The Ice Arena at Illinois is getting a new refrigeration system and ice mat.
The new system will be more efficient than the one currently in use and will have a life expectancy of eight to 10 years. The new ice mat could be moved if a new facility or larger renovation are planned.
The upgrade recommendation came from a feasibility study that included options for renovations and/or construction. The Ice Arena will close March 17 and reopen at the start of the fall semester.
Located at 406 E. Armory Ave., Champaign, the Ice Arena was built in 1931. Campus Recreation assumed management in 1977. The 55,000-square-foot facility is the only one in Champaign and Urbana.