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Rink fab at 50!

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By Abbey Morton
Lockerbie and Lochmaben
Rink fab at 50!

THE 50th season of curling at Lockerbie Ice Rink has kicked off.

Pictured is Duncan Gracie, who has been curling at the rink since he was young

And the anniversary year will be started with the first major competition of the year, the Stevenson Trophy for under 17s, this weekend.

A series of commemorative events will be held in January, the month which marks 50 years since the rink opened, but until then the ice rink will be the venue for competitions featuring players from across the country.
Club members will be welcomed on January 13 for a bonspiel followed by a more formal dinner the following day.
Margaret Taylor is one of those involved in organising the special events.
She said: “We have a few things planned and plan to invite all our previous Scottish, European and World champions as well as our Olympians.
“Unfortunately January is a very busy time for the professional curlers but we will hopeful have them in at some point.”
Skating begins on October 1 with a new 50 minute ice playtime session, specially for small children and their parents.
And those who prefer blades to curling shoes will be able to celebrate the ice rink’s history with a free skating session in January.
It was the community and local businesses who made the ice rink a reality in 1967.
Margaret said: “It was funded by local people buying shares and forming a company.
“One of those people was Alistair and Mike Stevenson’s father, both of whom are still involved today.”
Over the years the business has been a key part of the community, hosting events not limited to ice sports and even became in integral part in the aftermath of the Lockerbie Air Disaster in 1988.
As well as hosting high-profile curling competitions with talents from across the globe, the ice rink has produced its own plethora of curling stars, namely Olympians David Murdoch, Euan Byers, Claire Hamilton and Anna Sloan.

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