Williston Fitness Center

It's hard to imagine our community without the current Williston Fitness Center, but back in 2010 it looked very different than it does today. Originally, the Williston-Sagedahl sports complex, it was purchased by the city in 1998. Membership and revenue was modest. Then the community thought bigger, and made an investment to modernize the space and appeal to the growing number of young families in the area. The renovation added the kids treehouse and splashpad, batting cages, weight room and fitness studios, and updated the existing spaces. Within a year, family memberships increased by 50%. Within 3 years, demand was so great that non-Minnetonka residents could no longer join. It became a money-maker for the city, while becoming a hub for our community.

Fast forward to 2022. Williston continues to burst at the seams, and there isn't enough space for city staff or resident programming. And along comes a unique opportunity to purchase The Marsh, a wonderful property with a unique history, at an attractive price. The purchase process moved quickly (especially by city standards) and there is a financial risk. It has all the potential to be another wonderful resource for residents and visitors to Minnetonka. Hopefully our city staff can figure out how to make it equally important and financially stable!