Every winter, Naperville Park District crews set up the dasher boards at Centennial Park, maintain them and take them down again. That work takes an average of 716 labor hours a season. The ice inside those boards has averaged about 11 usable days a year over the past five years, according to the Park District's page on the Centennial Park detention basin.
Eleven days covers part of a holiday break, and that's about all. The free park rinks open only after a hard freeze, typically no earlier than Dec. 15, and the plan to fix their structural problem was set aside. The paid rink at Block 59 opens on a fixed date, Friday, Nov. 13, on Route 59.
Why Centennial's Ice Struggles Even When It's Cold
The rinks at Centennial Park, 500 W. Jackson Ave., were built inside a detention basin, a stormwater facility meant to hold rain and reduce flooding. The Park District says the basin is "continually wet," which leaves the ice rinks and the summer sand volleyball courts unusable for much of their seasons.
The cold itself is a high bar. All of the district's rinks use natural ice, and ice-making can't begin until temperatures have held at 15 degrees or below for at least 72 hours straight. The rinks typically open on or after Dec. 15, only after a stretch of extreme cold. If conditions hold, the season runs through Feb. 15.
Last winter showed what happens when cold and basin meet. On Dec. 16, 2025, the Park District posted a notice that the Centennial rinks were delayed because the basin was not holding water well enough. The surface was freezing, but the water underneath was draining into the ground and the storm sewer before it could freeze solid. That left air pockets and ice that wasn't safe to skate on. By Jan. 28, 2026, the Daily Herald's outdoor rink guide listed all four Naperville rinks, Centennial included, as open, weather and conditions permitting. The district's status page shows the natural rinks closed on Feb. 10, 2026.
The Fix That Was Proposed, Then Set Aside
The Park District looked at this problem directly. In 2025 it sent residents a questionnaire about the basin's ice rinks and volleyball courts and received 945 responses. At the June 26, 2025 Park Board meeting, staff were asked to look at moving the rinks to central Naperville and using a refrigerated ice system, which would mean more consistent use and a longer season. That fall, the district proposed new refrigerated rinks at the Community Garden Plots parking lot to replace the Centennial rinks.
The project did not go forward. The district's 2026 referendum page explains that a fall 2025 community survey on project priorities and tax sensitivities cut the bond proposal from six projects to two: a new community activity center at Frontier Sports Complex and the purchase of more open space. The refrigerated rinks were among the projects removed. The basin page describes the rinks' future plainly:
"We will evaluate the relocation of the ice rinks in the future along with other Park District capital projects and proceed accordingly if the project becomes a top community priority and funding is identified."
The basin's summer use is changing. The sand volleyball courts are moving to Meadow Glens, a community park with parking and restrooms, with work scheduled to finish by the end of 2026. Once the active amenities are relocated, the district plans to expand the prairie nature garden on the east side of the basin. For this winter, the ice rinks stay where they are and still depend on the weather.
The Season That Shows Up on Schedule Starts Nov. 13
That gap in the calendar is where The Rink at Block 59 fits. It arrived in 2025 as a new seasonal rink at Block 59, 404 Illinois Route 59. NCTV17 reported a 60-by-120-foot rink on the green between The Cheesecake Factory and Yard House, built to return every year. The first season opened Nov. 20, 2025, with a free skate day. Patch reported a planned run through Jan. 18.
The second season opens a week earlier. Block 59 lists the grand opening as Friday, Nov. 13, 2026, with "real ice skating." On a cold year, that's more than a month ahead of the earliest typical opening for the park rinks. Admission is $14, the same price the Daily Herald reported last year, and skate rental is another $5. Each ticket covers a 1-hour-45-minute session. Time slots per day are limited, and the rink recommends buying in advance.
Regular hours are 2 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday. Thanksgiving week has its own schedule: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. from Monday, Nov. 23, through Wednesday, Nov. 25. The rink is closed Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26, and back to 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. It's also closed on Christmas Day.
The themed dates fall across the stretch when the park rinks are least likely to be ready:
- Nov. 13: The Rink grand opening
- Nov. 22: A Visit from the Grinch
- Dec. 13: Stan's Cocoa with Mrs. Claus
- Dec. 20: Skate with Santa
- Dec. 30: Glow Night
What a Block 59 Ticket Covers Beyond the Ice
A same-day skate ticket gets perks at four Block 59 businesses. Show the ticket on the day of your reservation to redeem them:
- Stan's Donuts & Coffee: a complimentary 12 oz. hot chocolate with purchase
- Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar: a free appetizer with any entrée
- Yard House: 10% off full-priced food
- Dumont Creamery & Cafe: 10% off your order
Some details matter for families. Rental skates run from children's size 9 up to men's size 13, with no half sizes, and the rink suggests rounding down. Skate buddies for beginners are available first come, first served. Helmets aren't available to rent, so bring your own. Skaters with their own skates still pay the $14 admission and sign a waiver.
Weather still plays a part. Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable, but you can move a booking to another date up to two hours before your start time using the link in the confirmation email. The price can change depending on the new date. The rink can also pause or cancel sessions for weather, ice resurfacing or injuries. Questions go to [email protected].
When a Real Freeze Arrives, Read the Flags
When a cold snap gives the park crews their 72 hours, the free rinks are worth the trip, especially at night. Three are lighted and stay open until 10 p.m., with a push-button at each rink that turns the lights on:
- Centennial Park, 500 W. Jackson Ave.
- Nike Sports Complex, 288 W. Diehl Road
- Wolf's Crossing Community Park, 3252 Wolf's Crossing Road
Gartner Park, at 524 W. Gartner Road, is not lighted and closes one hour after sunset. Centennial is the only location for hockey and broomball, which are allowed on its two boarded rinks. A third Centennial rink is for free skating only, with no pucks or sticks.
Each rink flies a green flag when it's open and a red flag when it's closed. The district asks skaters to stay off any rink with a red flag or listed as closed online. To check before you leave home, call the Rainout Line at 630-883-4242 or visit the Park District cancellations page, which also offers email and text alerts. The district describes these as recreational rinks that aren't maintained to professional or competitive standards.
Indoor Ice for the Weeks in Between
From mid-November to mid-February, Block 59 and the park rinks both depend on weather to some degree. Three indoor arenas close to town offer public skate sessions. Prices below are the ones each venue currently posts.
| Arena | Address | Posted admission | Skate rental |
|---|---|---|---|
| All Seasons Ice Rinks | 31W330 North Aurora Road, Naperville | $10 | $4 |
| Rocket Ice Arena | 180 Canterbury Lane, Bolingbrook | $14 | $4 |
| Seven Bridges Ice Arena | 6690 IL-53, Woodridge | $15 online, $20 on-site | $5 |
All Seasons, on North Aurora Road, is the one inside Naperville. Its $10 admission is the lowest posted price in the group. Seven Bridges' price schedule took effect July 15, 2026, and buying online costs $5 less than paying at the door.
With that in mind, a full Naperville skating season looks like this. Book Block 59 for the November and December dates you care most about. Keep an eye on the forecast and the flags for a week of hard cold. Have the indoor rinks ready for the in-between weekends, since the Park District's own numbers suggest those weekends will make up most of the winter.
For clients relocating to Naperville over the holidays, a skating weekend is often their first real look at the town. At Jill Clark, we plan those visits around what is actually open that week. Request a Private Consultation, and we'll fit your search around the calendar your family will be living on.
