After months of renovations costing about $600,000, the Glacial Ridge Curling Club has opened its new home in a 14,000-square-foot space at Uptown Willmar. The facility features four sheets of permanent ice and a bar area, enabling seven days of weekly curling events. Club president Scott Holwerda highlighted the move's potential to expand membership from over 100 to 400.
The Glacial Ridge Curling Club, founded 21 years ago, previously operated out of the Willmar Civic Center, where shared ice with hockey and figure skating restricted its schedule to Wednesdays and Thursdays. Preparing the ice for curling required two hours weekly by specialist Steve Moenkedick, limiting the club to three leagues and daytime school events. Last year, it hosted 700 students in learn-to-curl programs and 18 adaptive learners.
The new location in the renovated former Herberger’s building, leased from Willmar Wood Products, addresses these constraints with permanent curling ice made from clean, cold water. Renovations included a chiller plant, ice mats, dehumidifier, insulation, lighting, walls, windows, and furnishings for the bar area. "Our club is growing, and we were at max capacity where we were at," Holwerda said. "We couldn’t get any bigger and we’ve been looking for the past 15 years, trying to get our own building."
The facility will host weekly learn-to-curl sessions, league nights, and bonspiels, or curling tournaments, fostering growth in leagues, community events, and adaptive programs. Holwerda explained the beginner matching process: "We give them some basics, get them some etiquette... and then we’ll match them up with other teams that are beginners at the same skill level."
Community support made the project feasible, avoiding a planned $4.5 million build. "I can’t thank the community enough because they got behind us," Holwerda said. Vice president Luke Barthel emphasized the social aspect: "Curling is just historically known for being very social... people need to get out of the house and do something."
The club aims to revitalize Uptown Willmar, with bonspiels expected to draw over 160 visitors spending at local businesses, similar to a Lakeville example.
