MINNEAPOLIS, MN – On Thursday, August 14, at 4pm, Northfield, Minn., will celebrate the groundbreaking of the Northfield Ice Arena, located at 1900 Cannon Road, designed by JLG Architects. The new facility, scheduled for completion in the fall of 2026, will replace the city’s 50-year-old facility.
On seven acres along the Cannon River, Northfield Ice Arena will consist of 51,304 square feet of sustainable design inspired by the formation of the scenic waterway and its tributaries. The project will integrate LEED ice arena criteria, including healthy materials, facility daylighting, and designated active transportation parking. The arena is planned to include locker rooms, a multi-purpose room, coach/referee rooms, a mother’s room, ADA accessible ramps/elevators, concessions, skate rental, viewing areas, and a multi-use dryland training area. Aligning with anticipated program growth, the facility will provide for increased seating capacity and adaptable space to accommodate future ice arena expansion to the north.
The project’s lead designers from JLG Architects—including Tom Betti, Randy Lieberg, Teddy Gustafson, and Marc Lindvig—will be on-site at the groundbreaking and available for interviews.
IN-DEMAND ICE PROGRAMMING
Northfield’s new arena will help meet the increasing demand within the Northfield Skating School (NSS) and the Northfield Hockey Association (NHA), programs that have experienced a 19% growth over the last five years alone, outpacing other recreational sports and residential growth.
“We have strong local hockey and skating programs, and we’re looking forward to providing a facility that meets their needs,” said Jayson Dwelle, facilities manager for Northfield. “We’re also looking forward to welcoming visitors and traveling teams that have been reluctant to make Northfield a part of their schedule for the past few years.”
DESIGN DETAILS
Collaborating in a public-private partnership, JLG is leading the project with a systems-thinking approach that will help the facility expand with program demand while enhancing community connection and well-being.
On its Cannon River site, the sustainable arena connects to nature through a unique canopy design that channels rainwater irrigation to a single, intentionally planted tree. “Here, the architecture doesn’t enclose the landscape; it frames, nourishes, and merges for a memorable arrival experience,” said JLG’s Teddy Gustafson. “At the heart of Northfield Ice Arena, the canopy opens into a circular oculus — precisely proportioned to frame the sky above and the Minnesotan landscape below. Through the oculus, light, water, and time transform the space with each passing season. A single tree, positioned below, becomes a living focal point that blurs the boundary between architecture and landscape.”
“Northfield’s sustainably designed ice arena will lower operational costs, catalyze community activity, and honor the history and natural character of its river surroundings.”
-Tom Betti, JLG Architects’ Sports Studio Leader
“The arena’s pedestrian pathway will wrap around the building, with concrete joints aligned to the façade’s gaps, creating a continuous line that visually extends from the ground into the vertical architectural elements,” explained JLG Architects’ Sports Studio leader Tom Betti. “Northfield’s sustainably designed ice arena will lower operational costs, catalyze community activity, and honor the history and natural character of its river surroundings.”
ABOUT NORTHFIELD ICE ARENA
According to the City, the Northfield Ice Arena project has been in the works for more than 20 years, a need prompted by the outdated and functionally deficient conditions at the existing arena. The existing arena has since been sold for private reuse.
The Northfield Ice Arena project is funded by several sources, including the City of Northfield, Northfield Public School District, the City of Dundas, and the sale of the existing arena. Northfield Hockey Association donated land for the new building and led a capital campaign that raised nearly $5M through sponsorships, one-time donations, and multi-year pledges. Funds pledged to the capital campaign, up to $2.5M, have been matched by the Glenn Hasse Family and College City Beverage.
Learn more about the project: Northfield Ice Arena
