Lake Villa parks, ice rink to stay open
Only unseasonably warm weather will keep ice skaters and hockey players from Lake Villa's new ice skating rink.
Like all the village's parks and beaches, the rink will continue operating despite the closing of Lake Villa's parks and recreation department due to budget woes, officials said.
The skating rink at Frank Loffredo Park opened about three weeks ago, but has been a goal of the village for several years, said Lake Villa Public Works Director Glenn McCollum.
“The community loves it,” McCollum said. “There were high school kids, girls in hockey gear, dads with kids. It's an all ages thing.”
The rink cost about $1,000 to set up, which was a one-time cost, mostly spent on a tarp to put between the asphalt and the ice to keep the rink from melting in the sun, McCollum said.
Visitors must provide their own skates, but McCollum said the rink has been crowded almost everyday.
The ice rink is open from dawn until 8 p.m. and will be open throughout the season.
Village officials said the public works department will continue maintaining Lake Villa's parks and recreation facilities.