An antique ice saw and a crew of four Lincoln County residents will travel to Fort Kent Jan. 14 to cut and harvest ice for an ice castle.
The castle, when complete, will measure 80 feet by 28 feet and host festivities associated with the 2011 E.ON International Biathlon Union World Cup.
Ken Lincoln, a South Bristol resident and the President of the Thompson Ice House Preservation Corporation, will lead the crew.
“My main purpose is to cut the blocks,” Lincoln said. Construction of the ice castle will require over 800 blocks of ice, approximately six cubic feet and 400 pounds each, cut from Black Lake, a small lake on the outskirts of Fort Kent.
The antique ice saw – the original motor, no longer in use, dates to the early 20th century – “cuts blocks faster than a chainsaw,” Lincoln said.
Lincoln, a contractor, hopes to lend a hand in the early stages of construction before returning to South Bristol Jan. 17. “I’ve never built a 80 by 30 (foot) building out of ice before,” he said. “It’s quite an ambitious project.”
Lincoln’s brother, Todd Lincoln, and son, Kyle Lincoln, as well as a fourth crew member, Alden Colby, will accompany Ken to Fort Kent.
Although unfamiliar with the particulars of ice castle construction, Lincoln brings plenty of experience in the harvesting arena. Every winter for 20 years, he has led the ice harvest at Thompson Pond. “I’ve been on this pond since I was eight or 10 years old,” he said.
“I was the last one to cut it commercially back in ’81, ’82,” Lincoln said. “It wasn’t a real high profit business.”
At the time, commercial fishing vessels bought the ice to preserve their catch during offshore trips. Now, “sailboats love it,” Lincoln said, using the ice for multi-day excursions. Large game hunters still use the ice to preserve their kill.
“This ice will last twice as long as manufactured ice,” Lincoln said.
According to Jesse Jalbert, Executive Director of the Greater Fort Kent Area Chamber of Commerce, a chamber member saw a Maine Public Broadcasting Network program on ice harvesting and, later, another member found the Thompson Ice House organization online.
Two phone calls later, Jalbert was describing the project to an enthusiastic Lincoln. Although Lincoln and his crew are volunteers, the Chamber of Commerce will pay their expenses and plans to make a small donation to the Ice House.
The chamber expects 20,000 spectators, locals as well as visitors, to attend events in Fort Kent. Visitors will be able to tour the ice castle during the day. At night, the castle will transform into a nightclub featuring a DJ and a “lighting/laser system.”
“It’s going to be a big draw,” Jalbert said. “We think this project is going to be a big success.”
