The rink, located at 5801 N. Natoma Avenue, will serve as a public park amenity and will be programmed by the Chicago Park District. While the Chicago Blackhawks may hold occasional clinics and camps at the rink, its primary purpose is for residents to use at their own discretion.
"We appreciate the Chicago Blackhawks' support of our parks and we're excited to open this incredible new amenity at Norwood Park," said Chicago Park District Chief Operating Officer Pat Levar. "This rink will open endless possibilities for youth to learn to play hockey, hone their skills and excel in the sport."
"For years residents on the northwest side of Chicago have dreamed of having a hockey rink to call their own," said Alderman Anthony Napolitano, 41ST Ward. "It is so exciting to see this project come to fruition. It was a pleasure working with the Chicago Park District, Mayor Emanuel and my favorite sports organization the Chicago Blackhawks. The 41st ward will be forever grateful for this generous gift."
This is the second rink funded by the Blackhawks through the National Hockey League/National Hockey League Players' Association's Industry Growth Fund (IGF) as part of an initiative to further develop youth hockey. The Blackhawks opened the first street hockey rink last year at Kennedy Park in Chicago's Morgan Park neighborhood.
Also last year, the Chicago Blackhawks opened the new MB Ice Arena - Chicago Blackhawks Community Rink, a state-of-the-art 125,000 square-foot community rink located two blocks south of the United Center. In addition to serving as the practice home for the Blackhawks, the facility is a critical community space where the Blackhawks can bring the skills and values of hockey to kids at the grassroots level. For example, more than 6,000 Chicago Public School students visited MB Ice Arena last semester for the First Stride program, a free field trip that is also partially supported by the IGF. First Stride includes an on-ice learn-to-skate portion and an education session using hockey terminology to master foundational math and science concepts.
For more information about Blackhawks' youth hockey programs, please visit
https://www.nhl.com/blackhawks/community/youth-hockey
. Additional information about Norwood Park can also be found here:
https://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/parks-facilities/norwood-park
.
