It’s December 21, 2021, the first day of winter. Ice skating areas and sled hills await freezing temperatures and snow for outdoor recreation as the days begin to grow longer. Sled Hill at Rotary Hill is ready along the Riverwalk. Enjoy the changing seasons!
Update, Jan. 2, 2022 / Rotary Hill, aka “Sled Hill,” is located at 443 Aurora Ave. The popular area along the Naperville Riverwalk remains open until 10PM.
Originally Posted, Dec. 21, 2021 / Naperville Park District offers outdoor winter sports locations throughout the community. These facilities are free and open to the public; however, they are weather dependent.
Naperville Park District’s outdoor skating areas can open only after a period of extreme cold. The District posts red flags (closed) or green flags (open) at ice skating rinks to indicate whether they are closed or open, providing a user-friendly and visible signal to people at park locations. The District also updates the status of ice rinks at www.napervilleparks.org/cancellations, allowing residents the ability to check on the status of rinks prior to leaving their home.
Skaters should not use ice rinks when they are posted as closed on the website or when a red flag is flying at the rink.
Lighted skating rinks open until 10PM
The District maintains three skating areas which are lighted and open until 10PM. They are:
- Centennial Park, 500 W. Jackson Ave.
- Nike Sports Complex, 288 W. Diehl Rd.
- Wolf’s Crossing Community Park, 3252 Wolf’s Crossing Rd.
Unlighted skating rinks close one hour past sunset
Additionally, the following ice rinks are not lighted and close one hour past sunset:
- Meadow Glens Park, 1303 Muirhead Ave.
- Gartner Park, 524 W. Gartner Rd.
Naperville Park District Sled Hills
Naperville Park District also maintains sled hills which are open if the ground is frozen with two or more inches of snow and no visible grass. In addition to Rotary Hill (located at 443 Aurora Ave.), which remains open until 10PM, the following hills are not lighted and close at dusk:
- Arrowhead Park, 711 Iroquois Avenue
- Brook Crossings, 1015 95th Street
- Country Lakes Park, 1835 North Aurora Road
- Gartner Park, 524 W Gartner Road
- May Watts Park, 804 S. Whispering Hills Drive
- Weigand Riverfront Park, 2436 S. Washington Street
- Wolf’s Crossing Community Park, 3252 Wolf’s Crossing Road
Both sledding and snowboarding are permitted at all of the sled hills.
Stay off ice on all retention ponds / Talk to children about dangers
The Park District reminds everyone to stay off the ice on retention ponds in parks and neighborhoods. It is never safe to go out on the ice, even when it appears to be solid. There may be thin, weak spots that are dangerous and unpredictable.
Parents are asked to talk with their children about the dangers of ponds in winter and teach them how to stay safe. Help pets stay safe, too, by keeping them leashed around ponds and flooded areas.
Bundle up, stay safe and enjoy the great outdoors every changing season.
