OUR FACILITY
Room Rental & Daily Use
In addition to using spaces within our facility with a daily pass or membership (click Membership Rates), some of our facilities are available for rental to the public, civic organizations, and businesses. Please click the button below for the room rentals and fees. Hourly, daily, and extended rental fees are available and can be arranged by contacting Gretchen at 218-547-1853 or by email.
Daily Use
The WACC features several spaces one can use to have a quiet meeting, relax and watch TV or sit by the fireplace, do schoolwork, or use as a temporary remote office. WiFi is available throughout the building as well as public bathrooms, member-only locker rooms, and vending options.
Birthday Parties
We offer several birthday party packages that incorporate the Rotary Room, Gym or Arena. Packages include cake, utensils and beverages. Click the button below to view package prices and details.
Private Parties & Special Events
Whether you are planning a social event, fundraiser, holiday party, wedding reception, or any other celebration, the Walker Area Community Center can accommodate your needs. Host an event in the Rotary Room, which is suitable for gatherings of up to 250 people with kitchen access.
Corporate Events
Business meetings, sales rallies, trade shows, and employee appreciation events are all possible at our versatile facility. Our staff provides a hands-on approach to assure that your event is successful.
Employee Appreciation Days
Treat your employees and their families to a day of fun. Let us help you design a day of activities for your employees with a slightly competitive edge as they compete as teams or individuals in volleyball, pickle ball, dodgeball, or maybe a puck-shooting contest.
WACC IS NOW A HARVEST HOST!
Harvest Hosts is an RV membership program that allows self-contained travelers to overnight at unique locations around the country including farms, wineries, museums, breweries, and more! With 5076+ of host locations inside of our ever-expanding network, there’s an amazing experience waiting for everyone. HarvestHosts.com
REVIEWS:
"Gretchen was really nice. Communication was great. She let us park where we wanted. It was quiet there. We paid for day passes. Nice facility and clean. Walker is a great town."
"Great hosts. Very helpful. It was quiet even though members were coming and going. Excellent cell reception through Verizon. Parking lot at a slight slope but I easily leveled my rig.I would stay there again."
"Easy to find. Met Gretchen who was is located in the Community Center office. Awesome lady. Told me the parking options and that for $10 I could use the gym area till closing time. Nice and quiet area but need to watch where I parked and which way I faced due to the LED lighting outside. Sat and read my book and no problems with noise. Would go again for a short/overnight stay."
Daily Use
The WACC features several spaces available for daily use. 4-person tables line the hallways for use to have a quiet meeting , do schoolwork or use as temporary remote office. Or relax and watch TV or sit by the fireplace in our lounge area. WiFi is available throughout the building as well as public bathrooms, member-only locker rooms and vending options.
Rotary Room
The Rotary Room is available for rental for parties, meetings, and any other function. The Rotary Room comfortably seats 150-200 and is located directly next to the kitchen. A serving area is available between the kitchen and Rotary Room. There is a variety of audio-visual equipment available in the Rotary Room.
Kitchen
The MHD-Approved full service kitchen contains ample stainless steel tables and counters, large stainless steel sinks (no garbage disposal), 2 ovens, a 6-burner stove with griddle, a microwave, a large 2 door fridge, an upright freezer unit, 3 compartment steam table and a cafeteria-style serving area. A separate back entry provides convenient caterer access. NOTE: Utensils, cookware, silverware, dinnerware, towels, potholders, sponges, etc. are provided in limited supply.
Ringle Library
The Ringle Library (pronounced "Ring-Lee") is a quiet place to do your cardio workout and stretching. The room contains stability balls, mats, and light dumbbells as well as DVDs to complete a Thai Chi or yoga routine. There are no TVs or radios. Free coffee is available.
This library was built in memory of Dr. Ringle and his family wishes that you will use it for your pleasure and enjoyment. In 1931, Dr. Ringle came to Walker from a farm in Southern Minnesota, built a new hospital, and a new home and he and his wife Clara had a baby boy - all in the same year! Dr. Ringle served the medical needs of the Leech Lake area for the next 46 years until he also passed away in 1976.
Arena
The Walker Area Community Center is home to Walker Youth Hockey as well as the Walker Curling Club. In addition to these clubs, we offer open skating times and a variety of intramural leagues. Open skating and open hockey is available during set times and skate rentals are available at the front desk. You can also rent the rink for a private party or skating time.
During our summer months, the rink is removed and the WACC Arena can host a variety of events such as Home & Garden shows, Flea Markets and Craft Fairs. Large garage doors open on both ends to create feeling of openness in the space.
Boys & Girls Club
The Mission of the Boys and Girls Club is to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.
We pride ourselves on creating once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for our youth that they would not find elsewhere. We offer a variety of programs aimed at enhancing the lives of our members, from getting homework help to building character and leadership skills, to participating in fun activities in the gym. Boys and Girls Clubs are a safe place to learn and grow – all while having fun. Great futures start here each and every day.
The Boys and Girls Club of the Leech Lake Area serves youth ages 6-18 during after-school and summer hours. For more information about joining the club, visit our website at http://www.bgcleechlake.com/walker
Solar Panels
As printed in the Pilot Independent Newspaper on August 23, 2016, by Gail DeBoer, Pilot Independent Staff Writer
How often does a worthwhile project that’s searching for funding cross paths with a business that wants to donate funds to a worthwhile project?
Not often — but that’s what happened with the Walker Area Community Center (WACC) and its new 90-panel solar array.
The WACC has been working with the Rural Renewable Energy Alliance (RREAL) of Pine River to design a solar panel installation to offset some of the WACC’s electrical costs. WACC and RREAL had done all the legwork and the project was ready to go — except for funding.
At roughly the same time, Minnesota Power and Light (MPL) was trying to decide how to use money that was earmarked for qualified projects in communities intheir service area. But the window of opportunity to spend those dollars was short.
“We had four or five months to nail down projects,” recalls Josh Goutermont of MPL. “So we worked with the Region 5 Economic Development Corporation (R5DC) to see if any local units of government or nonprofits had approached them looking for funding.”
Among the eligible projects suggested by R5DC was the one at the WACC.
“It fit all our requirements,” Goutermont said. “The WACC serves the community, and they had this great solar project put together that was all ready — except for the money.”
On Aug. 12 the solar array, with about 90 solar panels, was being installed by a RREAL crew in a cleared area north of the WACC that faces south.
MPL’s final contribution will be slightly under $150,000. No matching funds are required from the WACC. MPL estimates the solar array will generate about 39,000 kilowatts annually. At optimum production, it should offset about 40-45 percent of the WACC’s energy usage per month.
“There are some variables, like if the panels are dirty or how much sun they get; but it’s a pretty good estimate,” he added.
Barring weather delays, the solar array should be commissioned and operating by mid-August.
“MPL is very happy to be making an investment in all the communities we serve,” Goutermont stated. “This will be a model that people and businesses can come and look at.”