Park District Franklin Park Ice Arena

Elite '09

86

429

Mike O.

Park Ridge, IL

2/25/2008 1 photo

Five stars in the eyes of a child but a 3-star joint with the charm of your blue-collar neighborhood bowling alley, so I'll settle for 4 instead. Either way, a fun place. No place for Trixie Moms or little ice ballerinas named Tiffany. This is your high school hockey kid's ice rink or a place to have some fun on the ice with Uncle Joe the union carpenter and Aunt Ethel the school lunch lady.

Located on the backroads of the gritty industrial/residential suburb of Franklin Park, this is a cool place in more ways than one. From the outside it might as well have been a VFW hall or a high school gym, with 3 flags flying in front.

We came here for a 4 year old's birthday party. Interesting that neither the birthday girl nor most of the other kids ever skated before. We had a separate party room with tables and chairs overlooking the Studio Ice Arena. There's a bigger, hockey-oriented Main Arena across from it.

You can bring your skates or rent a pair. Everyone found skates in their size. The skates were in good shape except for one girl who got a beat-pair looking like it's been through a few hockey brawls. There's a concession joint with Slush Puppies, popcorn and other snacks, just like at your bowling alley. I think that I even saw an HS couple on a date here too.

I was worried my 4 year old would fall too much or lose interest in the activity once he realized he couldn't skate. Well, it's amazing how fast kids pick it up with no lessons. For kids learning, they offered orange construction cones to hold onto while skating. A couple kids came with bike helmets, elbow and knee pads and maybe a pillow stuffed in their pants (just kidding). The ice rink is cold, so they wore thin jackets and gloves. A thick coat is too warm since this is an intense workout being on the ice. A change of clothes is good too, since the kids falling on the ice will get their pants wet and feel cold.

Two hours and 3 low blood sugars later, we barely had time to eat the birthday cake and cookies when all the kids wanted to return to the ice for more action. By the end of the night, more than half the kids could navigate the ice on their own with no assistance. The ones like my 4 year old only got faster pushing the orange cones across the ice or holding hands with grownups while skating. Another 3 year old boy was crying when the ice rink had to close and everyone had to go home.

It was a fun night and nobody got hurt. I think the only ones sore the next day were the adults trying to keep up with the kids.

• Add owner comment
• Bookmark
• Send to a Friend
• Link to This Review