FAIRFIELD — Longstanding plans for a public ice rink are skating toward reality as officials aim to complete the project soon that’s planned for a location next to the town’s community center.

The town’s Economic and Community Development committee recently made a recommendation to the Town Council to support and approve the ice rink project.

The rink is estimated to have a total area of 2,800 square feet and is currently being stored at the Alfond Youth & Community Center in Waterville.

However, the timeline for its installation remains uncertain, as the plan awaits final approval of the Board of Directors at the Youth Hockey Association, according to Guerette.

“It would be a great addition to our town,” Town Manager Michelle Flewelling said.

The outdoor rink will be located next to the community center at 61 Water St., right above the basketball court, Flewelling said. The total estimated budget for the ice rink is around $30,000.

In 2021, the town created a non-lapsing ice rink account for a potential ice rink to be installed in the future, Flewelling said. A total balance of around $19,000 remained in the account as of December 2023.

Last year, the town received donations worth $11,100 from the Fairfield Veterans of Foreign Wars, Huhtamaki, and Sappi North America, Flewelling said.

“I would like to think that most folks are looking forward to the opportunity of having a place to skate,” Flewelling wrote in an email.

The synthetic rink is owned by the Central Maine Youth Hockey Association. The decision of whether the rink will be leased to Fairfield or bought entirely by the town has not been made by the association’s board of directors, said Patrick Guerette, chief operations officer at the Alfond Center.

Guerette said officials aim to have the ice rink installed this winter, acknowledging that those efforts were set back by recent stormy weather conditions.

The rink is estimated to have a total area of 2,800 square feet.

Town Council Chairman Matthew Townsend said councilors had been looking into options to finance the ice rink since November.

A few months ago, some residents took to social media to voice their opinion on the town’s Our Community page regarding the ice rink and the funds used for its installation. Resident Matthew Tulley said he had been making efforts to raise funds for an ice rink, in hopes to have it before Christmas.

However, the timeline for its installation remains uncertain as of now, as the plan awaits a final approval of the Board of Directors at AYCC, according to Guerette.

“We can’t speak as to by when we can have that in place but we are hoping to get it to Fairfield soon,” Guerette said.

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