New Zealand national curling team bids farewell to Calgary retirement residence roommates
A group of New Zealand curlers living in a Calgary retirement residence are heading home.
In September, the national team struck a deal to live at the Chartwell Colonel Belcher Retirement Residence during their Calgary stay.
The curlers, more than 50 years younger than many of their roommates, say their time inside the home has been incredible.
"To be honest, we're just really integrated into this family here," skip Anton Hood said.
"It's been amazing and really heartwarming for us."
Hood says it's like staying with his own grandparents – 175 of them.
"We're just walking down the hallway and saying hello to everyone," he said.
The curlers and residents gathered for a farewell party on Thursday.
Flags were hung, cake was made and a lot of goodbye hugs were exchanged.
"There were a lot of residents down there, which was awesome to see," second Brett Sargon said.
"We loved it."
So did the residents.
Bertha Esplen, 97, can't talk about the team without smiling.
"Oh my goodness," she said.
"Words cannot do justice to how they acted towards us and how we acted towards them. They just feel like my own children."
In the fall, the New Zealanders came to Calgary to practise and learn more about the game.
They say their off-ice fun rivals their time on the ice.
"We didn't win as much as we wanted," Hood told CTV News.
"But we're going to the Worlds (in Switzerland) in a few weeks and feel good about how we're playing."
After that, it'll be some downtime back home before another stint in Calgary come autumn.
"We'd stay here again in a heartbeat," Hood said.
"It’s warm, lovely and the people are great. You can't complain at all."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW Pack the macaroni necklace: Lessons on evacuations from a woman who fled one of Canada's worst wildfires
Carol Christian had 15 minutes to evacuate her home during the Fort McMurray wildfires in 2016. She ended up losing the house and everything inside. Now, she wants to share the lessons she learned.
NEW 'Ugly produce': One way Canadians are shrinking rising grocery bills
As the cost of food in Canada has risen, grocery shoppers are looking at ways to reduce their grocery bill, and more are choosing price over beauty, turning to companies that deliver so-called 'misfit' produce at a fraction of the cost.
Think twice before sharing 'heartbreaking' social media posts, RCMP warn
Mounties in B.C. are urging people to think twice before sharing "heartbreaking posts" on social media.
Trudeau calls New Brunswick's Conservative government a 'disgrace' on women's rights
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau assailed New Brunswick's premier and other conservative leaders on Thursday, calling out the provincial government's position on abortion, LGBTQ youth and climate change.
Miller scores late as Canucks grind out 3-2 win over Oilers in Game 5
J.T. Miller scored in the final minute of the game and the Vancouver Canucks came back for a 3-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 5 of their second-round playoff series Thursday.
Father charged with second-degree murder in daughter's stabbing death
A father has been charged with second-degree murder in the stabbing death of his 34-year-old daughter in southern Quebec.
B.C. parents sentenced to 15 years for death of 6-year-old boy
A British Columbia Supreme Court judge has sentenced the mother and stepfather of a six-year-old boy who died from blunt-force trauma in 2018 to 15 years in prison.
Veteran TSN sportscaster Darren Dutchyshen has died
Veteran TSN broadcaster Darren 'Dutch' Dutchyshen, one of Canada’s best-known sports journalists, has died. He was 57. His family says 'he passed as he was surrounded by his closest loved ones.'
122 active wildfires burning across Canada, 32 considered 'out of control'
The 2024 wildfire season has begun, and it's shaping up to follow last year's unprecedented destruction in kind, with thousands of square kilometres already consumed.