New Outdoor Ice Rinks Now Open in Wheaton

Two lighted, outdoor ice rinks are now open for free public use at the Wheaton Park District’s Central Athletic Complex, 500 S. Naperville Road in Wheaton.

The district will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony featuring skating performances at 11 a.m. on Jan. 14. The ceremony is sponsored by DuPage Medical Group, according to a news release from the park district.

“We’re excited to introduce these great amenities to downtown Wheaton,” said Wheaton Park District Executive Director Mike Benard, “and to continue to improve the Central Athletic Complex, with more projects coming later this year.”

Located on the east side of the complex’s athletic fields, the rinks can accommodate up to 288 skaters at a time. Measuring 5,800 square feet, the smaller of the pair hosts ice hockey, and the larger, at 8,600 square feet, hosts open skate. Skate rental and concessions are not provided, according to the news release.

The rinks are open 8 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. daily through winter. Portable warming shelters and indoor restrooms are open 4:30 to 9 p.m. on Fridays, 1 to 9 p.m. on Saturdays, and 1 to 6 p.m. on Sundays. Additional hours for the shelters may take effect during school breaks and holidays.

Benches and an ADA-accessible restroom trailer are onsite, and food and nonalcoholic beverages are permitted off the ice. Per ordinance, smoking and alcoholic beverages are prohibited on district property.
The district’s Parks Services Department grooms the ice with a resurfacing machine as needed. Depending on crowd size, resurfacing intermissions should occur a few times per day.

“We want to remind everyone that when the red flags are flying, we ask them to please stay off the ice,” Benard said. “Green means go and red means no.”
Guests can check the rinks’ status from home and subscribe for frequent updates onthe Wheaton Park District website. To learn more about the Central Athletic Complex’s ice rinks and the Wheaton Park District’s other winter recreation opportunities, visitwheatonparkdistrict.com/outdoorfun.

Photo via the Wheaton Park District