Wight & Company and its client, Niles Park District, celebrated the dedication of a new public ice skating arena on January 17, 2015. The grand opening of the new 22,000 square foot covered outdoor ice rink at the IceLand Sports Complex featured a ribbon cutting ceremony, ice skating and hockey demonstrations, and appearances by the mascots for the Chicago Wolves and Chicago Blackhawks professional hockey teams.
Wight & Company managed design and construction of the Iceland Sports Complex in Niles, a suburb adjacent to Chicago’s northwest side. Niles Park District first tapped Wight & Company for a planning study to make recommendations for improving an existing ice rink facility and its two outdated refrigeration systems. Wight & Company’s project team identified multiple opportunities to enlarge and enhance the facility with a strong focus on improving energy efficiency.
The team then embarked on a two-phase construction program. During the first phase, Wight & Company oversaw the creation of a new permanent covered outdoor ice rink to replace an older temporary rink. Additional phase one improvements included renovation of the outdoor rink viewing deck, main entry plaza and parking areas. During the second phase, Wight & Company completed a significant renovation of IceLand’s interior, adding new space for admissions, skate rental and concessions. In addition, the construction team added four team locker rooms, a Zamboni garage, and a combined central refrigeration plant to operate both rinks with greater energy efficiency.
Explained Ken Osmun, Principal in Charge for the Wight & Company project team, “The new IceLand Sports Complex gives Niles residents an expanded community ice center, both indoors and out, that functions much more efficiently than the facility it replaces and will be a major community asset for many years to come.”
