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In the 1960s, shopping malls were becoming not just retail centers, but places of recreation. Besides movie theaters and food courts, imaginative planners created other recreational opportunities, including the ice skating rink.
The skating rink at Marina City was 110 feet long by 50 feet wide. It enticed skaters from the southeast corner next to the east tower and State Street. It had a skate shop, warming room, and professional skaters available for lessons.
(Left) Photo from 1960s shows skating rink and restaurants on lower level. People can be seen on plaza level, looking down on rink. West tower in background at right.
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It also had a full-time skating pro. Bob Goranson had toured with the Ice Capades, a traveling show of former Olympic and national figure skating champions who put on theatrical performances that featured ice skating. The 1960s are considered the Ice Capade’s most colorful and innovative era.
Goranson had directed and choreographed skating exhibitions all over the world. He taught skating for 13 years before moving to Chicago in 1966 from Palm Springs, California, where he was director of the Palm Springs Ice Skating Center.
(Right) Bob Goranson (far left in photo) and Chicago skaters Bonnie Heim, Jean Paslaski, and Charles Bonniwell.
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The 1966-67 skating season at Marina City began on October 12, 1966. Under a light rain, Goranson staged what the Marina City newsletter called “a full-scale exhibition.”
The ice review promoted amateur ice skating in the Chicago area. Performers included Latin American interpretative skater Venita, who used fire in her act. The newsletter noted “her act was even more spectacular because not even the rain could put out her torches.”
Also performing were Olympic gold medalist Buddy Zack, German roller skating champion Fred Dursch, Michael Marino, 12-year-old Paulette Kavanaugh, and the 16-year-old Casey Twins. There was only one major spill.
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(Below) Promotional photos for Ice Follies 1966. Lois Walters at upper right. (Lower left) Rik McKinnea and unidentified skater. (Lower right) Richard Dwyer and unidentified skater.
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The same group was still performing in April 1967, except for Dursch, with the addition of Toby Stoops and Karen Vogel – and about 75 other skaters, many of whom were students of Goranson who were taught in one of three classes offered each day.
For the two-and-a-half hour Chicago Scene ‘67, performed twice daily April 13-16, bleacher seats were set up for 300 spectators.
(Click on image at left to view Chicago Scene ‘67 program.)
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By 1967, a convertible steel and canvas roof had been installed that could be closed to protect the ice from rain and snow, then opened again to provide open-air skating.
This extended the skating season until May and it meant the season could start earlier in the fall. Manually operated much like a stage curtain, the canvas was pulled back from the center of the rink to the north and south sides. Marina City was the only rink in the Midwest that had a cover like this.
The rink was open from noon to 10 p.m. every day except Monday.
Views looking west from skating rink surface with convertible roof open (above) and closed (left).
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(Left) Unidentified skaters, circa 1965. East side of rink and Chicago Sun-Times building in background. (Above) Print ad for Marina City Ice Plaza.
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(Below left) Skating rink as seen in 1965 film This is Marina City. (Below right) Aerial view in February 1965. There is a logo on the base of the rink that is an aerial representation of Marina City.
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Goranson died in San Diego in 1992 at the age of 55.
In 1994, the commercial property at Marina City was sold and the new owner, John L. Marks, announced plans for a $70 million facelift that would include replacing the skating rink, then unused, with a restaurant. Four years later, Smith & Wollensky opened at Marina City.
(Right) View of area in 2007.
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