The Oakton Park project includes the following improvements:

• Renovating the 53-year-old Oakton Ice Arena, including:
  • Completing the required replacement of the outdated ice mechanical system which currently uses R-22 refrigerant which is no longer being produced.
  • Repairing, renovating and/or replacing outdated, deteriorated siding, mechanicals, ice rink floor, dasher board system, bathrooms, locker rooms, lobby area and ventilation system, much of which are at the end of their useful lives
  • Addressing Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Illinois Accessibility Code (IAC) compliance issues throughout the building, including the multipurpose room, restrooms, locker rooms and bleacher seating
  • Replacing the deteriorated parking lot and adding additional parking spaces
• Constructing a studio rink, training room and concessions area
• Building an indoor turf field and multipurpose rooms
• Creating a passive green outdoor gathering space
• Creating a half-mile pathway circling the park and offering indoor walking opportunities around the perimeter of the new indoor turf field
• Improving the existing driving range by replacing poles and netting
• Relocating the dog park to allow for facility and parking improvements
• Improving storm water management

• Design Development through August 2023 
• Construction Documents Development from September 2023 through January 2024
• Permitting from December 2023 through March 2024
• Bidding will be phased starting in Fall 2023
• Construction begins April 2024
• Project completed August 2025

November 20, 2024 - The main rink building is getting a fresh new look as the old siding is removed and replaced. The mechanical building is being demolished, with framing for the west walls set to follow. Plywood sheeting and siding are being added to the new sections of the building, which include the lobby, multipurpose rooms, and training room. Utility updates are underway throughout the facility, covering electric, gas, and plumbing systems. In the Studio Rink, the steel is being repainted. Grading work has begun for the indoor athletic field. Outdoors, the pathway around the building has been paved, and the west parking lot curbs have been poured and lot paved. The new patio off the lobby has also been poured.

October 17, 2024 - Window and door framing is being installed throughout the interior of the building. Masonry block work for the lobby area restrooms is being completed this week. Overhead lighting is being installed in the indoor athletic field, while the painting of the structural steel continues. Once painting in the athletic field building is completed, painting will begin in the Studio Ice Rink. Curbs in the parking lot are poured. Landscaping in the islands and pathways in the south parking lot are completed. Light poles in the parking lot will be installed next week, and paving will start at the end of the month. ComEd is scheduled to install the new transformer next week. This work will allow the new electrical room to be completed, and the old mechanical area to be demolished. 

September 26, 2024 - Curbs have been poured in the parking lot, grading is underway, and island landscaping has started. The concrete floors for both the main and studio ice rinks have been poured, and ductwork installation in the main rink is in progress. Meanwhile, the steel structural beams in the indoor athletic field are being painted.

September 4, 2024 - The Zoning Board of Appeals unanimously approved a variance to increase the driving range netting and pole height from 125 to 150 feet per the trajectory study recommendation during the Thursday, August 22 meeting. The City Council unanimously approved at the Tuesday, September 3.

August 29, 2024 - Refrigeration line work continues for the main rink, and concrete flooring has been poured in the lobby, restrooms, office, and concession areas. Masonry work for the restrooms is set to begin this week. Sand is being placed in preparation for the refrigeration lines in the studio rink. Meanwhile, concrete along the interior perimeter of the turf building has been poured, and work continues on the parking lot.

August 19, 2024 - Ice lines are being installed for the main rink floor, while concrete flooring is being prepped and poured in the lobby, restrooms, staff offices, and concession area. The exterior sheeting and detailing of the turf building are also advancing, and the storm trap detention basin has been installed in the parking lot.

July 23, 2024 - Steel framing for the entire building is being installed and the building is taking shape. Masonry work continues to advance across the site.

July 11, 2024 - Progress continues as the framework for the indoor athletic field building is starting to be installed. 

Bids were opened today for the following packages:

• Curtains
• Landscaping
• Pavers
• Flooring
• Millwork
• Painting

June 17, 2024 - Footings for the new studio ice rink and indoor athletic field buildings have been set. Framework for the new studio ice rink building has started to be installed. 

May 23, 2024 - Bids were opened on May 23 for the following packages:

• Detention Basin
• Translucent Panels

May 16, 2024 - Progress is moving steadily at the Oakton Park project, with selective demolition and site grading as the primary areas of focus.The Park District has received our permit from Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD).

Bid packages for the detention basin and translucent panels will be opened on Thursday, May 23. 

April 19, 2024 - Trees that were needed to be removed for construction, but were identified as sources for reclaiming lumber, were removed and set to the mill for processing. Asbestos abatement began, and selective interior demolition is ongoing.

March 21, 2024 - The project has moved into the construction phase which began with Park District staff removing ice and clearing out the ice arena. Construction fencing will be installed on March 22. Over the next several weeks, selective demolition, grading, and excavation will be the primary activity on the project site.

Bids will be opened on Wednesday, April 10 for the Driving Range Netting & Poles.

March 10, 2024 - Remember the past and celebrate the future before we shutdown the Oakton Park and Facilties. Join us at the 50 Years and Forward event at the Oakton Ice Arena on March 10 from 1:00pm-3:00pm. This is a FREE event open to the public. Click here to learn more about the event.

February 21, 2024 - Bids will be opened on Wednesday, February 28 for the following packages:

• HVAC
• General Trades
• Site Utilities
• Electric
• Demolition
• Aluminum Frames & Glazing
• Fire Protection
• Plumbing

February 1, 2024 - Bids for the project continue. The following bid packages have been opened since the last update:

• Masonry on January 31, 2024
• Electrical equipment on January 24, 2024
• Structural steel on January 24, 2024
• Roofing on January 24, 2024
• Bleachers on January 24, 2024
• Dasher Boards on January 24, 2024
• Netting  on January 24, 2024
• HVAC on January 24, 2024

December 21, 2023 - A pre-permit application review meeting with the City of Park Ridge took place this week, and the project permit will be submitted for review by the end of the week.

The Bid packages were opened for the project so far:

• Pre-Engineered Metal Building on October 31, 2023
• Ice Rink Refrigeration on November 29, 2023
• Site Excavation on December 20, 2023
• Building Concrete on December 20, 2023
• Asphalt on December 20, 2023
• Tree Removal on December 20, 2023
• Site Concrete on December 20, 2023

Bid notices are available on our website.

Review Notices

August 17, 2023 - On July 19, Park District Staff and Wight & Co. (Wight) had a day-long meeting to complete a room by room review of exterior and interior project details. Wight is continuing to refine the plan based on feedback and discussion during that meeting.

Wight has submitted applications with the City’s Community Preservation & Development Department for the Oakton Project. The project is expected to be on the agenda for the September 26 Planning & Zoning meeting, the September 27 Appearance Commission meeting and the September 28 Zoning Board of Appeals meeting.

July 20, 2023 - Staff has been meeting to create owner purchase items lists and budgets that include items such as furniture and equipment. Wight & Co. has been working on facade and interior details and creating conceptual views. Staff is meeting with them on July 19 for a room-by-room review.

June 15, 2023 - On June 5, during the City of Park Ridge Committee Meeting, the City Council provided staff consensus and direction to allow for the vacation of an unused City right-of-way that divides some of the parcels that comprise of Oakton Park.

May 18, 2023 - Staff continue to have meetings with Wight & Co. to review/refine various needs of the project. Most recently, we met to review the needs for the driving range netting and poles, talked through the current budget estimate, and prepared for a meeting with the City related to stormwater requirements. Additional information is being gathered on artificial turf with the intention to bring a recommendation to the Board at a future meeting. After the May 4 meeting, the presentation with a link to the survey was made available online and results are still being collected. In addition, staff plans to visit the artificial turf fields in Schaumburg and Woodridge, as well as discuss the use of these fields with programming and maintenance staff.

May 10, 2023 - Information regarding the indoor artificial turf field at Oakton Park was presented at the Board Meeting on Thursday, May 4, and a brief survey was distributed to those in attendance to provide input on the various options. If you were not able to join us, but are interested in learning more, we encourage you to watch the recording of the Board Meeting. This presentation is at the beginning of the meeting, starting at 1 min, 10 sec in the video.

Watch the Board Video

Also at the Board Meeting, James Thormeyer, Senior Project Manager at Wight & Company, provided a Design Update on the Oakton Facility and Park Project. This presentation starts at 45 minutes in the Board Meeting recording linked above.

All major components of plan presented to the public during the referendum process remain in the revised plan. The differences between the conceptual plan and this more detailed plan include:

• Current support building is completely redesigned and repurposed for the team and coaches rooms
• Inside the ice rink, the bleacher seating is relocated to the East
• Two team rooms have been added to the space adjacent to the Studio Rink
• Storage for Indoor Turf Field has been shifted to East side of building

The changes in the design have resulted in the facility now being 103,675 square feet versus 112,000 square feet as presented in the conceptual plan. With the proposed changes to the facility design, we are also anticipating being able to save an additional 10 trees on the site.

Design Update Presentation

We are currently in the design development phase of the project that will go though July 2023. 

April 20, 2023 - Sub-consultant agreements for the following have been executed and work is underway: Land survey and topography, Soil borings, and Traffic Study. The Project Team met to review facility layout updates that are part of a continuing effort to meet the programmatic needs of the Park District in the most efficient manner. Wight & Company is currently working on a budget update as a means to continuously monitor how the current economic conditions are impacting the project.

What improvements are included in the project?

The project includes the following site and facility upgrades:

• Renovating the 53-year-old Oakton Ice Arena, including:

  • Completing the required replacement of the outdated ice mechanical system which currently uses R-22 refrigerant which is no longer being produced
  • Repairing, renovating and/or replacing outdated, deteriorated siding, mechanicals, ice rink floor, dasher board system, restrooms, locker rooms, lobby area and ventilation system, most of which are past their useful lives
  • Moving the team and coaches rooms directly adjacent to the main rink
  • Addressing Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Illinois Accessibility Code (IAC) compliance issues throughout the building, including multipurpose room, restrooms, locker rooms and bleachers. By eliminating the second floor of the facility which currently does not have elevator access, some of the largest accessibility concerns will be resolved.
  • Replacing the deteriorated parking lot and adding more than 100 additional parking spaces

• Adding a studio rink, training room and concessions area
• Building an indoor turf field and multipurpose rooms with adjoining outdoor patio/fireplace
• Adding an outdoor gathering space in the Oak Grove
• Creating a half-mile path circling the park and offering free indoor walking opportunities around the perimeter of the new indoor turf field
• Improving the existing driving range by replacing poles and netting along the west and north sides
• Relocating the dog park, which will become a more attractive space with shade and allow for facility and parking improvements
• Improving storm water management

What is the project timeline?

The project timeline is as follows:

• Design Development through June 2023 
• Construction Documents Development from June 2023 through January 2024
• Permitting from December 2023 through March 2024
• Out to Bid from February 2024 through March 2024
• Construction begins April 2024
• Project completed August 2025

What types of programming will be available at Oakton Park following the project completion?

There will be many new and improved sports and recreation programs and opportunities at Oakton Park, including:

Oakton Ice Arena (Main & Studio Rink)
3-on-3 hockey league
Broomball league
Community/Open skating times
Figure skating
Hockey league
Hockey clinics
Learn to play hockey
Learn to figure skate
Open hockey sessions
Private lessons/coaching (figure, hockey, speed)
Rentals (birthday parties, etc.)
Speed skating
Stick & Puck (youth/adult)
And more!

Indoor Turf Field
7-on-7 football
Adult groups (soccer, football, other)
Drop-in play times with inflatables
Field hockey
Flag football
Indoor batting tunnels
Lacrosse practice/training
Lacrosse winter league
Men’s soccer league practice location
Open indoor walking times around perimeter of turf field
Potential game location (Instructional/Pee-Wee Soccer)
Special events
Sports programming for ages PreK-14
Training/practice location for multiple sports/affiliates
Youth indoor soccer league
Women’s soccer league
And more!

Multipurpose Rooms
Community meetings
District programming
Private rentals (birthday parties, etc.)
And more!

What are the benefits of adding a smaller studio rink?

Classes normally occupying the main ice sheet could be moved to the 60x90 foot studio rink. This would allow for the addition of a recreation house hockey league program for ages eight and older. Additional ice time on the main rink would also allow for expanded hockey and skate lessons, figure skating programming and expanded ice rentals for affiliates and other user groups. The smaller studio rink would also host 3-on-3 hockey, broomball, clinics, private lessons for figure, hockey and speed skating, birthday parties, youth and adult Stick & Puck, and other programs.

How was the size of the indoor turf field determined?

The current proposal calls for a 60x60 yard turf field. This size field was selected based on the shape of the property, the desire to preserve trees and the golf driving range, recommendations provided by turf facility managers who were interviewed, flexibility the space offers for multiple activities, the importance of practice space and the District’s bonding capacity.

What is the approximate distance of the area around the indoor turf that will be used for indoor walking?

The distance will be approximately 0.14 miles, or 7 1/3 laps per mile.

What does the District plan to use for the infill in the indoor turf facility?

At the May 4, 2023 Board Meeting, staff presented six options that were explored for use within the future artificial turf space at the Oakton Facility. Based on feedback at the meeting, a resident survey conducted after the board meeting, and staff visits to other facilities to review the products, staff recommends using Pureselect (ground olive pits) for the infill product with a Coolplay top layer and Brock Pad for the underlayment pad. The May 10, 2023 update on the project update section of the website contains links to the Board meeting video where the options were presented. The full memo of staff’s recommendation is available in the June 15, 2023 Board packet.

What happens when the indoor turf needs replacement, will the turf field be recycled?

To ensure the recyclability of materials is not financially out of reach when it’s time to replace the turf in 10-12 years, staff requested a proposal to recycle a turf field in present day dollars. We were told the cost to recycle the turf or carpet is now included in the purchase price and if we choose to recycle the infill, they will provide us a $0.40 per sq. ft. credit for any new infill we purchase. The Brock Pad will not need to be recycled for 2 turf cycles and the EPP is an easily recycled material that is highly desirable in its recycled form.

What is the District’s commitment to sustainability on this project?

The Park Ridge Park District will collaborate with the design team at Wight & Company, the architectural firm selected for this project, to take a holistic approach to the project to optimize occupant wellbeing and environmental stewardship.

The project includes the following features:

• Native landscaping will be incorporated into the site improvements.
• The parking lot will feature best management practices (BMP’s) including permeable pavers, underground detention for water infiltration, and bioswales.
• A large portion of the building is planned to be reused which significantly reduces the carbon footprint associated with new construction.
• Selected materials are to be no/low-emitting to protect indoor air quality, be durable in nature, and be mindful of end-of-life/replacement. The types of materials selected, along with high levels of recycled content and regional sourcing, help reduce the environmental impact of materials and associated embodied carbon.
• The existing structural supports of the Ice Arena are wood beams, a material that plays a significant role in reducing the project’s embodied carbon impact because it is created through the carbon sequestration of trees. Some structural wood elements are being considered for portions of the addition, including the Studio Rink. Other areas will have steel structures with high recycled content.
• Ventilation and/or air purification and filtration systems will be designed to maintain high levels of air quality that support participants’ wellbeing. Air quality monitors will be considered to evaluate air quality over time and systems will be put in place to reduce the risks associated with airborne contaminants (such as Covid).
• Glass areas will be strategically placed throughout to bring daylight to all activity spaces. High-quality lighting, combined with daylighting, can reduce energy consumption and provide even lighting that mitigates contrast and glare.
• Early design modeling will inform optimal passive strategies such as massing, roof overhangs, glazing locations, and types or proper insulation to reduce energy loads.
• With design progression, efficient mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems will be added and optimized through iterative energy modeling to reduce total energy consumption during operations.
• The roof structure on the new addition will be designed to be ‘solar ready’ for potential photovoltaic array installation to additionally offset energy demands.

Additionally, the team plans to evaluate available grants and assess Net Zero Energy opportunities for either the entire facility or for its addition.

How many trees will be removed due to the project?

Of the nearly 300 trees currently at Oakton Park, approximately 30 mature trees are expected to be removed due to construction. Staff continues to work with the architects with the goal to minimize tree loss, and at a minimum, a tree will be planted for every tree that is removed. The facility site plan was strategically designed with the goal of preserving the greatest number of trees.