Without a doubt, the pandemic dealt a crippling blow to many area businesses, and the Waller Area Community Center was no exception. The building was closed for months, as were all of the fitness centers in the state. Members cancelled their memberships, a vital income stream for the WACC.

Facing tough headwinds, the WACC Board of Directors took difficult decisions to slash expenses. Realizing that members were not going to return quickly to public indoor spaces, revenue was raised through calendar sales. Sponsorships by Arvig, hockey, curling and the Rotary Club proved essential to survival.

After a long period of darkness, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Fitness Center memberships are on the upswing.

Today, thanks to a low cost SBA pandemic recovery loan, a federal grant and a rebate from Minnesota Power, the community center is literally brighter in every sense of the word. The lights in and around the facility, all 900 of them, have been replaced with modern LED lights. Over the years the original fixtures installed in the 15-year-old building declined in brightness or burned out. Some of the arena lights were converted to LED over the years, but many low efficiency fixtures remained.

The LED fixtures that replaced the old arena and parking lot lights are 75 percent less expensive to operate. New LED tubes installed in the rest of the building are 50 percent less expensive to operate than old fluorescent tubes. Not just a matter of changing bulbs, a significant amount of rewiring and fixture replacement was done by local electrical Kade Navratil.

LED lights do not dim with age, do not generate heat, are instantly on, have a longer life, and provide significant cost savings over incandescent, fluorescent or any other current technology. The result is a brightly lit, inviting building and a safer arena and parking lot with reduced operating costs to boot.

Combined with the replacement of the climate control system and addition of air purification systems, visitors who have not been in the facility since the start of the pandemic will notice a comfortable, safe and inviting atmosphere due to the improvements. In addition to these upgrades, the locker rooms are getting a much needed facelift and the fitness center has some new equipment.

Further improvements are planned and the future indeed looks brighter.  The community center is a self funded 501 non-profit organization.

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