Our Journey to Dedicated Ice
After 15 years of curling on rented arena ice throughout Central Indiana, Circle City Curling Club reached a major milestone in December 2022 when we opened our own dedicated three-sheet curling facility in Anderson.
Years of planning, fundraising, searching for the right location, and thousands of volunteer hours went into creating a permanent home for curling in Central Indiana.
December 2022 — Dedicated Ice Becomes a Reality
On December 31, 2022, Circle City Curling Club officially announced the opening of its new Anderson facility, located just northeast of Fishers.
The new facility gave the club three dedicated curling sheets, allowing up to 24 people to curl at one time and making it possible to offer leagues, Learn to Curl programs, bonspiels, private events, and other activities throughout the week.
“After 15 years of planning, many years of fundraising, and 10 months of hard work, we are thrilled to be curling in our new facility in Anderson.”
— Jim Puckering, Club President
Building the Ice
Transforming an industrial space into a dedicated curling facility required an enormous amount of volunteer labor and a very specialized ice-making process.
- 40 volunteers helped build the facility over 230 days.
- 61 tons of stone were moved and leveled by hand.
- 10,680 pounds of concrete were poured.
- One-inch cooling tubes were installed approximately one inch apart beneath the ice surface.
- Glycol coolant circulates through the tubing to keep the ice frozen.
- Multiple thin layers of water were sprayed over the surface to build the ice over approximately five days.
- Approximately 10,000 gallons of water were used to create the ice surface.
- The ideal curling ice temperature is approximately 24.8°F.
- The air temperature inside the icehouse remains around 45°F.
Circle City Curling Club
1735 W. 53rd Street, Unit 3A
Anderson, IN 46013
Watch the Construction Time-Lapse Videos
Follow the 2022 Construction Timeline
March 2022 — We Found a Home
Circle City Curling Club announced that it had signed a lease for a new three-sheet dedicated curling facility in Anderson after spending 15 years at various arena-ice venues around Indianapolis.
The facilities committee had spent several years searching for the right location, including reviewing more than 50 properties in the previous year alone.
Club members began demolishing unnecessary infrastructure and constructing new restrooms, a bar, warm room, and icehouse.
Installation of the low-emissivity ceiling, April 15, 2022.
May 2022 — Volunteers Get to Work
Construction continued at the Anderson site, with club members volunteering for jobs ranging from moving materials and cleaning to general construction support.
July 2022 — Preparing the Ice Base
Work moved toward one of the largest construction tasks: moving, spreading, and leveling the gravel that would form the base beneath the curling ice.
October 2022 — The Icehouse Takes Shape
The chiller was installed, and the liner and cooling pipes were laid across the rink base. Work continued on decking, walls, the warm room, bar, and restrooms.
At this point, the club was targeting December 2 as the opening date for members.
November 2022 — Ready to Make Ice
Decking around the ice was being completed, exterior doors were being installed, and the bathrooms and warm room were receiving final finishes.
Most importantly, everything was finally in place to begin making curling ice.
Why Dedicated Curling Ice Matters
Before opening the Anderson facility, Circle City Curling Club relied on rented hockey ice. At times, the club had access to the ice for only two hours per week, with some league games beginning as late as 10:30 PM.
Dedicated ice is prepared specifically for curling. Unlike hockey or skating ice, the surface is covered with tiny frozen droplets called pebble. Stones glide over the tops of these droplets, reducing friction and producing the movement that makes curling unique.
Having a dedicated facility means the club can control ice conditions while offering substantially more curling opportunities, including multiple league nights, bonspiels, Learn to Curl programs, youth curling, practice time, and special events.
The facility also includes a warm room where curlers can continue one of the sport's favorite traditions—broomstacking and socializing together after a game.
