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New Facility - Background Information

On August 3, 2011 the Ozaukee County Board of Supervisors took the final votes necessary to start the process of building the future home of the Milwaukee Curling Club at the Ozaukee County Fairgrounds in Cedarburg, Wisconsin. This follows a three-year periord of planning, negotiations and fund raising. 

The facility will be a 28,000 sq. foot multi-use building and will be part of a master plan to improve the fairgrounds.  The plan includes demolishing seven buildings and construction of three new ones plus improvements such as landscaping, a sanitary sewer extension, a parking lot, outdoor lighting, drainage improvements, a storm sewer, and a storm water wet pond.  The highest profile part of the construction will be the multi-use building.  It will be leased to the Milwaukee Curling Association (MCA) for six months of the year (October through March) and will be used by the County for the remaining six months (April through September).  MCA intends to sublease the building to the Milwaukee Curling Club (MCC).

Volunteers worked very hard, patiently and cooperatively over the past three years to get to this point and yet everyone is ready to roll up their sleeves and continue with the necessary planning and fund raising needed prior to opening in October, 2012.  As Dave Goelzer, Past President of the Milwaukee Curling Club stated, "It has truly been a team effort that demonstrates the great heart of our club.  Everyone can feel proud about their achievement as a team and confident about our future."

Kahler Slater Architects has designed a five-sheet curling shed with a spacious viewing area and lounge. The design also includes men’s and women’s locker rooms, a bar and kitchen area, storage space and parking for 120 cars. Space for the Roth Curling Museum, honoring the first President of USWCA is also planned. A meeting room will accommodate bonspiel meal functions. The building and curling ice will be wheelchair accessible to accommodate wheelchair curlers.  Wheelchair curling is an increasingly popular sport and a full range of accommodations will provide access for the curlers. With the new family-friendly venue of the public fair grounds, an expanded interest in the sport of curling is anticipated. Coupled with the increased interest in curling as a result of the Olympics, membership in the club has already started to grow.

During the six months the County has occupancy, the large ice floor can be used for receptions, corporate events, exhibits or trade shows.  The meeting room and kitchen will be available for various public functions and by caterers for food service.  The County also stated that the 4-H, Ag. Society, Maxwell Street Days, and the County Fair will make use of the building. 

Ozaukee County and MCA will each pay approximately 50% of the building construction costs.  In addition, MCA will pay for curling specific costs such as overhead cameras, TV monitors, museum displays, curling storage racks, stones, scoreboards, ice making and maintenance equipment.  Total costs are expected to be in the $3.8 to 4 million range.  Recently, MCA presented the County with a check for $1 million as the initial payment.