Lethbridge hosts a successful Brier

By Lethbridge Herald on March 15, 2022.

Canadian men’s curling champions Brad Gushue and his teammates, alongside Team Alberta and Team Canada, watch as Blackfoot dancers pass in front during the closing ceremony of the Tim Hortons Brier Sunday at the Enmax Centre. Herald photo by Ian Martens

Justin Seward – Lethbridge Herald

Lethbridge hosted the 2022 Tim Horton Brier for 10 days in what was a successful event for the city.

“It’s going to prove to be maybe one of the best events that Lethbridge has ever held,” said Kirk Mearns, vice chair of the Brier host committee.

“With the crowds— the size that they were — I knowtalking to hotels and restaurantsv that they’ve been busy all week.   … Overall, I think it was a fantastic event.”

Mearns said everything just came together for it just to be a special event and a special Brier.

“If you just looked in the parking lot of the Enmax Centre — B.C., Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario plates — people were coming from all over Canada,” said Mearns.

“Like I say, if you talk to the hotels, they were flying in from everywhere, including the U.S.”

Mearns says they always get good input from their fans because the Enmax Centre is such a good venue to watch curling in.

“It’s just the right size, it’s just the right configuration,” said Mearns.

“People were thrilled to be able to and come watch live sports and to be able to enjoy Lethbridge and the people from out of town — especially ones that haven’t been here before are always so amazed at what we have — and we all of sudden get back on their radar to come back again and visit us.”

Mearns said there was a real buzz around the Enmax Centre.

“It came to every draw, there was one of those games that people were just on the edge of their seats to watch,” he said.

He thought the Brier made an impact on the Lethbridge curling community in the sense that it wants to make people come out and try the sport.

The event has 300 volunteers, with 225 of them from Lethbridge and area.

“We have very good volunteers and their experiences (are) always fantastic,” said Mearns.

“They love curling, they love showing off their city and their sport.”

Newfoundland and Labrador’s Brad Gushue defeated  Alberta’s Kevin Koe 9-8 in the final on Sunday afternoon with a three players after their third, Mark Nichols, tested positive for COVID-19 prior to the weekend.

“When you organize one of these things, you hope you to have the kind of storylines and the kind of finishes that you get and this couldn’t have been better,” said Mearns.