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Ivy Crockett Park open house planned; new ice rink delayed by refrigeration issue
Summary
City staff announced an Ivy Crockett Park open house and said crews have encountered an airlock in the refrigeration lines of the new ice rink, delaying ice-making; technicians are raising temperatures to bleed air and aim to have ice by next week but near-term events are affected.
At the Webster Groves Business District Commission meeting, staff announced a public open house for Ivy Crockett Park and reported a significant technical problem at the city’s new ice rink that will delay opening and scheduled events.
Unidentified Speaker 5 said an open house on park plans will be held at the Benny Gordon Recreation Center from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.; proposed park improvements under review include a splash pad/spray ground, parking changes, new playground equipment and refreshed court spaces. Staff invited public input at the meeting.
On the ice rink, Speaker 5 described a refrigeration-system problem: crews believe one refrigeration line is airlocked, creating an unfrozen six-inch-wide strip along the slab. The contractor and staff are raising the glycol temperature to encourage flow and to bleed trapped air; overnight work is underway. Speaker 5 said the system historically bleeds air over two months but the current airlock is persistent. If crews can remove the airlock, staff estimated it will take about six days to build the ice once temperatures can be lowered, but the speaker cautioned the situation is uncertain and said scheduled games and events will be affected in the near term.
Why this matters: the ice rink supports youth and adult hockey and other community activities; a multi-day delay affects scheduled games and practices and may require rescheduling or alternate facilities.
Next steps: staff are working around the clock to resolve the refrigeration issue; the commission was asked to publicize the open house and to expect further updates on the rink’s timeline.
