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Just outside of downtown Naperville right off a portion of the Riverwalk is a place to try out your figure skating moves or maybe play a game of ice hockey.
Recently on a photo shoot of my hometown I saw a couple of people practicing their shooting and puck handling on the ice.
Every winter the Naperville Park District floods an area which includes a couple of full size outdoor hockey rinks and a general area for all ice skaters.
Why even the 2010 Gold Medal Olympic Men's Figure Skating Champion, Naperville's own Evan Lysacek, used to practice here when he was a kid. Maybe I'll see the next Olympic champion skating here someday.
Written Feb 1, 2013
I will use some quotes from the Whalon Lake website along with some of my personal impressions.
"Along the east branch of the DuPage River lies the 266-acre Whalon Lake, acquired between 1992 and 1994. The preserve features an oak-savanna grove and large wetland areas that have been restored and enhanced, in addition to a variety of recreation opportunities.
The western portion of the preserve includes a picnic shelter that can be reserved for large groups. It also contains an eight-acre dog park with a smaller 2.5-acre park for dogs under 35 pounds.
The eastern portion of the preserve features an 80-acre converted quarry lake that offers canoeing, kayaking, and boating opportunities. A 1.85-mile paved trail, part of the multi-jurisdictional DuPage River Trail, encircles the lake. The trail continues 0.5-mile west beyond the dog park to the wetlands; this trail is ideal for hiking, biking, in-line skating, and cross-country skiing. A picnic shelter near the lake can be reserved for large groups."
This is the end of the quoted material.
Equipment: It mentioned in the article that this land was acquired between 1992 and 1994. It is actually maintained by the Will County (the county I live in) Forest Preserve District and is on land actually between Naperville and the next suburb Bolingbrook. The park finally opened sometime in the mid-2000's.
I've biked through the park on a number of occasions and it is a great spot for some photography which I'm sharing with you in these 5 photos.
Written Aug 29, 2012
Address: Off Royce Road
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During the second Friday and Saturday in May the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) holds the semi-finals and finals of the girls state soccer tournament on the campus of North Central College located a block east of downtown Naperville. The boys hold their tournament during their season in the fall during the first Friday and Saturday in November. For one summer in 2006 while they were building a new soccer field in Bridgeview, Illinois the Chicago Fire professional soccer team called this field home.
Here is a link to a short video taken from outside the stadium during the girls semi-finals in May, 2009.
Equipment: Shin guards, shoes and the soccer (football)
Written Nov 6, 2009
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Obviously there is walking to do on Riverwalk, which extends for several miles trhough downtown Naperville. In fact on weekends the area is full of families and couples taking a stroll.
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But there are also more active options. In the summer there is Centennial Beach as well as paddle boats in another part of an old quarry. In the winter there is an ice hockey rink.
Equipment: Just bring your comfortably shod feet ;)
Updated May 3, 2003
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