The Skokie Valley Skating Club (SVSC), currently with nearly 300 members in the northern suburbs of Chicago, IL, started with 30 members who skated on an outdoor rink.
When the Club became a member of the United States Figure Skating Association in 1949, it comprised about 30 skaters who met to ice dance on outdoor natural ice at various country clubs. Dinner and socializing followed the skating.
In 1963 near what was then Dyche Stadium in Evanston (part of Northwestern University), an outdoor ice surface was opened--with artificial ice. SVSC purchased ice time there and the skaters were happy to know they could count on good skating and that warm temperatures wouldn't make the ice disappear! The lake wind was mighty, but the ice surface was good and measured 85'x185'. This was a time remembered for skating in both sunshine and snow.
During this early period SVSC also skated indoors occasionally at Saddle and Cycle Club in Chicago. The rink was small (50x150) and not heated, but the fact that it was indoors was appreciated. In the tradition already started, dinner and socializing followed--plus a group sing!
From 1958 to 1968 members of SVSC performed in various ice shows given by the Evanston and Winnetka Park Districts. These shows were presented outdoors on natural ice.
The Hubbard Woods studio rink in Winnetka (open from around the mid '50s to around the mid '70s) introduced new people to figure skating, many of whom joined SVSC. The ice surface was approximately 60 x 100. There are records of the Club scheduling patch ice there for our juniors.
