Season for all skate

The northern Fox Valley isn't exactly a haven for winter sports enthusiasts, especially those who are looking for big-time downhill skiing or lots of snowmobile trails.

But if you are determined to get out and enjoy the winter weather, there is another option: ice skating.

In Elgin and South Elgin alone, there are four places local officials encourage you to lace up your skates.

Elgin's City Skate has been open for weeks now next to the Hemmens Cultural Center downtown.

It's the only spot in the Elgins where city officials freeze their own ice, rather than waiting on Mother Nature to do the dirty work.

"City Skate is a chilled coil system," said Sue Olafson, Elgin spokeswoman. "It enables the water to freeze and stay frozen."

It's also the only place that offers skate rentals, which are $4. There's no fee if you have your own skates.

The park is open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Bundle up, however, because the warming shelter is only open from 4 to 9 p.m. during the week, noon to 9 p.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays.

City Skate is also for open skating only. That means if you want to play hockey, you'll have to head across town to Wing Park, 1000 Wing St.

City officials still monitor the ice over at Wing Park, but it's not a manmade rink.

"We provide some guidelines in making sure the ice is safe," Olafson said.

"A 2-inch ice base, air 15 degrees or lower for four to five consecutive days, and 8 inches of ground frost. It really is conditional on the weather."

If you'd like to check ice conditions in Elgin, just call (847) 931-6140. You can also visit the parks and recreation department online at www.cityofelgin.org.

One more thing, Olafson said.

Stay away from the river and detention ponds when getting your ice skating fix.

"For safety reasons," she said.

In South Elgin, ice skating opportunities have been limited in recent years.

But village officials lately have found creative ways to get people on the ice.

The village board this year bought a skating rink kit, which will allow village workers to put up a semi-permanent rink near downtown.

"We have tried some other things," said Shane Hamilton, the village's parks supervisor. "Using just a liner, hay bales as walls. It was very difficult."

So village officials finally decided just to buy the kit, Hamilton said.

The rink isn't up yet, he said, but he hopes it's ready by Dec. 21.

Village staff have to pick a location, set up the structure, fill it with water and wait for it to freeze.

In the meantime, Hamilton said, the village is also readying a second skate rink at Stowell-Peddy Park, in the Thornwood subdivision.

That rink is a little more unusual.

When village officials were planning to build a basketball court at the park, they decided to slope it slightly so it could be filled with water.

"It's an idea we kind of had," Hamilton said. "There are drains in the basketball park. We plug those drains and flood it."

Then they wait for it to freeze.

Hamilton said they hope to have the Stowell-Peddy skate park ready by next Friday as well.

"I would hope they are both up by that time frame," he said.

For more information, call South Elgin's parks and recreation department at (847) 622-0003.