Northbrook Sports Center – Project Update | September 27, 2021

Progress continues to be made to meet our goal for opening the Northbrook Sports Center Monday, October 18.

The last of the painting was completed in A-Rink on Friday, September 24. That completes all the scheduled improvements for that rink. After a five-day paint curing time, staff will begin to lower the floor temperature and begin making ice.

In B-Rink, the glycol leak was found, repaired and the concrete floor patched. After the concrete patch had cured, the floor has been prepped for painting. Floor painting will commence once the required gallons of paint is delivered. The ongoing interruptions in paint manufacturing and delivery related to COVID-19 continue to influence our project timeline.

All other scheduled improvements have been completed, the contractors are continuing to complete the punch list items provided by the architects and Village Inspectors. It is anticipated those items will be completed in early October.

Northbrook Sports Center – Project Update | August 6, 2021

Despite the Northbrook Park District’s best efforts to start the renovation process at the Sports Center as soon as possible, there have been major developments that have affected the timeline of completion.

The first was a discovery in A Rink when preparing for painting in late May. Contractors discovered a suspect material near the edges of the low-e ceiling insulation panels. Surface and air quality tests were conducted, and the low-e ceiling was removed. Air samples indicated mold levels were safe and below the count found outdoors. Remediation was confined to the ice rinks and work promptly completed. In mid-July, sampling of the indoor air was performed again, and the District received an all clear to resume renovations.

The unplanned removal of the low-e ceiling unveiled an inadequate surface to apply the fresh coat of paint as planned.  This work has caused a multiweek delay in the project which involves major sandblasting of the A Rink ceiling prior to paint application.

The District remained hopeful that we would be on schedule, however the remediation and the painting were compounded by the impact of COVID-19 on the construction industry.  Nation-wide delays in the delivery of equipment, materials and the wall system to replace the west, north and a portion of the east walls have been unavoidable.

In addition to the above, a glycol leak was discovered in the concrete floor of B Rink. The source of the leak in the piping under the concrete slab has been difficult to locate.  Further work is planned.

The Park District is making every effort to complete work in the ice rinks by the beginning of October as planned. However, the anticipated opening date has been moved to Monday, October 18. Therefore, the Park District is recommending that affiliates, skaters and coaches secure ice at other locations through mid-October.

The Park District will continue to revisit and scrutinize the schedule weekly to find ways to get users on the ice as soon as possible.

Project Progress:

Completed work includes:

  • Installation of the roof with minor punch list items outstanding.
  • 90% of the air handling units installed.
  • Prep work for painting the ceiling in B-rink.
  • Replacement of the evaporative condenser.
  • Replacement of circulation pumps for the snow melt pit and under floor heat.
  • Replacement of motor and starter for compressor #2.
  • Completion of the parking lot pavement replacement on the south and west sides.
  • Completion of the west parking lot stormwater drain line to move rainwater from the building foundation.
  • Completion of sealcoating identified areas of the parking lot.

Remaining work to be completed includes:

  •  Locating a glycol leak in the surface of B-rink prior to painting the concrete surface and planning subsequent repairs
  • Preparation and painting of the rink surfaces and A-rink ceiling. The condition of the paint in A-rink was tested and determined to be unsuitable for paint without extensive preparation including sandblasting some areas. Work will begin in the next week.
  • Removal of the walls on the north and west sides of the building, in addition to a small portion of the east side. New wall system delivery is delayed due to manufacturing of the product. Current projection is late August.
  • Painting B-rink ceiling. Delivery of the wall system may cause delays.
  • Installation of the glycol circulation pumps for the rinks. Valve delivery is delayed, and the District is seeking a new vendor.
  • Installation of a new generator. Delivery has been delayed and the current projection is late August.
  • Replacement of the skylight in the Hall of Fame hallway.
  • Replacement of interior ceiling tiles.
  • Installation of exterior LED building lights

Why is this project needed?

Although the District has a robust maintenance schedule, some parts of the building have existed since original construction in 1968, while other areas of the building are past their useful life.

The Northbrook Park District continues to strategically address the Comprehensive Master Plan (CMP) entitled Moving Forward 2026. This strategic planning process from 2016, which included a community survey, stakeholder meetings and physical assessment of facilities, identified the District’s major priorities for the ten years from 2017 to 2026.  The CMP guides the Park District through goals in developing an annual Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) which aligns a long-term strategy for stewardship with meeting the needs of the residents.

In Spring 2021, the Northbrook Park District will continue to address one of the identified goals of the CMP – to maintain and update existing assets to provide quality parks, facilities and trails that are attractive, safe, accessible and compliant with codes and standards – by prioritizing the Northbrook Sports Center’s infrastructure. Though a robust preventative maintenance plan has extended the life of the HVAC units and roof past their normally expected life cycle, this Northbrook Sports Center project is a priority to meet the needs of the District’s most highly used indoor amenity.

While the project follows the District’s mission to act as responsible stewards of physical assets, the enhancements will also have a positive impact on user groups including an improved environment to maintain ice conditions, better rink color contrast for hockey players and safety improvements throughout the building.

To accommodate this project, the Northbrook Sports Center ice rinks and swimming pool will be closed through September. These closures will support the completion of the project in the most efficient manner and within the allocated budget of $5.3 million.

What is the scope of the project?

The project includes:

  • A new roof incorporating added insulation and a white reflective surface
  • Replacement of all metal panels and installation of additional insulation on the north and west exterior walls
  • Replacement of several HVAC units, a new evaporative condenser needed to make ice, ice mechanicals and pumps (sub-floor pump, snowmelt pump, three glycol pumps) compressor motor and soft starter
  • Resurfacing the parking lots on the south and west sides of the building
  • Improved drainage
  • Installation of energy-efficient LED lights in the west parking lot and fixtures on the outside of the building on the west side along with new LED fixtures above all entrances
  • Painting of both ice rink floors and correcting flaking paint on ceilings in both rinks
  • Sealing of former window and venting areas which will also lead to a more efficient building seal and increased energy savings
  • Upgraded life safety features including the fire alarm system and replacement of the emergency generator

Why wasn’t the project completed during closures in 2020?

Architectural planning, engineering, construction documents, Village permits and bid documents had not yet been completed when we closed for the stay-at-home order in March. These sequential steps usually take nine to twelve months to complete and were ongoing in 2020. The board approved the project in February 2021, in keeping with the original project schedule.