Mount Greenwood Ice Rink Gets New Chiller As Preparation Begins For Season
Keisha Patel, a former athlete and graduate of the University of Chicago, has spent the last seven years covering local high school and college sports. Her passion for sports shines through her articles, encouraging community support for local teams.
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MOUNT GREENWOOD — After confirming Mount Greenwood ice rink would open amid closure rumors, the Chicago Park District is updating the rink’s infrastructure before its opening date later this month. A Park District spokesperson told Block Club on Thursday that a new chiller for the rink had been delivered as part of the preparation for the upcoming season and installation is currently underway. The outdoor ice rink at Mount Greenwood Park, 3721 W. 111th St., was built in 1997. Unshaded, outdoor permanent ice rinks with tubing embedded in a concrete enclosure typically last 20 to 25 years in a Midwestern climate. An outdoor refrigerated ice rink chiller typically lasts 15 years. Bob Lesch, administrator and coach of Chicago Mount Greenwood Hockey, was the first to sound the alarm on the rink’s supposed closing, after a Park District contractor told him the rink would not open. Lesch s announcing of the rink s possible closure created uproar in the neighborhood. The Park Di