Curling enthusiasts in Leader won't have to travel out of town to participate in the game any longer.

After their rink was condemned in 2016, Leader was left without a place to curl. It was decided they would tear down the old facility and add a curling plant on to their existing skating rink.

Erin Romanuik, Secretary and Treasurer for the Rink-Rebuild Committee, said they wasted no time when planning the build.

"Our curling rink was condemned the summer of 2016 and then knocked down," she said. "By the end of 2016, we were starting to plan for the building and then March, somewhere around there, was when it started to be built."

The two combined rinks now have shared amenities.

"We attached it to our skating rink," Romanuik explained. "There's kind of a shared lobby and bathrooms."

The curling portion will have its own lobby and upstairs once the entire build is completed.

"There's just so many little finishing touches," Romanuik said. "They are currently drywalling the area and will be painting as early as next week. Both the lobby and upstairs area, which will have a seating area and lockers, should be finished by mid-February.

The ice plant portion, however, was just completed and the town opened up the new year with a 'first rock throwing ceremony' on January 2.

The rink is open to curling three nights. The town also hosts a Friday night fun-curl once a month. Romanuik said even those who are not curling can come join them.

"People can come watch curling if they want," she said. "They just have to sit outside on the walkway, but there's plenty of room. We have chairs set up for people to watch the games."

A project like this doesn't come without its price tag. The total estimated cost of the new facility is $1.4 million. The Rink Rebuild Committee has raised $760,000, just over half of the expected cost. Current fundraising efforts include a Trivia Night next week and a Valentine's Day supper.

The Grand Reopening for the G3 Iceplex will be held on March 3rd in conjunction with the town's open bonspiel.