth Jarvis, director of sports tourism with Tourism London, says past Briers have typically brought in between $8 million and $12 million for the city.

“This is going to be a great impact for the city in terms of tourism,” said Jarvis.

“The (Brier) Patch is obviously great, but we want people to explore the city and downtown.”

Jarvis says Londoners can expect to see street banners and signs welcoming Brier curlers and fans in the coming weeks near Budweiser Gardens.

“This is an event that we’ve had on our minds of doing again ever since we last hosted it in 2011,” said Jarvis.

While tickets are still available, Jarvis says they have been going fast, with some draws, including marquee championship weekend, getting close to sold out.

Tickets can be purchased at curling.ca/tickets.