Since his retirement from the Canadian National Rail in 1989, Wally Kortzman has spent countless hours preparing and maintaining the ice at the Jasper Curling Club.
Now after 27 years, Kortzman is ready to pass on his ice-making duties to someone else.
鈥淚鈥檓 not happy about it, but I鈥檓 just at that stage where, health wise, I can鈥檛 do it anymore,鈥� Kortzman said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just a few little things that didn鈥檛 seem to bother me a few years ago.鈥�
He鈥檒l retire at the end of the season.
To show their gratitude, club members honoured Kortzman at a dinner on Nov. 5, presenting him with a trophy and praising him for his dedication and hard work.
It was also declared that from this year forward, the club鈥檚 annual men鈥檚 bonspiel would be named after Kortzman.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 quite a career鈥�39 years on the railway and then another 27 making ice for the club,鈥� said club member Dorothy Marquis. 鈥淏ut for all his time in the curling club he always had encouraging words for everyone.鈥�
After a few years, Marquis discovered Kortzman鈥檚 devotion to the club was deeper than she thought, adding that she got to know the friendly ice-maker even more after buying a house next to his.
鈥淲hen we first moved next door to Wally, I couldn鈥檛 for the life of me figure out what was going on. Very early, every morning, even on the weekends, I鈥檇 wake up to the sound of a truck starting outside,鈥� Marquis said. 鈥淚 soon learned that it was Wally heading off to the curling rink to work on the ice or to just check things out down here.
鈥淭o this day, I still don鈥檛 need to set an alarm to wake up.鈥�
Among other Kortzman memories, Marquis told the tale of the very first time the club went to Kortzman with the idea of hosting a world curling tour event.
鈥淲hen approached with the plans, Wally immediately said 鈥榊eah, and who鈥檚 going to make that ice?鈥欌�� Marquis said. 鈥淲ally didn鈥檛 think he was able to make the quality of ice that was required for the players, but we disagreed and put 100-per-cent confidence in him and his abilities.鈥�
The curling club went on to host several high-calibre events throughout the 1990s, all with ice made by Kortzman.
But Kortzman鈥檚 dedication goes even further.
Several years ago, when the club鈥檚 annual men鈥檚 bonspiel was about to be cancelled due to a lack of interest, it was Kortzman who encouraged the club to keep going.
鈥淲ally said if we cancelled this year then we鈥檇 never get it going again so onward it went,鈥� Marquis said. 鈥淭he prize money for the event came from the entry fees and the money for the final game came from none other than Wally, who donated his paycheque for the month.鈥�
Club member Rob Scott said he hadn鈥檛 appreciated the effort that goes into making the club鈥檚 ice until he started volunteering with Kortzman this year.
鈥淚t鈥檚 always just ready and you throw your rocks and have great time鈥� But this year we saw the bare concrete turn into ice and we saw all the decals and logos get added until it was finally ready to play on,鈥� Scott said.
Kortzman humbly declined to make a speech, but said it felt 鈥済reat鈥� that his work was appreciated.
鈥淲henever I do something I try to do my best at it,鈥� he said.
Kayla Byrne
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