Bucksport Recreation Committee Backs Removing Ice Rink Boards, Weighs Pool Future

The Bucksport Recreation Committee voted to recommend that the Town Council disassemble the boards at the ice rink for safety reasons and consider future recreational uses such as pickleball. The committee also reviewed the closed town pool, learning that repairs would require significant money the town does not have, and agreed to send the council an update rather than specific options. Youth program numbers are down overall, and the committee plans to meet again in January.

Key points

• The committee voted to recommend the Town Council disassemble the ice rink boards for safety and allow future recreational use, with pickleball mentioned as a possibility.
• The recreation director said the rink's boards, tarp, and graffiti have become a liability issue, and that the rink drew few users even when maintained.
• The pool stayed closed this year after repairs failed to stop water loss; the director said there is no money in recreation reserves and no pool funding in the current budget.
• A committee member said the town should pursue a grant to replace the pool, while others noted a prior estimate near $1.7 million and a roughly three-year grant process.
• The committee agreed to give the council an update on the pool's condition and wait for the council to task it with next steps.
• Youth program numbers are down by roughly 30 kids overall, driven largely by a 23-child drop in football, while soccer is up one child.

Next steps

• Send the Town Council a recommendation to disassemble the ice rink boards.
• Provide the council an update on the pool's condition and await direction on options.
• Schedule the next quarterly meeting for January 6th.

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