The Traverse City Curling Center is inclusive & welcoming to all.
Excitement is Sweeping the Nation
Tour the facility
The Traverse City Curling Center is a 28,000 sq. ft facility using efficient technology for building ice rinks today. Not only will it house amazing curling ice, but it was also designed as a “third space” that will become a hub of vibrant community life as people come together for healthy activity and camaraderie. One of the most important criteria in the planning of the Traverse City Curling Center was making it wheelchair-friendly. Curling is one of the most accessible sports and wheelchair users play right alongside able-bodied players. There is a very competitive international wheelchair curling community with regional, national, and Paralympic championships. The facility will accommodate wheelchairs and other mobility devices, especially entering the ice shed and moving about the changing and warm room.
CLICK ON THE 🥌 BELOW TO TOUR DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE FACILITY
A HOUSE BUILT FOR ROCK STARS
By Rock stars
The Traverse City Curling Club is raising $4.8 million to create a Curling Center in Traverse City, Michigan.
Located at the Cherryland Center at the northwest corner of Garfield Ave and South Airport Road (in a federally designated Opportunity Zone). The Curling Center will be home to the Traverse City Curling Club, and can host other local curling clubs and school programs that may form as the sport grows in popularity in our region. The facility will also host training for high-performance athletes and Olympic development teams. The Center will be available for outside community groups to rent for events.
Location
Dedicated Ice vs. Multi-Use Arena Ice
Dedicated Curling ice is used with the single purpose of curling. The ice is prepared and groomed to very specific conditions that are ideal for the game of curling. It takes hours and expertise to build to excellent conditions.
Curling ice is flooded and frozen several times to build up a perfectly level foundation.
Distilled water is used to remove any impurities.
The ice is “pebbled” (using a showerhead device) with deionized water creating droplets of frozen water on the surface that make it more efficient to move along the ice.
The ice is scraped with a very precise level blade that is used to remove any inconsistency in the ice created by the pebbling.
The pebble/ scrape process is repeated several times across the entire surface of the ice until no ice remains untouched.
This entire process is repeated daily throughout the playing season to maintain ideal curling conditions.
A Zamboni is never used on dedicated ice.
Multi-Use Arena Ice serves a multitude of user groups including hockey, figure skating, speed skating and curling. The initial flooding of the ice surface is similar to dedicated curling ice. However, from that point on, a Zamboni is used repeatedly while the ice is being used for skating. The stopping, starting and “picking” of the skating sports continuously builds high and low spots on the ice and the repeated used of the Zamboni continues to add to the unevenness of the ice over the course of the season.
So, you want to be a rockstar for the community?
It all begins right here. By supporting The Traverse City Curling Center you will help introduce our region to the celebrated sport of curling and a culture that promotes accessibility and inclusion for all. The Curling Center will provide an opportunity for anyone — youth, wheelchair, senior, men and women — to gain a physical and mental workout, while getting first-hand experience with the fastest growing winter sport in America.
ALL CURLERS ARE WELCOME
Regardless of their experience, community members may simply enjoy spectating at recreational and USA Curling competitions, live national broadcasts and training sessions for Olympic development teams, all of which will be hosted at this center.
Fun For All
No matter your age, ability or expertise, The Curling Center will welcome you and help you reach your full fun potential through programs, adaptive equipment and leagues for everyone. Curling is truly a lifetime activity, with integrity and respect as its core. What’s more, curling is affordable for individuals or families. It provides physical and mental wellness at any age and in any season. With a team dynamic comes motivation and accountability for staying active — a little healthy competition helps too!
YEAR-ROUND PROGRAMS AND SERVICES:
Recreational play for community members of all ages and abilities
Youth, senior, wheelchair and adaptive programs
Learn to Curl classes, led by certified instructors (Level 1, 2 and wheelchair-certified)
Interscholastic curling programs for youth, middle school and high school teams
Competitive play at the local, regional and national level
Bonspiels (Recreational curling tournaments)
Host USA Curling sanctioned competitions and Olympic athletes
Public, private and corporate events
Community outreach opportunities
Broadcast venue
US Ice Rink Association and USA Curling
Curling Camps for youth, adults and teams
“Curling has been a part of my life from a young age and I truly have been shaped by the physical, mental and social benefits of the sport. The culture of curling has taught me sportsmanship, integrity, communication, respect and has also resulted in lifelong friendships. I am thrilled for the opportunity to expand our programs and share my experience and passion with our community.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the TCCC a nonprofit endeavor?
The TCCC will be managed by the Traverse City Curling Club, a 501 c3 nonprofit organization. The TCCC will have two owners, the Traverse City Curling Club and the Friends of the Traverse City Curling Center (LLC). The Club’s goal is to buy out the Friends in ten years and own the building outright.
Tell me more about what goes into the cost of the TCCC building?
The roughly $7M project includes $3.9M (roughly 28,000 sq ft) for the construction and ice renovations, $2.85M M for land and building acquisition, and $250K for campaign-related and program expenses. The ideal environment for curling requires an extremely well insulated building shell which is quite expensive. The insulation provides tight control of the ice temperature, the ambient temperature, and humidity of the "ice shed" regardless of the temperature outdoors. The refrigeration equipment required to make an ice rink is also costly.
How is this facility different than other curling facilities?
We see the TCCC as a community asset and not a private club. We have a community-led, nonprofit board of directors. In the state of Michigan, only one other curling center has five sheets of ice. We will be the only center in Michigan at this time offering year-round programming and that has a lot to do with the construction design and materials.
How many people will the TCCC accommodate?
The TCCC will have five sheets on which to play. Usually, each team has four players so 40 active players can be accommodated. With the warm room being set up for viewing the action on the ice another 40-60 people can be in attendance.
Do you have a plan for financial sustainability?
Yes, we have a thoughtful, documented operating plan. We can’t grow our membership without a facility and the TCCC will allow us to exponentially grow our membership which equates to sustainable annual revenue.
Will you have paid staff, or reliant on volunteers to operate the TCCC?
The operational plan includes paid staff for general operations and ice making. However, there will need to be significant volunteer support to provide the amount of programming that we envision including Juniors, Adaptive and W/C Curling, the IceBreakers program, and multiple bonspiels per year.
Will curling take place year-round?
Our intent is to offer year-round programming, but we may have to reevaluate down the road based on what’s best for the community and the financial sustainability of the Center. There is down time throughout the year for ice maintenance.
Will the TCCC offer any other activities other than curling?
The Center will have a classroom that could be booked by the community. The warm room could also be booked for private parties. But primarily the TCCC will be for curling because that's what we do.
Will there be alcohol served?
Alcohol will be served at certain times during the day. All alcohol can be locked away as needed and will not be served during the hours we offer Junior programming.
Will the TCCC serve food?
The Curling Center will have a “potluck” kitchen that can be used for caterers or for members’ sharing food. There will not be retail food service.
Do I have to be a member of a Curling Club to curl?
You can take a learn to curl class or come to a private party without becoming a member but if you want to curl on a regular basis, we will require membership. We get our liability insurance through USA Curling and it is passed through to all members so they are covered should anything occur while curling. Members are also covered if they participate in a bonspiel (tournament) at another club. Also, we will most likely have a club liquor license. This requires that we only sell alcohol to registered members. Membership is not meant to be a sign of exclusivity. It allows the organization to offer benefits in the most cost-effective manner.
How much will it cost to curl?
The goal is to keep the cost of curling in line with what we currently offer during leagues ($20/night). That per session cost may come down if a member chooses to curl more than once a week.
When can I practice or learn more about curling?
We are fortunate to have the opportunity to have practice time periodically through the generosity of Centre Ice. They have agreed to a per person rate for Drop-in Curling with no need to sign up. Please be sure to pay the appointed club “collector” before you take the ice. Drop-Ins will generally be held in conjunction with our Learn to Curl classes so it’s a great way to bring friends and introduce them to curling. A Learn to Curl class is required prior to Drop-in curling or league play. To register for Learn to Curl classes, visit our website.
Will I need any equipment to curl?
No. The TC Curling Club provides all the equipment you will need. Just wear something warm, make sure your pants provide some room or will flex or stretch, and wear flat soled shoes or sneakers with tread.
What if I can’t skate?
You’re in luck! Curling is done in shoes! Clean, rubber-soled athletic shoes are best. We provide high-tech grippers (rubber bands) to help you get a firm hold of the textured ice, prepared specially for curling.
What is your club’s connection to regional and national curling?
We are connected to USA Curling and the Great Lakes Curling Association (GLCA), and a TC Curling Club membership includes an annual membership in these two governing bodies of curling. These organizations support the growth of local curling clubs and also run all regional, national and Olympic-qualifying events. Participation in these events (by playing or volunteering) is a great way to fast-forward your understanding of the game. More info can be found at greatlakescurling.org or teamusa.org/usa-curling.
What in the world is a Cherry Bombspiel?
This is the TC Curling Club’s annual bonspiel and a major fundraiser for our club. We typically have 32 teams from across the Midwest and Canada competing over three days in April. This is a community event, where we can share curling with the curious in our community. We even have Olympic- level curlers participating! This is an all-hands-on-deck event. Your help is essential over the three days of the bonspiel as well as prior to the event. We encourage you to become a part of what some said is “the best bonspiel they’ve ever attended.”
Will you offer youth programs?
Yes! We can hardly wait to offer Junior programming. We are currently using floor curling kits in the middle school PE classes, but we are very much looking forward to having the kids on the ice!
How do I contact the Traverse City Curling Club?
Please email us at info@tccurling.org for more information or questions not answered here.
Calling all Rockstars
You can bring local, regional, and national attention to Traverse City. Your support helps build a family-friendly, accessible curling center for everyone to enjoy!