MOUNT GREENWOOD — The outdoor ice rink at Mount Greenwood Park is finally open, one month after it was supposed to debut for the season.
The rink, officially known as the Chicago Blackhawks Ice Rink at Mount Greenwood Park, was set to open on Nov. 27 — along with eight similar facilities operated by the Chicago Park District.
But the opening was pushed back after it was revealed that the aging ice rink at 3724 W. 111th St. was in need of costly repairs, according to Jessica Maxey-Faulkner, the park district's spokeswoman.
Skaters were finally able to take to the ice this week.
Ald. Matt O'Shea (19th) had promised the rink would reopen in early November. His assurance came after neighbors worried that the rink would close following the arrival of the Morgan Park Sports Center, which debuted just 2.2 miles away on Sept. 1.
The 64,000-square-foot center at 11505 S. Western Ave. includes an indoor ice rink and gymnastics center. The $18 million project is the largest investment the park district has ever made in the 19th Ward.
Earlier this month, O'Shea said the park district already had spent $25,000 repairing Mount Greenwood rink, part of a "significant investment in the rink" promised by the park district that would add an extra 10 years of life to the facility.
He added that the park district typically shutters its outdoor ice rinks in late February, but the season will be extended — weather permitting — into early March in Mount Greenwood. This should allow scheduled skating programs at the park to fulfill all commitments, O'Shea said.
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