STEVENS POINT – The Stevens Point Curling Club has announced it will break ground in April on a new state-of-the-art curling center in Plover after securing a $1.5 million pledge from the Sentry Foundation.INTERIOR RENDERING

While club members committed more than $800,000 toward the facility, Sentry Insurance, through its Foundation, recently joined the effort to make the Sentry Curling Center a reality, according to the Stevens Point Curling Club.

“As we learned about the substantial financial commitment from within the Curling Club, along with their extraordinary focus on youth programs, we were compelled to be a part of this wonderful project,” said Pete McPartland, Sentry chairman of the board, president and CEO, in a news release. “The expansion of curling in our community provides a wonderful activity many can enjoy over the long winter months.”

The Curling Club’s capital campaign committee is actively working to secure additional contributions to cover the $3.2 million estimated cost.

After more than 60 years on the grounds of the Stevens Point Country Club, the need for a larger curling center has been apparent for several years. The all-volunteer club has renovated and added on over the years, but two sheets of ice restrict play to 16 people at a time, limiting opportunities for SPASH, Pacelli High School, UW-Stevens Point Curling Association, youth curling and the Boys & Girls Club. The new curling center will be double the size of the existing facility, allowing up to four games to be played at the same time.

The village of Plover has been a key player by offering a rent-free lease of land off Interstate-39 by Lake Pacawa. “We are thrilled to have the new Curling Club as a key component of our Lake Pacawa development plans,” said Dan Mahoney, village president, in the release. “It is exciting to see this project moving forward.”

The club has contracted with Keller Construction to design and build the facility. The new Sentry Curling Center is expected to open at the beginning of next curling season, which starts in October 2020.

Feature photo courtesy Stevens Point Curling Club. Drone shot with approximate location of the Sentry Curling Center in Plover.