For years, the dream of a purpose-built athletic home for Cass Lake’s youth existed primarily on paper and in the persistence of a local coach. That changed this week as Northern Dreams Gymnastics broke ground on a new facility, marking a significant milestone for the community and the athletes who have outgrown their current quarters.
The expansion comes after years of operating out of a makeshift space that served as a testament to the program’s growth. Coach Erin Reyes and her husband, Michael, who co-own the gym and the Blender Bar Cafe, have navigated the challenges of scaling a specialized sports program in a small town since they first opened in 2017. The move to a dedicated building represents the first time in more than two decades that Cass Lake has seen a privately owned business constructed from the ground up.
The transition is more than a real estate venture; it is a response to a critical require for specialized athletic infrastructure. In many rural communities, youth sports are often limited to traditional team sports like basketball, leaving a gap for individual disciplines like gymnastics that require specific ceiling heights and safety equipment to progress beyond the beginner level.
Overcoming the Constraints of a Former Church
The current home of Northern Dreams Gymnastics is a study in adaptation. Located at the corner of 2nd Street and Cedar Avenue in downtown Cass Lake, the facility has a storied history, having served as a church before becoming a car dealership. While the building provided a starting point, its architectural limitations eventually became a ceiling for the students’ progress.
With less than 6,000 square feet of floor space and low ceilings, the existing facility struggled to accommodate the physical requirements of advanced gymnastics. For athletes performing high-flying maneuvers and utilizing complex apparatuses, the lack of vertical space is a tangible barrier. The new facility, situated on a vacant lot just 400 feet away at the corner of Elm Avenue and 2nd Street, is designed to eliminate these constraints with an open floor plan and vaulted ceilings.
This shift in environment allows for a safer, more professional training ground where students can advance through the ranks of the sport without the physical limitations of their environment. By moving just across the street, the business maintains its presence in the heart of the community while fundamentally upgrading its capability to serve the region’s youth.
Funding the Vision through Savings and Grants
Building a specialized athletic facility requires significant capital, and the journey to this groundbreaking was paved with careful financial planning and community support. The project is being funded through a combination of private savings and strategic grants.
The owners had already secured $38,000 in savings dedicated to the new location. However, the financial outlook improved significantly during Wednesday’s ceremony, where it was announced that Northern Dreams Gymnastics had been awarded an additional $48,000 in grant money to assist with the construction costs.
| Funding Source | Amount |
|---|---|
| Owner Savings | $38,000 |
| Grant Funding | $48,000 |
| Total Initial Capital | $86,000 |
These funds provide the necessary momentum to transition from the planning phase to active construction, ensuring that the facility can be built to the specific standards required for gymnastics certification, and safety.
A Life-Changing Impact on Rural Youth
Beyond the blueprints and the funding, the expansion of Northern Dreams Gymnastics addresses a social need in Cass Lake. For many children in the area, the gym has served as a sanctuary for discipline, physical fitness, and personal growth.
Michael Reyes highlighted the emotional weight of the project, noting that the journey has been a long one for his wife, Coach Erin. He emphasized the impact of seeing the long-term growth of their students, some of whom began training with the program eight or nine years ago.
“To see her dream come true, especially for this town, Cass Lake, to have something more here for kids besides just the basketball, to provide gymnastics for them has been life-changing for a lot of kids,” said Michael Reyes.
The availability of such a facility in a small town prevents “athletic flight,” where talented youth must travel long distances to larger cities to receive competitive coaching. By providing a professional-grade space locally, Northern Dreams is investing in the long-term athletic potential of the community’s children.
Timeline of Growth and Development
- 2017: Opening of Northern Dreams Gymnastics and the Blender Bar Cafe.
- 2017–2024: Operation within the former church/dealership space on 2nd Street and Cedar Avenue.
- Recent: Accumulation of $38,000 in savings and acquisition of a $48,000 grant.
- Wednesday: Official groundbreaking ceremony at the corner of Elm Avenue and 2nd Street.
As the first new ground-up private business construction in Cass Lake in over 20 years, this project serves as a signal of economic confidence in the downtown area. It demonstrates that there is a viable market for specialized services and a desire for permanent, dedicated infrastructure to support youth development.
The next phase of the project involves the construction of the vaulted structure, with the goal of transitioning students from the old dealership space to the new facility upon completion. Local residents and families can look for further updates on the construction progress through the gym’s official community channels.
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