Goat Hill Warming House & Pavilion

In Eagan, MN, JLG was hired by Parks & Recreation to redesign the warming house and ice rinks at Goat Hill Park, aiming to revitalize this well-loved public park and further adopt the City’s sustainability goals. The new larger warming house is the final piece in a multi-phase park improvement project, which includes the addition of a refrigerated outdoor ice rink and pavilion roof covering, acoustic fence and storage shed sound barriers at the refrigeration plant, a playground relocation, new ADA restrooms with an adult changing table, new parking and walkways, and upgraded site utilities and stormwater management systems. To achieve the City’s sustainability goals, JLG helped coordinate the selective demolition of the existing warming house to maximize reuse, resale, and recycling of materials.
The Park’s covered, refrigerated outdoor ice rink offers an energy-efficient ammonia-based refrigeration plant for early autumn ice-in and late spring ice-out, extending the season for outdoor skating while offsetting the strain on available ice times at local indoor rinks. The pavilion roof covering helps minimize the demand on the refrigeration system and maintain good quality ice. The new warming house utilizes modern materials and features in a semi-traditional form, including extensive use of daylighting, exposed glulam wood structural elements, and energy-efficient assemblies. The refrigerated outdoor ice rink—an amenity unique to Twin Cities’ parks—has already led to a significant increase in park patrons. With the winter 2024 completion of the multi-use warming house anchoring Goat Hill Park activities, Eagan residents will have a new, year-round hotspot for community gatherings.