Just wondering why the P.D. has not flooded the regular rink at Newton yet (not sure if they have flooded the hockey rink). What are they waiting for? Cold weather. Check. A few days in the forecast without snow. Check.

It is all dug out, someone should have been there yesterday and just turned the water on.

both rinks are up. Green flag is flapping in the breeze.

That sledding hill is awesome. My four year old was terrified!!!!!!

BTW some idiot was driving his 4x4 around the park today. What an careless idiot!

Assuming you mean "a careless idiot"

My daughters are dying to go try the sledding hill....maybe this Saturday after ice skating we'll swing over there and check it out

I saw PD people hosing down the rink this morning at 5:45 AM -- it was cold and dark. They had their truck on the park. The truck seemed to have the hose. It is the second time I've seen them watering the rink and I only drive by once in a while.

Russ, maybe you have me blocked on the GEBB, in which case you won't see this response. As I stated earlier a green flag indicates open for ice skating at newton park.

At the lake they use a light on the boat house. The world awaits Clam to announce the light's color.

Got it. Green means go. I did see your post that all things were go. I was commenting on the truck driving in the park. I also thought it was odd and interesting that PD staff was working, in the dark, before 6 AM so that the ice would be better when the sun came up.

No prob. Hopefully they won't repeat the error from a couple years ago when a PD vehicle slid into the icy water at Lake Ellyn.

Perfect outdoor winter activity

For those wondering about the wait at Newton for ice, here is a nice article about the how and the why.

wait? what wait? the flag has been green for weeks at Newton...

I didn't say it wasn't green, and I didn't say there was a wait...the thread started with someone asked about the "the wait," the article explains what was behind it, and the process. I found it helpful, just passing it on.

my bad.

In case you did not notice, there were literally hundreds of people skating at lake ellyn, and newton, the last few weeks. What a gem!

Last weekend at Lake ellyn I counted 92 people on the ice at one time.

Yet today, when I called the skating hotline, the message says " both newton and lake ellyn and foxcroft closed due to melting ice and warm temperatures...hopefully we will have a cold streak".

I am going to head over with my snow blower this afternoon, as it is 11 degrees, and the kids want to skate. I guess all the Park District Snow shovelers are busy at the hoop shack and spring avenue work out facility.

The Paddle courts were busy last night, and no worries about parking as the entire overflow parking lot, all 300 spaces at the Holes and Knolls Putt Putt Golf facility, were perfectly plowed.

But the rinks? Full of snow and no place for the kids to go except their screens or to set some screens.

My recreational priorities are not theirs, thats for sure.

Main Streeter-

Before coming on and making snide insuations, you should read the article previously posted by shrugged. It has been warmer over the last few weeks. Yes, it is very cold today but as stated in the article

"Once the temperature falls between 13 and 15 degrees Fahrenheit, teams of two employees take turns working three, eight-hour shifts to"

It hasn't been under 15 degrees for more than 24 hours has it?

temps

GEBR,
Your comment "once temp..." really has nothing to do with my assessment of lack of effort and interest. To make ice is different than to maintain ice.

There was no water on lake ellyn when I was there, and temps have been cold since the snow.

What a glorious day/weekend to skate outside....off I go to find a place to do it....

I admit to wondering why the Sunset Pool parking lot is so wonderfully plowed....is there a point to ever having that lot plowed? I ask because I'm just looking to save cash. Certainly, if I had a pool, I wouldn't bother to shovel the walk around it, why clear the parking lot?

The only thing I can think of is that just about 1 year ago, vandals set fire to the pump house behind the pool. Maybe the police have had problems with loitering in that area and need the access to periodically check.

I guess that's reasonable...though a path through the drive seems it would be enough - versus clearing the entire lot. Whatever, it's not a BIG deal...just made me wonder.

FYI- have been told by one of my friends that lives across from Lake Ellyn that the light is green today:-)

I think I was really crabby the day I made the original post of this thread. Just felt that we had some "missed opportunity" to make the ice...lots of cold weather over the Christmas break. But what do I know?