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player ready...Sara Bolan jokes that she’s taken so many photos of work being done during the Franklin Park Ice Arena’s renovation that she’s been called the paparazzi.
As the arena’s manager, Bolan has been documenting the renovation process to keep residents updated on the $3.2 million project, which entered its second phase at the end of April. It’s scheduled to wrap up in mid-August, with a new refrigeration system in place before an early September re-opening.
After the old concrete floor under the main arena was cut up at the beginning of May to access the piping system, 7,000 pounds of freon refrigerant were recycled as planned, said Joe Modrich, director of the Park District of Franklin Park. In its place, ammonia and ethylene glycol are now being used to cool the arena.
“We were happy to have that finished,” he said.
Although the 41-year-old pipes were in great shape, compressors and other equipment were showing their age, and the park district wanted to avoid a freon leak, Modrich said.
Modrich said the pouring of the new concrete floor had to be completed in one day, as the miles of piping involved in the rink’s cooling system must be covered.
“That is really a unique construction event,” Modrich said. “It’s probably the most time-sensitive part of the whole project.”
Work began at 7 a.m. June 30 and concrete flowed into the main arena until about 3 p.m., with finishing lasting through the evening.
“It’s pretty much a 12-hour process,” Bolan said.
The floor has to sit for 28 days before anything else can be done, Modrich said.
Bolan said project officials commented on how unusual it is that the concrete pour happened the day it was originally scheduled for.
“The whole thing had to be coordinated perfectly,” she said.
Staff are scheduled to begin making ice once again on Aug. 17, and the arena will re-open after Labor Day.
Other upgrades to the facility include a new lobby floor and new dasher boards and glass in the main arena, Modrich said. A new roof and entryway were built during the renovation’s first phase last year.
The project remains on budget at $3.2 million; $2.1 million comes from ice arena reserves, Modrich said, with funds from the park district’s capital project fund covering the rest.
Modrich pointed out that much of the work being done won’t be seen by those who use the ice arena. Video is being taken to capture the process, and photos have been posted on the park district’s website and Facebook page. Bolan said she’s taken more than 3,000 images thus far.
To Bolan, the renovation means another 40 years for the ice arena.
“It’s just an amazing opportunity for our residents to have access to a facility like this, and this renovation is going to make that happen,” she said. “We’re pretty fired up.”