Robert Crown Ice Center

We’ve been here a handful of times for ice skating and enjoyed each time. We’re also here because the AYSO U5 and U6 typically play in their fields. However, this review is mostly on Robert Crown’s amazing spring break camp. Both of my kids (7 and 4.5 years old) went to spring break camp here since we couldn’t afford to get away. For all five days (Monday to Friday), the Evanston resident rate was $ 163.60 from 9am — 4pm. The kids loved it. They got to have ice skating class three days during the week and went on field trips every day. The younger one had more local field trips like the library, Trader Joe’s, Martial Arts Studio, and Petsmart. The older one got to even go to the Field Museum. The last day, their Field Trip was to have lunch at a local Evanston restaurant which my kids also loved.
Overall, the Spring Break camp is something that both my kids loved so much and they said that it was better than any spring break vacation that I could have planned. Between their art projects, games, included skating lessons and field trips to local businesses, it was money well spent on a quality and fun experience!

Me and my 2 kids have been skating at Robert Crown for one year+. Since no one has written a review in that time, I thought I would bring Unilocal readers up to date.
Apparently we arrived on the scene too late to see many of the good things that the earlier reviewers mentioned. Things must have gone downhill pretty fast.
The staff (ice and office) are mostly unexceptional. The head guard can be a real jerk. And the current (interim) manager needs to up his customer service game and get a lot of things fixed.
The instructor who first taught my kids to figure skate was very good and I could tell he was serious about the program, and the program was well defined.
When we shifted to the hockey program (first Learn to Skate Hockey, then Mighty Mite, then Mites) we began to see what a mess this place had become! In just 12 months: a very good coach was followed by a good volunteer (?) pick-​up coach… followed by a high likelihood of there being no coach and no one was answering parents’ questions… followed by a very bad coach… followed by no coach… followed by two dads (who were good)… eventually joined by an interim coach who was good but always came late and only stuck around for 3 weeks. Complete disarry! Completely unprofessional.
This all went on while the previous manager was exiting. The interim manager did not seem to get a grip on things. And the office staff sits around ignoring people. You could stand at the front desk forever and no one would even look up at you and ask if they could help!
The facilitiy is retro-​70s and falling apart (they do a nice job doing seasonal decorations). The City of Evanston is considering tearing it down and building a modern facility a half block away.
It will cost a fortune, but the Evanston community needs a decent place with 3 sheets of ice.

I play hockey here and besides the fact that the locker rooms are pretty bad it’s an overall great place to play sports and skate. Great place and community.

the building is a dump. it is likely on a condemned list. there is an ice rink that has great ice (2 stars because ice is truly great– ice is worth 4 stars), decent boards, locker rooms and showers are disgusting. staff has little clue of what is happening within building. the parking lot and building entry are not very secure so lock your doors and hold that wallet.

To people unfamiliar with ice arenas, most have the charm of a meat locker, with ugly walls and corridors leading to a frigid ice rink. Well, this one is definitely a frigid one inside, but the corridors leading to it are quite attractive and warm. This is a beautiful ice arena where Evanston hosts their annual speedskating competition. We came here for a race and the venue did not disappoint.
It is actually two separate rinks. While the races were on, there was hockey in the ice rink next to the main arena. Where some ice rinks have to choose either/​or, you can have both at Evanston.
The hallways have padded, carpeted areas that are convenient for putting on skating gear, with skylights overhead and hanging spider plants suspended from the ceiling, giving the place a greenhouse-​like charm as you’re out in the lobby. There’s a row of vending machines and a series of corridors that the skaters used to do a warmup run before the opening races.
Outside, the place has an odd-​looking entrance that looks almost like you’re at a train terminal or something, but once inside, you feel comfortable. As for watching the races, higher up in the stands is much warmer than being in the front row, freezing. It is a cold arena but a great place for racing.

Great!!! I work here as a volunteer. I encourage everyone to come here to skate and have fun!!!

Robert Crown has a studio and full size rink. I’ve never skated on the studio rink. It generally seems to have hockey and learn-​to-​skate classes on it.
The good:
Two evening freestyles. The only ones in a 50 mile radius of downtown Chicago.
The rink is bright and the ice is fairly level — there are some dips but they aren’t as bad as McFetridge was prior to the redo.
The staff all seem nice and there are some top notch pros teaching there. I found both my coaches there.
The bad:
The main rink is not always cleared prior to freestyles and often the ice is pretty torn up.
Way too many learn-​to-​skate beginners on the evening freestyles.
The rink facility is pretty dirty and the bathrooms are to be avoided.
The rink director thinks that if you are an adult that you should be in the adult freestyle classes even though none of the classes are working on axels or double jumps. So, you have to insist on being put in the right class. It is weird to be in a class with a bunch of 12 year olds but it’s weirder to be landing all your single jumps and to be put in with a bunch of adults that are learning waltz jumps.
The office and snack bar are always closed during the evening freestyles.

Seems to be a great place for ice sports. Clean and comfy feeling.

The place hasn’t changed in 30 years. It still has the same red box benches. It’s very affordable and has lots of great kids programs. They even put on a nutcracker on ice and have been doing it for as long as I can remember. The show features the kids attending the classes. It’s very sweet.

My daughter is a rink rat there and loves it. We know and have become friends with several families as a result. The skating coaching staff is top-​notch!

Robert Crown is a great place, and I was fortunate to have spent so much time there as a kid.
If you or your child is an ice skater, Robert Crown is an excellent training facility, offering group and private lessons as well as public ice time. They put on two shows a year — the Nutcracker on Ice in December and the Spring Show, for which the theme changes yearly. ALL students currently registered in a class are invited to perform. RC turned out some beautiful skaters, including World Championship bronze medalist Nicole Bobek.
RC also has a great summer day camp for kids, and used to offer a phenomenal day camp for skaters (not sure if it is still offered). There is a lot to do there, with 2 rinks, a gymnasium, huge field, a playground next door, and several arts & crafts/​special interest rooms in the building.
If I could be a kid again, I’d head straight for Robert Crown.

A fun place offering a variety of activities for kids and adults. From what I see, they have a large rink, plus a small one on the side (see pics). There are also a basketball gym and a tiny dance/​aerobics room for future ballerinas, and the kids in their little tutus are adorable to watch. We just had a broomball competition in the small rink for $ 100/​hour (includes all rental equipments), where you can squeeze in up to 20 skaters at a time. The staff are friendly, but make sure to confirm your reservation! It’s rather hard to get one in the first place. Fairly clean, including the restrooms, but beware of that muggy sweaty smell… Plenty of parking.

I never knew how lucky I was to live near this as a kid. Skating, karate, basketball, and yes even dodge ball… an energetic little boy’s wet dream. Multiple skating rinks, basketball courts and plenty of other facilities. Plus they have a concession stand, so I could pick up some popcorn and a box of Jujyfruits after having someone jump on my stomach in karate class.