March 13, 2021 at 11:33am
⚠️ Please Note: This article was published in 2021. Visit our Events Calendar to view current upcoming events.
The Northbrook Park District’s Comprehensive Master Plan (CMP) provides a strategic blueprint for the district through 2026, aligning long-term goals 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 maintain the 89,000 square foot indoor amenity. To accommodate this project, the Northbrook Sports Center ice rinks and swimming pool will be closed from May 9 through September. While a difficult decision to make, this construction timeline has been strategically scheduled during the slow season for the Sports Center, one of the District’s busiest facilities. These closures will support completion of the project in the most efficient, financially responsible manner and within the allocated budget of $5.3 million.
While this construction project follows the District’s mission to act as responsible stewards of physical assets, the facility enhancements will also have a positive impact on user groups, resulting in an improved environment to maintain ice conditions, better rink color contrast for hockey players and safety improvements throughout the building.
The project includes roof replacement along with the installation of improved insulation and a new reflective white surface to develop greater energy efficiency in the building. Additional energy efficiencies will be realized on the west and north exterior walls of the facility with the replacement of wall panels and enhancement of the insulation, while sealing former window and venting areas will create a more efficient building seal and additional energy savings. A variety of new exterior LED lights and fixtures will be installed while life safety features of the project encompass an upgrade of fire alarms throughout the building along with installation of a new emergency generator. Replacement of several existing rooftop HVAC units, installation of a new evaporative condenser needed to make ice for the two NHL-sized indoor rinks, painting of both rink floors, correcting flaking paint on the ceilings in both rinks and resurfacing the parking lot areas on the west and south sides of the building will round out the improvements.
For more information and to follow construction progress, visit nbparks.org.
The land for this facility was acquired in 1965, with the sports complex opening in 1968. A renovation project in 1999-2000 expanded and upgraded the ice rinks. Due to the high level of responsible stewardship of District assets, many of the items included in this project have long exceeded their recommended useful life including the roof, emergency generator and several pieces of HVAC rooftop equipment.
The Mission of the Northbrook Park District is to enhance the community by providing outstanding services, parks and facilities through environmental, social and financial stewardship.