Hart Park was in the direct path of the Menomonee River when it overflowed its banks early Aug. 10. The park had been expanded years ago to serve as a kind of flood control buffer in these kinds of storms, though the public infrastructure and recreational facilities in the park still were hit hard, perhaps none more so than the facilities used by the Wauwatosa Curling Club.
The club maintains and competes on a curling ice arena in the city's Muellner Building at Hart Park, which also houses the Wauwatosa Senior Center. The building underwent extensive renovations just last year, a project that topped $5 million, which the city said was mostly funded through grants and private fundraising.
The building and the ice arena date to the 1940s, but on Aug. 10, "in just a few hours, the Menomonee River stole what took us decades to build," the Wauwatosa Curling Club said in a post on Facebook about the flood damage to the building. The flood was particularly devastating to the club's lower-level room, which was filled to the ceiling by floodwater.
"The river surged into our club, destroying our lower-level clubroom, locker room, kitchen, and bar," the post says. "Much of our large equipment storage area on the main level became part of the river itself, inundated with fast-moving water. We’ve already confirmed the loss of numerous pieces of curling equipment, with more likely as we continue our inventory.
"We still don’t know the full extent of damage to our mechanical systems, including our compressor, due to the ongoing power outage. Power restoration could take weeks, possibly months. Mechanicals essential for accessibility, like our elevator, are also currently inoperable."
The damage to the ice arena on the building's main level is minimul, the club said, but "still requires remediation, which is already underway."
"Trophies, memorabilia, and historical items will be salvaged wherever possible, but rebuilding will take significant resources and time," the club said. It is seeking donations through a GoFundMe campaign to help with recovery efforts.
"This is not the first time our club has faced such hardship — in 1998, we endured a similar flood. Back then, we came back stronger, thanks to the generosity of the community. We know we can do it again — but we need your help."
Get additional Tosa Forward News coverage of the 2025 flood here.
