Groundwork began last week for the new Damariscotta skating rink.
Damariscotta River Association executive director Steven Hufnagel said a crew of volunteers was scheduled to assemble the rink the Dec. 3 weekend, providing the groundwork is complete.
Twelve-inch high plywood boards will be put in place with brackets and a plastic liner laid down. The rink will then be flooded, and skaters will then have to wait for Mother Nature to make ice.
The DRA and friends raised $8000 to build the rink. “The land was not as flat as we thought, so we had to bring in more fill,” Hufnagel said. The group is looking to raise $4000 to $5000 more dollars for the project. Eventually they would like to install lights for night skating.
“It has to be flat. The Boothbay guys told us it has to be level, within two inches,” Hufnagel said. When finished, the rink will measure 140-ft. by 79-ft. “It’s a good sized piece of ice,” Hufnagel said.
On Sun., Dec. 11, the full-length move “Pond Hockey” will be shown at Lincoln Theater.
Project leader Matt Filler paid the royalty fee for the movie, and Lincoln Theater has generously donated the space, so all proceeds from the movie will go directly to the skating rink project.
Before the movie, Damariscotta River Grill will be holding a Rink Rats brunch at noon, and hockey jersey fashion show.
Damariscotta River Grill will be holding Rink Specials on Dec. 11 at noon, with 10 percent of the sale of the specials going to the ice-skating rink fund.
The rink will be open to everyone free of charge for recreational skating. Certain times will be set aside for pick up ice hockey games. On weekends, the former Round Top Ice Cream stand will serve as a warming hut.
“I’d like to give a huge thank you to all the donors, and to Matt [Filler] for taking the lead,” Hufnagel said. Anyone wishing to make a donation to the project, please mail it to the DRA, marked Ice Rink, to P.O. Box 333, Damariscotta, 04543.
Volunteers are still needed to help with the rink, and to help maintain the rink once it is finished. The DRA is also looking for weekend volunteers to make and sell hot chocolate as a fundraiser for the rink. Anyone wishing to volunteer please call Hufnagel at the DRA at 563-1393.