Past Ice Rink Info
March 4, 2013 @ 12:15 PM
The hockey rink remains open today after staff completed the early morning resurfacing operations.With heavy accumulations of up to 12 inches of snow predicted overnight, all parking lots, sidewalks, and buildings will be cleared before any work is conducted on the ice rink. A website update will be provided tomorrow between noon and 3:00 PM.
March 3, 2013 @ 9:00 AM
The hockey rink at Frontier Park was broomed and resurfaced this morning, and remains open . Cold overnight temperatures has allowed the Park District to extend its skating season. A website update will be provided tomorrow between 10:00AM and 12;00PM after the rink as been evaluated and resurfaced if conditions allow.
March 2, 2013 @ 9:00 AM
The hockey rink at Frontier Park was broomed and resurfaced this morning and remains open. Staff will return again Sunday morning to perform resurfacing operations.
A website update will be provided tomorrow between 8:00AM and 10;00AM.
March 1, 2013 @ 12:15 PM
Due to the ice condition at Hickory Meadows the rinks have been closed for the season. However the ice at Frontier hockey rink is skatable. The goals will be put out and the rink is open as of 12 noon. Staff will be glazing the rink Saturday and Sunday as weather permits. Check back Saturday morning at 10 am for an ice rink update.
February 28, 2013 @ 1:30 PM
Today, Park Staff was able to clear the recent snow from the hockey rink at Frontier and are able to open it this afternoon. The ice rink at Hickory Meadows will remain closed due to poor surface conditions today. It will be evaluated tomorrow, and an update will be posted between noon and 3:00 PM
February 25, 2013 @ 10:40 AM
The warm temperatures and bright sunshine over the weekend and today has deteriorated the Heritage hockey rink to the point where it must be closed for the season. Hickory Meadows is closed to skating today, and Frontier hockey remains open. Staff will evaluate Frontier and Hickory Meadows Tuesday morning and post an update on any change in status.
3-6 inches of snow is in the forecast for Tuesday into the early morning hours of Wednesday. Parks staff will attempt to clear any remaining ice rinks that may still be safe to skate only after all Park District parking lots, sidewalks and pathways have been cleared of snow. An update with more information will be provided after rinks have been cleared and evaluated on Wednesday.
February 24, 2013 @ 7:30 AM
Heritage hockey rink remains closed. Frontier hockey and Hickory Meadows ice rinks are open this morning. The warmer temperatures and bright sunshine can deteriorate the ice quickly. Please avoid thin and slushy areas as they develop throughout the day.The ice rinks will be evaluated Monday morning and an update will be posted by 10:00 AM with more information.
February 23, 2013 @ 10:00 AM
Heritage hockey rink has been unable to withstand the mild temperatures and sunshine today causing several bare and slushy areas to develope, and will be closed for the remainder of the weekend. Frontier hockey and Hickory Meadows ice rinks remain open and will be evaluated again tomorrow morning. Check for an update by 9:00 AM tomorrow for any updates on conditions.
February 22, 2013 @ 12:50 PM
We were able to remove the snow from Frontier hockey rink, Heritage hockey rink and both at Hickory meadows. There are some areas that skaters should stay away from and we will be putting safety cones in those areas. We will be opening the rinks up after 3 PM. The temperature is hovering around freezing so the rinks could hold up through the weekend. Check back tomorrow after 10 am for further updates.
February 21, 2013 @ 12:30 PM
Today Frontier hockey rink and the two rinks at Hickory Meadows will open at 3 PM. Due to the sunny conditions yesterday the hockey rink at Heritage melted and suffered severe cracking making the conditions today unsafe to skate. With the forecast for snow tonight into tomorrow morning ice maintenance will only occur only after the Parks Department has cleared snow from our parking lots, pathways and buildings. Check back tomorrow after 12 noon for further updates.
February 20, 2013 @ 12:30 PM
Frontier hockey, Heritage hockey, Hickory Meadows hockey and Hickory Meadows free skate will be open for skating today at 3 PM. Check back tomorrow between 12 noon and 3 PM for further updates.
February 19, 2013 @ 12:00 PM
All rinks are closed for today. Due to the 50 degree temperatures and rain yesterday Pioneer hockey rink is closed for the season. As for Hickory Meadows, Frontier hockey and Heritage hockey, they are closed, but we will be attempting to make ice there tomorrow. The ice that is there is thin and the water underneath is not frozen. Check back tomorrow between 12 noon and 3 PM for further updates.
February 18, 2013 @ 10:00 AM
The warm afternoon sun and temperatures above freezing today is taking it's toll on the ice rinks. Heritage and Pioneer hockey have deteriorated and will be closed today. Frontier and Hickory Meadows remain open at this time. Ice rinks will be evaluated again Tuesday morning, and an update provided between 10:00 AM and noon.
February 17, 2013 @ 8:30 AM
The 4 rinks listed below are being resurfaced this morning and will open at 10:00 AM for skating. A few orange cones remain at Frontier where the ice may be too rough for skating and should be avoided. 40 degrees is predicted for tomorrow with some rain. Ice rinks will be reevaluated in the morning and a website update will be posted between 10:00 AM and noon Monday.
February 16, 2013 @ 10:00 AM
Thanks to the low overnight temperatures and the hard work of our Parks Department staff, Pioneer and Heritage hockey rinks will be able to open this morning with Frontier's hockey and Hickory Meadows' north rink at 10:00 AM. Some cones will remain in areas were the ice may be unskateable. The forecast is for sunny skies today which can quickly deteriorate the ice conditions, so enjoy the extended skating season while it is still possible. Staff will return Sunday morning to perform ice surface maintenance, and a website update will be provided tomorrow at 8:30 AM with any additional information.
February 15, 2013 @ 1:00 PM
Pioneer and Heritage ice rinks are closed today, but we are working on them today tomorrow morning and Sunday morning hoping to have something skateable over the weekend. Please check back tomorrow moring at 10 am for an update on their condition. Frontier and Hickory Meadows (North) are open for skating today at 3 PM. We will still have cones out at Frontier identifing areas to aviod while skating.
February 14, 2013 @ 1:05 PM
The weather conditions have deteriorated the ice rinks at Pioneer, Heritage and Frontier to where it is not safe to skate. For that reason those rinks will be closed today. At Hickory Meadows (North of the sidewalk) the ice is firm, in the middle and can support skaters, so it will be open today at 3 PM.We are getting to the point of the season where ice making or maintenance will end. The extended forecast is for colder weather in the next couple of nights, but with daytime temperatures exceeding 32 keeping the ice on the rinks and safe is difficult. We will be updating this site tomorrow between 12 noon and 3 PM.
February 13, 2013 @ 1:05 PM
Rinks To Open Later Than Normal. With the conditions, sunny and warmer, please stay off the rinks until 5 PM. The ice at Frontier and Hickory Meadows is soft, but will firm up as the temperature reaches the freezing point.Today the rinks have done a 180. The ice rinks at Frontier and Hickory Meadows (North of the sidewalk) are open and the ice rinks at Pioneer and Heritage are closed. However there are areas at Frontier hockey rink that skaters should be avoid. We will be putting orange cones identifying these areas. We will be updating this site for ice conditions tomorrow between 12 noon and 3 PM.
February 12, 2013 @ 1:45 PM
The ice rinks at Frontier and Hickory Meadows are still closed. There is water under the very thin ice which cannot support any activity. The ice at Pioneer and Heritage has firmed up and we will be opening up those rinks at 3 PM this afternoon. However there are areas on both rinks that skaters should be avoid. We will be putting orange cones identifying these areas. We will be updating this site for ice conditions tomorrow between 12 noon and 3 PM.
February 11, 2013 @ 12:45 PM
The ice rinks today are still closed. There is standing water on Frontier and Hickory Meadows and at Pioneer and Heritage the ice that is left is extremely thin. For these reasons we are continuing to keep the rinks closed. The forecast is for temperatures to be in the mid 30's to low 40's for most of the week along with sunny conditions. This impairs our ability to make ice let alone maintain any that may remain. Whatever ice we lose at this point in the season unfortunately is gone until next ice season. Check back tomorrow between 12 noon and 3 PM for further updates.
February 8, 2013 @ 2:05 PM
The Arlington Heights area experienced a myriad of winter weather over the last few days which have caused havoc to the Districts ice rinks. Wednesday’s sunshine was followed by Thursday’s warm temperatures and heavy rain, then changing to sleet and finally 3 inches of snow last night and early this morning. This has left the rinks with a mixture of standing water and slush, now covered with and insulating blanket of snow, preventing any refreezing of the sub base. This leaves the surface unable to support any equipment or staff for clearing snow.Even with the cold temperatures forecast for tonight, it is unlikely the rinks will fully freeze to allow any work to be done to the rinks before temperatures rise into the high 30’s and low 40’s starting Saturday through early next week. To help prevent ice surface failure please stay off the rinks. As of 2/8/13 all Ice making has been suspended, and all rinks will remain closed. We will re-evaluate ice rinks on Monday February 11 and update the website sometime between noon and 3 PM with any additional information
February 7, 2013 @ 12:50 PM
Temperatures overnight hovered around the freezing mark, with rain and freezing rain beginning around 2:00 AM, hampering any chance of grooming the ice rinks. Rain has continued through the noon hour today causing the rinks to deteriorate rapidly. Additionally, snow is in the forecast for the afternoon into the evening. Ice rinks are slushy with large amounts of standing water, resulting in the closure of all ice rinks.
Should the rinks refreeze to a point where they can support clearing operations, Staff will make attempts to reopen them, pending the completion of all snow removal operations.
Check the website tomorrow between noon and 2:00 PM for updates.
February 6, 2013 @ 12:30 PM
The forecast for overnight is for temperatures to be hovering around the freezing point with some precipitation in the form of sleet or snow. The rinks are still scheduled to be broomed and lightly resurfaced, but little ice making will likely be accomplished. Any snow that accumulates on the rinks overnight will be removed after all parking lots, buildings and pathways have been cleared.
Temperatures are still expected to continue to rise as we progress through the weekend, and ice conditions can be expected to begin deteriorating.
Please revisit the website for an update and any additional information tomorrow between noon and 2:00 PM.
February 5, 2013 @ 3:10 PM
Staff was in overnight to broom and resurface the ice. With overnight temperatures in the upper teens and low twenties, they will return tonight. Temperatures are continuing to rise as we progress through the week, and with a forecast to be in the 40's by the weekend with lots of sunshine.
This may be one of the last chances to get out the skates before we lose the ice rinks.
The website will be updated tomorrow afternoon between 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM with more information.
February 4, 2013 @ 2:10 PM
Arlington Heights received close to 3 inches of snow overnight and into the early morning hours. Parks staff suspended ice making to respond to the accumulating snow. Buildings, parking lots and pathways were cleared before turning our attention to the ice rinks. Early this afternoon, staff was able to dedicate crews to broom and shovel out snow from the ice rinks.
Frontier, Pioneer, Heritage hockey and both rinks at Hickory Meadows are open for skating.
Crews are scheduled for brooming and resurfacing of ice rinks overnight tonight and an update will be made to the website Tuesday at 2:00 PM with any additional information.
February 1, 2013 @ 2:10 PM
As Arlington Heights slept, Parks staff was out overnight battling single digit temperatures and near -20 degree wind chills to build up a solid base for the ice skating rinks. Even with the bright sunshine today the hard work has paid off with all the targeted ice rinks open to skating this afternoon. Though it may not seem like it today with the frigid temperatures, February is a transitional month, with the sun climbing higher in the sky and days becoming longer, ice rink establishment and maintenance grows more difficult with each passing day.
Staff will continue with the brooming,clearing and resurfacing of hockey rinks at Heritage, Pioneer, Frontier and both rinks at Hickory Meadows for the remainder of the skating season as long as the weather is conducive.
Snow is also in the forecast for the next couple of days. The Park staff's first responsibility is the clearing and removal of snow and ice from our parking lots, buildings and pathways before turning our attention to the clearing of skating rinks and the resumption of ice rink resurfacing.
The website with be updated tomorrow, Saturday at 2:00 PM with any additional information.
January 31, 2013 @ 2:00 PM
Winter seems to have returned, at least for the next few days. An arctic front has settled into the area bringing with it daytime temperatures in the teens, and single digits overnight. The heavy rains that fell, and very warm temperatures of the previous week has left the ice rink subsurfaces very wet and soft. The good news is with these low temperatures the ground should quickly harden up again to allow ice making.
Many rinks had some remaining areas of standing water which will refreeze, providing a good base for subsequent light coats to build up the skating surface. Even though the surface of the ice may look solid enough for skating, it is important during this period that skaters refrain from entering the rink areas. Break-through of the ice surface leaves large areas of chunky, jagged ice which require a longer time to refreeze, and leaves rough unskateable sections that is often the reason ice rinks are deemed to be closed, and similarly prolongs the time to open the rink.
Park staff has begun the rebuilding process on the following rinks, and will continue to maintain these for the remainder of the 2013 skating season: Frontier hockey, Heritage hockey, Pioneer hockey and Hickory Meadows (both rinks).
Please revisit the website Friday, February 1st, for an update on ice rink conditions after 2:00 PM.
January 30, 2013 @ 3:15 PM
These wide swings in temperatures and heavy rains are really putting a damper on both ice making and ice skating this winter. Looking out from today (Feb 4 - 12), forecasted daytime temperatures are expected to climb into the high 30's to low 40's & overnight temps. probably won't go below the mid 20's. That's not good for ice making, especially if the sun comes out, which at this time of the year is very destructive to ice adjacent to hockey boards.
Given the forecast, Parks staff will only rebuild and maintain ice on the following ice rinks for the remainder of the 2013 skating season: Frontier hockey, Heritage hockey, Pioneer hockey and Hickory Meadows (both rinks)
January 29, 2013 @ 12:45 PM
Due to the continuing warm temperatures and rapidly deteriorating ice conditions, all the rinks will be closed until further notice. This website will be updated Thursday afternoon at 2:00PM with additional information on pending weather conditions and potential ice making.
January 28, 2013 @ 2:40 PM
Due to the warm temperatures and standing water on all of the ice rinks the rinks will be closed until further notice. Check the website tomorrow @ 12 PM for additional updates.
January 27, 2013 @ 12:30 PM
All rinks have been broomed and resurfaced this morning, and all are open for skating.
Rising temperatures and predicted rain this afternoon will cause deteriorating ice conditions.Website will be updated Monday the 28th at 2:00PM.
January 25, 2013 @ 1:45 PM
All rinks have been cleared of this mornings snow and are open for skating.
January 24, 2013 @ 2:00 PM
All rinks are open for skating.
Snow is in the forecast for today into tomorrow, Parks Department staff's first priority is for snow removal and plowing of our buildings, parking lots and paths before turning our attention to the brooming and resurfacing of ice rinks.
This website will be updated at 2:00 PM on Friday, January 25th with ice rinks that are open and any additional information.
January 23, 2013 @ 10:30 AM
All ice rinks are open for skating today.
January 22, 2013 @ 2:00 PM
Parks staff continued with ice rink surface maintenance and building a solid base overnight and into the early morning hours. With several local school districts not in session today, ice resurfacing was suspended at 9:00 AM on rinks determined to be open to skating. Maintenance will continue during the day today at rinks which are not open at this time. Check back this afternoon at 2:00 PM for an update on open rinks and more information.
Update- 2:00 PM
All ice rinks are now open.
January 21, 2013 @ 2:00 PM
Parks staff continued with the overnight establishment of the ice rinks and a few more are open today. With the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday today, staff will suspend ice resurfacing operations at 10:00 am on rinks determined to be open. Staff will continue ice making on rinks remaining closed. Please review the list below for rinks that are open.
Update 2:00 PM- Frontier hockey rink has been opened. Cones have been placed in areas were ice is thin. Please avoid these areas. Staff will return overnight to continue ice surface maintenance pending dangerously low wind chills of -20 degrees with very low temperatures which can cause water hydrants to freeze and become inoperable.
January 20, 2013 @ 12:30 PM
Cold temperatures overnight allowed parks staff to begin reestablishing the ice rinks. Please check listings below for rinks that are open today. Cones have been placed on a few rinks where the ice remains thin. Please avoid those areas and stay off of rinks that are closed. Staff will return overnight tonight to continue the reestablishment and maintenance of the ice rinks. Status of the rinks will be updated tomorrow at 2:00 PM.
January 19, 2013 @ 9:00 AM
With the continuing warm temperatures, all rinks are currently closed. Please stay off the soft surfaces. Sunday morning promises very cold conditions which will allow us to begin the ice making process again. Staff will evaluate rinks and determine any that can be open for use on Sunday afternoon. This site will be updated Sunday at 1:30 PM with any rinks that may be open or additional information.
January 18, 2013 @ 2:00 PM
As of this early afternoon, most of our ice rinks are open with the exception of Frontier free skate. Temperatures as of 2:00 PM have already surpassed the 40 degree mark, the sun is out and rinks will be rapidly deteriorating. Several rinks have had orange cones placed in areas where ice is already thin. Please refrain from entering those and other soft areas. Overnight temperatures are predicted to remain above freezing, and tomorrows highs expected to reach 45 degrees, so ice making will be temporarily suspended. Sunday morning promises very cold condition which will allow us to begin the ice making process again. Staff will evaluate rinks and determine any that can be open for use on Sunday. This site will be updated Saturday at 9:00 AM with any closings or additional information.
January 17, 2013 @ 1:00 PM
For the 3rd day in a row, park staff is battling bright daytime sunshine in our efforts to build up ice rinks for skating. Ice built up by staff over the nighttime hours quickly deteriorates when the sun heats up the darker subsurface of the ice, causing a layer of water to form beneath a thin layer of ice. Ice rinks are declared closed under these circumstances to prevent further damage from skaters, and allows for quicker ice reestablishment when staff returns over night. See the chart below for rinks that are open. Please refrain from entering ice rinks marked as closed, and check back tomorrow at 2:00 PM for an update.
January 16, 2013 @ 1:30 PM
We are going to open 6 ice rinks today at 1:30 pm. See below ice rink conditions. However with the temperatures and sunny conditions the ice could become soft in some areas. At Frontier hockey rink we have put out orange cones to stay away because of the soft ice conditions. Tonight should be another good night to continue to buils a base for additional rinks to open tomorrow. Check back tomorrow for further updates.
January 15, 2013 @ 1:45 PM
We were hoping to have a few rinks up and skateable today, but with the sunny conditions and slightly higher temperatures we could not open any of them. We will be out again overnight trying to build up a base so we can continue making ice during the day tomorrow. Looks like there will be another short cold snap which could help us get some skateable ice by the end of the week. Check back tomorrow for updates.
January 14, 2013 @ 2:40 PM
After a week of near record warm weather and rain, the overnight temperatures have again dropped into the teens and low twenties, allowing the ground surface to refreeze. Parks Department staff returned overnight to begin the process of reestablishing a solid base for the ice rinks. During this time when the ice is thin and areas remain soft, it is important that skaters refrain from entering the ice rinks. This will allow for a more rapid reestablishment of a skateable surface. Staff will continue to work on the ice rinks in the overnight hours as temperatures allow. Skaters should check this site again for an update on skateable rinks tomorrow at 2:00 PM.
January 7, 2013 @ 2:00 PM
Well, so far this winter isn't cooperating with us and this week doesn't look much better. Looking forward, toward the end of next week we could be back into some cold temperatures. While we wait for the weather to change, please stay off the rinks. The smoother the surface is when we start the quicker we can get the ice up and ready.
January 7, 2013 @ 11:00 am
At this time the below ice rinks are skateable, but with the forecast of higher temperatures today and for the rest of the week rinks could rapidly deteriorate. Please check back for further updates.
January 6, 2013 @ 8:30 am
Due to standing water, exposed ground or general thin ice conditions, many of our ice rinks are closed. Please check listing below for ice rinks that are open and please refrain from entering rinks that are closed, this will allow a more rapid reestablishment of skateable ice when temperatures again favor ice making. We will return early tomorrow morning and will update the ice conditions around 10 am.
January 5, 2013 @ 9:30 am
Below freezing temperatures overnight allowed our staff to complete ice rink brooming and resurfacing early this morning. Hickory Meadows, both free skate and hockey, remain thin in spots and we have posted orange cones on areas of the ice to stay away from. With daytime temperatures to reach the mid-thirties with warm sunshine today, ice can be expected to begin melting and becoming slushy in areas. We will return early tomorrow morning and will update the ice conditions around 10 am.
January 4, 2013 @ 1:30 pm
Temperatures are now above 32. Two additional rinks (see below ice rink report) are ready to be skated on, Hickory Meadows, both free skate and hockey. It is thin and we have posted orange cones on areas of the ice to stay away from. We will be back early tomorrow morning and will update the ice conditions around 10 am.
January 4, 2013 @ 10:00 am
Finally, the temperatures are conducive to making ice! Frontier Hockey rink will be open at 12:00 PM for skating. Putting as much water down to freeze on all the rinks for skating this weekend. We will be updating the ice conditions this afternoon.
January 3, 2013 @ 2:45 PM
Three more new rinks made it to the "Skateable" list overnight. Heritage Hockey, Heritage Free Skate and Recreation Free Skate.
The overnight lows didn't get as cold as had been predicted last night and ice was slow to re-freeze after each new coating. Hopefully, colder overnight temps predicted for tonight will help the cause.
Thanks to all the skaters for staying off Frontier Hockey rink! We are almost there! Should be open tomorrow.
Looking further out >>> Right now, temp forecast for next week looks to be warm one with highs making it up to 50 by Wednesday. Keep your fingers crossed for a big chill to recover.
January 2, 2013 3:22 PM
With wildly fluctuating temps in Dec, it has been very difficult for the soil beneath our ice rinks to freeze solidly and stay saturated. By Dec 24, with the roller coaster temps, the soil was not adequately frozen and there was very little ice, with 'marginal' soft ice at best even at the Frontier hockey rink. Unfortunately, with this 'marginal' soft ice combined with lots of excited skaters, the Frontier hockey rink could not support hockey activities and ice damage from early play resulted in a poor, unskatable surface. (A damaged ice surface that we continue to repair even today)
As you all know, overnight temps continued to hover just below freezing through the end of Dec and staff have been working very early morning shifts since Christmas trying to 'push' the establishment of ice, with moderate success.......... until the sun comes out and temperatures rise to near 32 degrees. Colder temps this past weekend and today have finally dropped to where we believe we can develop a solid base to survive heavy skating use. BUT we need your help !
AHPD staff will continue to flood the rinks the same way we always have and we will try to outsmart the weather and soil conditions as best as we can. WE all want our ice rinks open and skateable as soon as possible so PLEASE do not skate the rinks that are Closed and have soft ice at the edges.
Check out our website daily to for updated ice rink conditions before you leave the house. We ask that if the rinks are shown on the website as Closed, please stay off those rinks to allow the soft ice to freeze completely so that your skating experience can be both fun and safe.