The Whitehorse Curling Club has been given two weeks to come up with a new deal for its curling rink. The club rents space from the City of Whitehorse. It wants the club to sign a new lease that will see the rent more than double over the next ten years.

The city says the proposed lease terms reflect the city's policy of collecting at least 50 percent of facility costs from facility users.

The club says it can't afford that and the city council is split on the idea of giving the club a break.

Coun. Florence Roberts said curling club users have to pay because taxpayers can't afford more tax hikes. But Coun. Betty Irwin said other organizations aren't paying their share.

“By playing hardball with the curling club, are we playing fair to all the sports organizations,” Irwin said. The council is taking two weeks to consider its options. Curling club business manager Matt Bustin said a quick decision is best because curling is supposed to start next month. He said he’s optimistic a deal can be negotiated.

“It seems to be a lot more positive than we thought going in,” Bustin said.

“It looks like they're going to come back in two weeks with some kind of a response so we are going to try and get a one year extension to cover us for this season so we can continue our planning and actually get the ice in the club and have a curling season which happens to be our sixtieth anniversary season,” he said.