Willowbrook Ice Arena — Local services in Willowbrook

Unfortunate to give such a low rating, but felt the need to add this review because I don't want others to have the same surprise experience with public skating.

A couple of weeks ago it was a sleeting night outside. And while sidewalks and parking lots of other businesses had proactively put salt down outside, there was no salt outside WBIA in the lot & thus it was an ice rink itself. The irony is, we were better able to skate in the lot in our shoes than on the actual rink with skates, which brings us to the 2nd and much more disappointing bit.

I honestly was excited when handed the Riedell skates they use for public. Yes it's a newer ice rink, but they could easily have had crappy low-end skates. Turns out these were super comfortable on the feet including the ankle (this and the cleanliness of the place were my reasons for giving 2 stars instead of 1). The problem was discovered when getting on the ice - you know, the whole reason you're there for public skate. Both me and my partner's blades had clearly not been sharpened in forever - maybe ever since they first opened. I have skated at ice rinks throughout my life and NEVER had this lack of traction and the need to hold onto the boards other than the first time I put on skates at age 5. Just standing, my right skate especially would just slide out to the side from underneath me. I had only been thinking this when my partner on their own said it out loud - has skated a handful of times in their life and never experienced this.

You may be thinking, why didn't you just go ask to swap out the skates for 2 other pairs? After we completed 1 lap around which took a little while, we thought about it. But by now the skate rental line was 7 people deep or so, and we could've had the same problem again, so we just decided to call it and leave.

Keep your skates sharpened Willowbrook! Both for safety and just...

Everyone is stressed out about this pandemic and all the rinks are handling things differently. As a parent of an under 10 goalie, I still need to help him. Beyond that, I don’t like leaving my kid without being able to watch him, especially now. The policy here is no parents in the building, fine I understand that. As I was being told to leave I made a simple comment that with all this going on, I’m reluctant to leave my kid there. Not being confrontational, just as a matter of fact as I’m walking out. Then the owner starts to explain the policy. I get the policy, not questioning it, I just expressing MY concern as a parent. The owner tells me “no you don’t get it”, clearly escalating the nonexistent situation. Listen dude, I’m helping YOUR business here, I wasn’t even trying to argue. I was trying to express how we ALL are more alert and apprehensive and I didn’t even realize how much until I had to leave. I’m not mad at the owner for kicking me out, I’m upset that he had to argue because “he’s been closed for months”. The livebarn feed isn’t even up... Yeah, I’m overprotective, but I didn’t need to be scolded for it. Won’t be helping...

I signed my 2 daughters up for 8 weeks each of learn to skate classes starting last March. They got two classes in for an almost $400 fee and COVID arrived. I inquired a few months later about a refund and was told to use the credit when they reopen. When they reopened summer 2020, I was still not comfortable or my kids being in a closed space. After all, schools didn't start opening FT until March in IL and indoor dining has been shut down til January 2021. I felt my safety concerns were valid. I tried to enroll my girls end of February now that situation is getting better and positivity is down, and the manager told me I had enough time to use the credit and lost the money. 6 months is not enough time when we're in the middle of a pandemic. I understand the business has been shut down for a few months but many of us parents have been out of work too. Not supporting this crooked and unethical business any longer. What's worse, I had to personally come in to talk to manager because there is no professionalism to respond to an email or call back. I enrolled my girls in the Woodridge location where my money will be...