Centuria

Village of Centuria

Centuria is a Charming Community

The Village of Centuria offers many outdoor amenities for residents and visitors alike, including parks, pavilions, horseshoe pits, basketball courts, boat landing and picnic area on Long Lake. Additionally, Centuria’s beautiful village park is right off the Gandy Dancer Trail and has sheltered picnic tables, playground, the Pomeroy Schnell ball field with concession facilities, lighted horseshoe courts and bathrooms.

The Gandy Dancer State Trail goes through Centuria, offering miles and miles of snowmobiling in winter and biking/hiking in the warmer months. ATVs/UTVs are allowed on most village streets year-round.

Nearby attractions include a bowling alley, Lamar Community Events, and the St. Croix Valley Raceway. Fishing at Long Lake can be accessed by the village-maintained public boat landing, or fish from the dock or shoreline. The area includes a picnic area and restrooms. The lake offers great swimming, too. Featured Centuria events include Memory Days in July, a celebration of small-town life. Another popular event is the Baker Orchard Art Festival in September. The artists in the Earth Group show and sell their fine art in many media. The orchard and Orchard House Gallery are open to the public. There are also hayrides and live music. The Cozy Country Christmas in December is when participants enjoy snow sculptures, games, hayrides, Santa visit, crafts and flea market.

The Village of Centuria is located on Highway 35. Centuria is known for a low tax rate and low utility rates. The village owns an industrial park, with lots available. There is police services (shared with Balsam Lake) and a fire department within the village. For more information, call 715-646-2300 or visit centuria-wi.org or e-mail centuriavillage@lakeland.ws.

Solar Farm in Centuria: Generating Renewable Energy

Polk County, including the Centuria area, has plenty of dairy farms. But Centuria can also boast of having a solar farm!

SunTuria Solar at Polk-Burnett Electric Cooperative in Centuria is now generating clean, renewable energy for co-op members. The 1.25 MW array is the first utility-scale solar in Polk and Burnett counties.

Located behind the co-op office in Centuria, SunTuria Solar covers 10 acres with more than 4,800 solar panels that follow the path of the sun to increase energy production. The array generates approximately 2,363,000 kWh of electricity annually, enough to power about 200 homes. SunTuria Solar was built and is owned and operated by Chicagobased SoCore Energy on land leased from Polk-Burnett. SoCore’s investment is more than $2 million.

Polk-Burnett and Dairyland Power Cooperative will have no initial investment but have contracted with SoCore to purchase all of the energy output at a fixed rate for 25 years.

Electricity from SunTuria Solar flows into the Sand Lake Substation south of Highway 8 and will be distributed to local members, just the same as if the power had been generated and transmitted from a distant power plant.

SunTuria Solar is one of 15 new solar facilities being developed by Dairyland Power Cooperative to diversify generation resources and increase solar energy in Wisconsin. As a side benefit, the ground under the array will be restored as prairie to provide bee and butterfly habitat.