The Estevan Curling Club’s bid to host the 2026 Scotties Tournament of Hearts may not have been successful, but the team behind the effort is already looking ahead with optimism. Tyler McMillen, president of the Estevan Curling Club, shared his thoughts on the bid process and the community's strong support.
Curling Canada provided initial feedback to the Estevan bid, acknowledging that it was a solid submission. McMillen emphasized that while they didn't receive the bid this time, the Curling Canada team encouraged Estevan to continue bidding for future events. "We had a strong bid this time around," McMillen said. "Once they have time, we'll do a debrief to find out where we can improve and keep learning."
The news of the bid’s outcome brought disappointment to the Estevan Curling Club and the broader community. McMillen, however, remained upbeat. “Our committee has been together since 2018, and we’ve hosted numerous successful events,” he said. “While there’s disappointment, we know we put in our best effort and that we’ll have another shot at hosting in the future.”
McMillen praised the support from the City of Estevan and Tourism Saskatchewan, two crucial partners in the bid. “This was my first time working with Tourism Saskatchewan, and they were phenomenal to work with,” he said.
One of the standout features of the bid was the overwhelming support from the community. Local businesses, restaurants, hotels, and volunteers all came together to show their dedication to making the bid a success. McMillen noted that this collective effort reinforced the Estevan Curling Club's belief that the community could host major events, even if it wasn’t the Scotties this time.
While the bid process did generate excitement, McMillen acknowledged that the timing was challenging. "Over the summer, people aren't thinking about winter sports," he said. "But we still saw a lot of interest in the community. The response has been great, and we’ve noticed a lot of people asking about the event."
As for those who placed ticket deposits for the Scotties, McMillen reassured them that refunds will be issued in January. The club is preparing to process these returns, giving themselves time to ensure everything is handled properly. "We’ll communicate with everyone through the contact information they provided when submitting their deposits," McMillen confirmed.
Looking forward, McMillen stressed that the Estevan Curling Club will not give up on their goal of hosting major curling events. "We’ll keep trying. We picked 2026 because it’s an Olympic year, but we’re already planning some exciting events for our club in the upcoming season," he said. Details for these events will be announced in the new year, adding more opportunities for the community to get involved in curling.
Despite the setback, McMillen’s message was clear: the Estevan Curling Club is committed to its mission and will continue to work hard to bring big events to Estevan.