By 1898,he club and the sport were growing quickly in the city and bringing teams in from out of town for bonspiels. The new rink described in the article below was the first in Grand Rapids to be sheltered from the outdoors allowing them to play regardless of weather. It was an improvement over the outdoor ice they used the previous year, as they could continue to curl even when the ice began to melt outside.
The Grand Rapids Curling Club held its formal opening for the winter season of 1898 at 2 o'clock this afternoon, at the new curling rink of the club in the Grand Rapids Athletic Club grounds on West Fulton street. All afternoon the thinly iced field presented a busy appearance. The huge granite stones were thrown thick and fast from circle to circle. The club membership was well represented and its size was noticeable.
During the year a growth of about twenty has been made and the membership is now fifty. The rink which has just been completed and which was first formally used this afternoon, is credited with being the finest of the kind in Michigan. Last year when the Detroit curlers came to this city to participate in a tournament, inclement weather made the occurrence of the contest impossible. This year if any such match is arranged the well built rink will protect the members from storm and make curling possible even when the ice outside has commenced to melt. A. B. Knowlson is the president of the club and Vice President William Miller is in charge of the grounds and house.
("On its New Rink" The Grand Rapids Press, 5 Dec 1898)
The Grand Rapids Athletic Club has since merged with the University Club of Grand Rapids. The exact location of the rink on the GRAC grounds in 1898 is unknown.