The Welsh Curling Association has launched plans to build a permanent facility in Deeside ©WCA

Plans have been launched to build Wales' first-ever curling centre so that the country can capitalise on the interest expected to be created in the sport by the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang.

The £350,000 ($450,000/€400,000) facility would be built on land at Deeside Leisure Centre.

"The main aim is to get more people into curling and the reason we have moved the opening to 2017 is because the next curling season in 2018 coincides with the Winter Olympics," Adrian Meikle, President of the Welsh Curling Association, told local newspaper The Leader. 

“We had a lot of interest after the 2014 Sochi Olympics but the problem was we didn’t have enough ice capacity to deal with it. 

"Hopefully this would prevent that happening again."

Deeside is currently the only ice rink in Wales that offers permenent curling sessions, with players from Wales, the North West of England and the Midlands among those who travel to use it on a regular basis.

Curling at Deeside Leisure Centre has to share with figure skating and ice hockey but there are now plans to build a permanent facility to coincide with the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang ©Deeside
Curling at Deeside Leisure Centre has to share with figure skating and ice hockey but there are now plans to build a permanent facility to coincide with the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang ©Deeside

Curling has taken place Deeside Ice Rink for 40 years but curlers only have limited time to use the shared surface because it is also used for figure skating and ice hockey. 

It is hoped a dedicated facility could widen the appeal of curling. 

“At the moment, the nearest curling facility is in Dumfries in Scotland so to have this facility will be great for North Wales," Meikle told The Leader.

“There are a lot of people who are very excited about the plans and the council are quite pleased to have the additional facility.”

About 80 per cent of the funding is expected to come as part of a loan from the World Curling Federation. 

Around £75,000 ($100,000/€90,000) will need to be raised by Welsh Curling Association through sponsorship and fundraising and a grant is also being provided by the Sports Council for Wales.