Groundbreaking of Wellness Depot: A Community Hub for Fitness and Wellness in Castlewood

Castlewood, SD The papers have been signed and the first shovel of dirt turned for the start of the Wellness Depot, a fitness and wellness center to serve the community of Castlewood.

With 100% donated funds, the 5,400 square foot facility will be built at the end of Main Street, north of the Castlewood Assisted Living Center, fulfilling a need determined by a community survey in 2017.

A groundbreaking was held June 29 at the site with the Castlewood Historical Society (CHS), Castlewood Community Foundation (CCF), Grow Castlewood Committee and the City of Castlewood all represented for their vital role in facilitating this project.

“It’s a great addition and I think it will get a lot of use. It keeps the city growing and moving in the right direction,” said city council member Stef Goldhorn.

The Grow Castlewood Wellness Committee has been working on research and details for the building and its contents for the past five years. The land where the facility will be built was purchased by the Castlewood Historical Society and papers were signed recently to transfer the property to the Castlewood Community Foundation. After the Wellness Depot is completed, the City of Castlewood has agreed to take ownership and management of the facility.

Actual construction started last week as Mack Concrete prepares the site for cement flatwork. Lumber should go up around the first week of August by Greenfield Builders with the hopes the building will be enclosed by Oct. 1 so the inside can be finished off over the winter.

If everything goes as planned, the facility should be ready for use by the spring of 2025.

The Wellness Depot will house a paid membership fitness center with equipment, multi-purpose space for pickleball, fitness classes, etc. and a medical/health clinic area.

The planned cost for the facility is $830,000 and the committee reports they are nearing this goal in fundraising. Major contributors to the project have been the Castlewood Historical Society ($250,000 and donation of land), Chase the Ace ($197,903) and the City of Castlewood ($75,000 toward fitness equipment).

Donations have been received from many businesses and individuals ranging from $25 – $40,000 with the largest individual donor being $35,000 and largest business donor at $40,000, to date.

“Every dollar is important to completing this project and being able to give the community of Castlewood both a building they can be proud of as well as services that can be utilized,” said wellness committee member Lois Wiarda.

All residents with a zip code of 57223 should have received a donation letter in the mail otherwise donations can still be submitted to Grow Castlewood, PO Box 263, Castlewood, SD 57223; through the website, www.growcastlewood.com; or their Venmo account is @CastlewoodFoundation

Any donation of $1,000 or more will be recognized in the facility on a permanent display.

The fast-growing sport of pickleball was one of the driving forces to adding an additional multi-purpose space in the building. A pickleball tournament will be held on Saturday afternoon of Castlewood Days and the Grow Castlewood Wellness Committee invites all levels to come out and play.

The Wellness Depot is the second project of three resulting from the results of the survey. The new football field was completed in 2021 and the third project would be a splash park.

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