WHEATON – The Wheaton Park District is moving ahead to install two sheets of ice at the Central Athletic Complex at 500 S. Naperville Road.

Park District commissioners at their Sept. 21 meeting approved contracts for the $646,303 project. The chiller for the Central Athletic Complex gyms was designed with the capability to provide chilled water for a portable ice rink system adjacent to the athletic fields.

Park District Executive Director Mike Benard said the district has been exploring the idea for a while. The project will allow the district to maintain quality ice at 40 degrees using the glycol chiller assisted system, Benard said in an email.

"The park district has been maintaining pond ice and creating man-made rinks for decades across the park system, counting on Mother Nature to provide the consistent weather needed to provide this popular winter recreational activity," Benard said. "Unfortunately, we annually experience several freeze-thaw cycles each winter rendering our efforts wasted and leaving residents disappointed."

He said many residents have expressed support for the project.

"It will create a consistent opportunity for bringing families and friends together for a healthy and fun activity and will certainly draw more people into downtown Wheaton," Benard said. "This project rounds out the complete restoration and upgrade of the former Wheaton Community High School/Wheaton Central High School/Hubble Middle School site and building into a year-round state of the art indoor and outdoor athletic and recreation complex."

The district bought a portion of the former Hubble school property from Bradford Real Estate for $3.25 million to preserve the gyms and fields it uses for athletics. Bradford Real Estate developed the Mariano’s grocery store at Naperville and Roosevelt roads.

During the warmer months, the permeable paver pads for the ice rinks will serve as space for picnic tables and outdoor activities.