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W W W . C I . B L A I N E . M N . U S
March/April 2013
Curling Finds Year-Round, Dedicated Home in Blaine
Fogerty Arena, a mainstay in youth hockey in the area for 30 years, has branched off into the new, hottest thing on ice—curling. In January, they opened North America’s first year-round, dedicated curling facility. The 28,000-square foot addition boasts six sheets of championship curling ice, a twotier viewing area, wheelchair accessibility, super-sized locker rooms, a lounge for curlers with a rustic fireplace, and a fullservice bar and restaurant that is accessible from the hockey rinks and open to the community. Four Seasons Curling Club is a nonprofit volunteer organization that offers leagues, learn-to-curl classes, and competitions at the new facility. They welcome people of all ages and skill levels, from novice to Olympian, to join the Club. During the months of March and April, people can check out curling in a class or in a four-week instructional league. The learn-to-curl classes on March 3 or 10 are free, if you go on to register for the instructional league. Otherwise, they are $10 for a two-hour session. You can register for classes and leagues online, at www.FourSeasonsCurlingClub.com, or by calling Fogerty Arena, at 763-780-3328.
John Benton, director of curling operations and a member of the 2010 USA Olympic Curling Team, is teaching learn-to-curl classes and instructional leagues for the new Four Seasons Curling Club at Fogerty Arena. Mark Clasen, Fogerty’s general manager, says the curling facility will prove to be a community asset. “This world-class, year-round facility will draw curlers from next door and around the globe, bringing in an estimated $1.5 to $2 million every year in new economic activity for Blaine,” Clasen said. “It also means 40 to 50 full- and part-time permanent jobs, on top of the dozens of jobs during the construction phase.”
The object of the game is to glide a 42-pound granite rock down a 140-foot sheet of ice to the precise spot needed to score.
No tax dollars are being used to finance the $3.8 million project, but the city was instrumental. “We owe a great deal of gratitude to the staff and elected officials at Blaine City Hall, who worked with us to bring this recreational gem to the north metro,” Clasen said.
Volunteer Opportunity Open House Are you interested in becoming more involved in the Blaine community? Do you have a desire to volunteer your time to local organizations, but are unsure of what types of opportunities are available, and who to contact? In order to help connect citizens with volunteer opportunities, there will be a Volunteer Opportunity Open House on Saturday, March 30, from 9:00 a.m. until noon, in the Atrium at Blaine City Hall, 10801 Town Square Dr. NE. Local volunteer organizations seeking members will have information tables set up to answer your questions about what they do, and how you can get involved. Find out about the different groups in our community that help to make Blaine one of the metro area’s best Cities to live in. Please join us to find out how you can become involved.