New Hampshire Town Builds $10.7M Indoor Sports Complex

When winter hits most New England towns, outdoor recreation spaces sit empty and unused. But next winter, Wolfeboro, New Hampshire will finally change that story.

The Nick recreation park is completing a massive 33,500-square-foot indoor facility that will transform how this community stays active year-round. After two decades of outdoor-only programming, the new building will add four full months of indoor sports, dance, basketball, and fitness activities for people of all ages.

The project started with a simple question in 2023: could this community support an indoor facility? Executive director Holly Williams Aucoin reached out to 18 key supporters for feedback. Their response exceeded every expectation.

"They were so excited, and agreed with the need," Williams Aucoin said. Some supporters started donating before the official fundraising campaign even launched.

The community rallied together and raised $10.7 million entirely through donations. One anonymous donor contributed $1 million. Another donor, Dana Hamel, suggested adding an indoor track on a second level, which opened up even more floor space for activities below.

The facility will feature a 31,250-square-foot multi-use court space with room for two middle school basketball courts, tennis courts, pickleball courts, and more. An elevated indoor track circles above, creating space for running programs in any weather.

The Nick sits on 32 acres donated by the Pernokas family in 1998, honoring Nicholas J. Pernokas, who died at age 32 after battling a brain tumor. What started as outdoor fields for baseball, soccer, and lacrosse has grown into a vital community hub serving youth sports leagues and recreation programs.

Steve Webster, the volunteer clerk of works, oversees construction daily without pay. The building uses 165 tons of steel and required careful engineering to support both levels of activity.

Williams Aucoin joined The Nick in 2009 and has watched the dream of an indoor facility grow from a footprint on old planning documents into reality. The original plans from 1998 always included space for future indoor expansion.

The Ripple Effect

The new facility will serve far beyond Wolfeboro's borders. Youth sports leagues from surrounding towns already use The Nick's outdoor fields. Now those same programs can continue training and competing through harsh New England winters.

Kids who previously stopped their sport for four months each year will maintain skills and friendships year-round. Dance classes, tumbling programs, and fitness groups will have dedicated space. Senior citizens will gain an indoor track for safe winter walking.

The timing matters too. The facility opens at The Nick's 20-year anniversary, marking two decades of community-driven recreation.

"This is the last winter" without indoor space, Williams Aucoin said, standing inside the construction site where steel beams now outline future basketball courts and running tracks.

After 20 years of planning, fundraising, and building, Wolfeboro is proving what communities can accomplish when they invest in spaces that bring people together.

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