Opened in 1973 at the north end of Centennial Park; the rink floor was completely replaced in 2023.
Centennial Ice Arena opened in 1973 at the north end of Centennial Park, a 73-acre park in Highland Park dedicated in 1969 during the city's centennial year. Construction started in 1972 and was financed with revenue bonds, and the arena went through major renovations in June 1994.
It is an indoor rink run by the Park District of Highland Park as its teaching rink, offering open freestyle, figure skating and hockey lessons as a US Figure Skating member following the Learn to Skate USA program.
The building's biggest change came recently. A renovation planned for 2020 was pushed to September 2022 by the pandemic, and in June 2022 annual maintenance uncovered a compromised rink floor that needed complete replacement, finished in spring 2023. The wider renovation gave the arena a new drop-off area, lobby, multi-purpose room, locker rooms and restrooms.
Admission, rentals and arrival details, researched from official rink information. Source checks stay current for 30 days.
Fall 2026 drop-in ice fees (August 24 - December 18): Public Skate $7, with skates $11; Adult Skate $4, with skates $8; Open Hockey $10, with skates $14; Freestyle (Pre FS & up) $7 per 30 min, with skates $11 per 30 min. All ice fees must be paid prior to skating.
Source checked · · Official source
Skates are not included in the base drop-in fee. The with-skates rate adds $4: Public Skate $11 (vs $7), Adult Skate $8 (vs $4), Open Hockey $14 (vs $10), and Freestyle $11/30min (vs $7/30min).
Source checked · · Official source
Drop-in ice is walk-in (no reservation shown), but all ice fees must be paid before skating with no exceptions. The posted grid covers August 24 through December 18, 2026, and the district warns times are subject to change.
Source checked · · Official source
A source check records what the rink published on that date. Session-specific booking details take precedence.