Shaker Heights is lacing up for a major recreation upgrade that could bring a new ice rink to Thornton Park and a two-story community center to the site of the Stephanie Tubbs Jones building. City leaders have launched a consultant-led planning effort to test whether to repair, replace or repurpose the aging Thornton Park rink and to figure out the right size for a new community center with an indoor gym and expanded programming.
Consultant search, scope and budget
The city has issued a Phase 2 Request for Proposals that asks firms to produce financing strategies, fit plans, programming recommendations and cost estimates for three priority projects: the Stephanie Tubbs Jones (STJ) community quadrant, the Thornton Park ice rink, and an artificial-turf and playground relocation at the middle school site. The RFP lists an anticipated Phase 2 budget of up to $80,000 and requires teams to include recreation professionals, architects and funding specialists, according to the City of Shaker Heights.
Repair, rebuild or repurpose: the options
Planners are weighing several paths for the rink: repair the existing facility, build a new single-sheet or one-and-a-half-sheet arena, or convert the old structure into a field house or outdoor courts. The Stephanie Tubbs Jones building is listed as a strategic first-actions site, and concepts include replacing it with a two-story community center that would house an indoor gym and new programming.
Those plans also include a $2.5 million regulation-size multipurpose turf field proposal and longer-term ideas for the middle school site that would add indoor and outdoor aquatics and relocate the Thornton Park pool, as reported by Cleveland.com.
Why Thornton Park matters
Thornton Park’s ice arena, which opened in 1968, has long served as a community anchor for youth hockey, figure skating and public sessions. Recreation Director John Doyle told WOIO that the rink draws big crowds and that "Not having a rink I don't think is an option for us here at Shaker" as officials weigh repair and replacement choices. City planners say any replacement would aim for better locker rooms, more seating and room for growing classes and youth programs.
Short-term repairs and budgeted work
The city has already set aside money for near-term upkeep while the planning work moves ahead. The 2026 capital appropriation includes $45,000 for an overhaul of "Compressor 1" at the ice arena, along with line items for glycol replacement, roof repairs and pool equipment. Those appropriations were included in a late-2025 ordinance intended to keep facilities operational during the study and to avoid sudden closures while longer-term options are developed, per the city's adopted capital appropriation. The short-term work is framed as a stopgap while Phase 2 produces a final set of recommendations and cost estimates.
What comes next
City leaders expect the consultant-led study to take roughly a year, and Cleveland.com reports officials anticipate concluding the feasibility work around May 2027. Site preparation this summer could include geotechnical coring at Thornton Park beginning July 6; slab work tied to those tests could prompt an estimated six-week closure when that phase begins.
The reporting also notes recent Hildana Park work valued at about $252,000 and situates the recreation planning inside a broader Lee Road Action Plan - a two-year, roughly $25 million corridor improvement push that officials say will help set investment priorities. Public outreach will be part of Phase 2, with staff saying they will work with youth groups and Forward Together stakeholders as consultants refine programs, phasing and financing, as reported by Cleveland.com.
