OAK Orthopedic Sports Arena

Date Modified: 08/15/2008 9:20 AM

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The OAK Orthopedic Sports Arena is Kankakee’s premier ice rink. Located at the south end of Kankakee, the ice rink is built in an NHL style, with a fitness center, arcade, concessions and four private/party meeting rooms.

Oak Arena is open year-round and offers open skating to the public seven days a week. Public skate admission costs are $6 for adults (ages 13 and up) and $4 for children (ages 12 and under). Skate rental cost is $3.

For a schedule of open skate times, visit their Web site, oakorthoarena.com, or call 815-939-1946. A new offering is CLUB SK8, which provides ice skating in a club environment for ages 14 to 20.

Programs offered include youth hockey, adult hockey, learn to skate lessons, figure skating, curling, public skating, drop-in hockey, freestyle ice sessions, parties, group outings, field trips, fundraisers and special events. Some events include the Spring Ice Show, Jingle Bell Bingo and Skate for Arthritis, Dr. Seuss Birthday Book Drive, Sweetheart Skate and annual Spring Ice Show.

The ice rink celebrate its grand opening on Sept. 9, 2005. Since then, it has been renamed from the Ice Valley Center to the OAK Orthopedic Sports Arena, thanks to the sponsorship of the OAK Orthopedic Associates of Kankakee. A handful of sports celebrities have visited the arena, including Olympian Matt Savoie in August 2006, who performed a special program for the community. On Oct. 1, 2005, the St. Louis Blues Alumni team with Hall of Famer Bernie Federko made an appearance. Each year the rink gets about 50,000 skaters.