Gord Carroll

Born on Red Island, Placentia Bay, Newfoundland, Gord Carroll was a member of the Canadian Air Force until his retirement while stationed at CFB Trenton at the rank of Sergeant in 1979.

Shortly after his retirement from the air force, Gord moved to Whitby with his wife Cathy and their five children (Geoffrey, Angela, John, Andrew, Janet). Gord was hired as the Icemaker at the Whitby Curling Club starting in 1979. When he arrived both the ice conditions and membership of the club needed improvement.

Gord promoted the junior program as he felt getting young players involved would help bring new life and longevity to the game. The junior program was a great success, in fact; it was so successful that many of his students went on to represent the Club at the provincial, national and international levels. He brought schools in from all over Durham and taught them all how to curl. He would teach hundreds of kids each year.

Gord was promoted to Icemaker/Manager of the Whitby Curling Club in 1982. Gord started making ice while in Moosonee Ontario and making the curling ice was his real passion. Over the years he made Whitby famous for its good ice. Gord would experiment and work on ideas until the ice was like no where else.

Gord’s work ethic paid off. The Ontario Curling Association formed an Ice Program and Gord was one of the first four members of that team allowing him to spread his knowledge of ice making to other clubs in Durham Region, across Ontario, and eventually, over the years, he would be teaching people how to make ice all over the world. Gord brought many tournaments to the area. The Police held their National Championship here, the Whitby Curling Club has hosted two Men’s Provincial Championships, and a long time bonspiel called the Sun Life brought the likes of Russ Howard and Ed Werenich to our club.

All of this had a great effect on the membership of the club such that by the mid 80’s there was a waiting list to get into the club; over a thousand of people were curling there each week. A curler himself, Gord was part of a rink that won the 1970 Ontario Legion Championship and finished second at the Nationals where he was picked for the all-star team that year. In 1971 he repeated as part of the Ontario Legion Championship rink and in 1972 and 1973 he was in the Newfoundland Men’s Provincial Finals, and in 1978 he was in the Ontario Men’s Provincial Finals.

Gord retired from his role with the Whitby Curling Club in 2001. The Whitby Curling Club made him an Honourary Life Member in 2002. In honour of the hundreds of clubs he helped over the years, the Ontario Curling Association made Gord a Honourary Life Member in 2005. Curling in Whitby is popular today because of the efforts of Gord Carroll with young players, on making great ice, and raising the level of the sport.