DRESS CODE
The pride that members hold for Westmount is reflected in the expectation that members and guests will dress in a fashion befitting Westmount's surroundings and atmosphere. Please refer to Westmount’s Member & Guest Dress Code. Upon entering the curling lounge, gentlemen are required to remove their hats. Members are responsible for enforcing the dress code with their guests.
The Curling Manager is authorized to deny access to the curling lounge and curling rink to members and guests who are not appropriately attired.
RULES OF PLAY
Curling Manager Authority
The Curling Manager is authorized to enforce all rules and regulations of Westmount pertaining to the curling facility including, without limitation, collection of guest fees, ice rental fees and monitoring slow play.
Curling Etiquette
Playing Etiquette:
- Before playing, introduce yourself and shake hands with your opponents and wish everyone ‘good curling’.
- Unless last rock is pre-determined for the particular game, event or league, to determine last rock in the first end, the Vice from one team tosses a coin (for heads or tails) or shakes the dice (for odd or even), while the opposing Vice makes the call. Whichever team wins the toss has the option of throwing the last rock, or choosing rock colour. The team that wins the toss will usually opt for the advantage of last rock, in which case the other team chooses the colour they want.
- Be quiet when opponents are delivering their rocks.
- Do not put rocks out for your opponents.
- When your teammate is throwing a rock, sweepers should keep to the sides of the sheet with their brooms into their bodies, so that they do not block the sightlines, or impede the movement, of their teammate throwing.
- Sweepers should remain motionless between the hog lines when rocks are delivered by the opposition. When you have finished sweeping your team's rock and you are walking back down the sheet, keep to the edge of your sheet. Remember that the other team will be throwing their rock and that the sightlines down the sheet should be unblocked.
- Avoid stepping onto or walking up and down on the sheet of ice next to the one you are playing on if teams are playing on it.
- Sweepers should position themselves on or around the hog line, near to the hack, to start sweeping a rock.
- Only the Skip and Vice of the delivering team should be in the house. The opposing Skip and Vice should remain behind the house but motionless and with their brooms off the ice to avoid any visual distractions to the opposition thrower. The Skip or Vice may stand behind the opposing Skip or Vice to watch the line of the opposing shot but they must be behind the house.
- Strategy and decision making is the responsibility of the Skip. When it comes time for Skips to throw, they should discuss strategy with their Vice. These decisions should not be drawn out. Taking too much time is unfair on the opposition. If invited by the Skip, Seconds and Leads may get involved in some strategy discussions.
- Only the Vices should be in the house at the completion of each end to determine the points won in that end. If a mechanical measure is needed to determine a point, the Vices administer the measure. All other players must stay out of the house while the points are determined and agreed.
- After each end, Vices, Seconds and Leads should quickly clear the rocks from the house and Skips should move directly to the other house to enable a prompt start to the next end.
- All players should be aware of what is going on in a game. Be ready to throw your rock when it is your turn.
- Both teams shake hands after a game.
Ice Etiquette:
- Wear only curling shoes or indoor shoes on the ice. Always clean your shoes on the shoe cleaning mat before going onto the ice
- Clean brooms over garbage cans so dirt does not fall onto the carpet or the ice
- Do not put hands on the ice or kneel on ice
Team Etiquette:
- If you can’t attend a game, get a spare in advance and notify the Skip
- Be respectful of your teammates
Keep the Pace
To ensure that everyone enjoys their game, keep play moving at a proper pace. It is Westmount’s goal that no curling end takes more than 15 minutes. Clocks are situated in the curling rink to help monitor the pace. For 8-end games, no end shall start one hour and fifty-five minutes after the scheduled start time, or one hour and fifty-five minutes after the actual start time in the case of a second draw. Unless otherwise specified in the rules for the particular curling event, if a game is tied after the time has expired, an extra-end may be played.
Mobile Communication Devices – Curling Rink
Mobile communication devices must be set on vibrate or silent mode only. Mobile communication devices may not be used if they affect pace of play or if the conversation can be heard by others. Members and guests are asked to exercise every courtesy while using mobile communication devices.
GUESTS
A person who is not a Westmount member may be permitted to participate in curling activities at Westmount or use Westmount's curling facility in the following limited circumstances:
- as a guest of a Westmount member at the Saturday Jitney (provided that such guest may not participate more than once per calendar month),
- as a guest of a Westmount member at any designated member / guest event,
- as a participant in any bonspiel at Westmount that is open to persons who are not Westmount members,
- as a member of a competitive team that includes at least one Westmount member formed for the purpose of competing as a Westmount designated team in curling events that are external to Westmount, such as Ontario Curling Association competitions, in accordance with any Westmount policy with respect to such participation,
- as a participant in a curling event organized by a private or external group sponsored by a Westmount member or seasonal curler that has rented or otherwise obtained permission to use Westmount's curling facility for such event, or
- as a participant on a school or university curling team or other organization that has rented or otherwise obtained permission to use Westmount's curling facility.
Westmount reserves the right to refuse or terminate any such participation or use in its sole discretion.
Fees may be payable in connection with any such participation or use except that there is no fee payable with respect to Saturday Jitney guests.
AMMONIA LEAK PROCEDURE
Anhydrous ammonia is used to cool the curling rink floor to create the ice for Westmount’s curling rink. Anhydrous ammonia is a toxic gas. Ammonia is a colourless gas with a very sharp odour.
Westmount has an emergency procedure to ensure, to the best of our ability, protection of all persons in the event of an ammonia leak.
When there is an ammonia leak, an audible warning system will sound that can be heard throughout the curling rink and clubhouse. In addition, orange strobe lights will be activated in the following locations:
- in the curling rink with visibility in the curling rink and curling lounge;
- by the main bar visible to the Spike Room and Westmount Room; and
- outside of the curling building, visible to emergency response teams.
When the alarm is activated, all persons are to meet in the Westmount Room, which has been designated as the safest place to be in inside of the clubhouse building if there is a curling facility ammonia leak. It is imperative that all persons stay inside the clubhouse building until told otherwise by the manager on duty.
ICE RENTALS
Members may rent the ice by making arrangements through the Curling Manager.
