Directors of the Rumford Park and Recreation Department, from left, William Porter, Chairman Dan Richard and April McLean, and Superintendent Marcus Palmer stand at the entrance to the hockey rink at Hosmer Field Complex on Lincoln Street. The board announced Monday that the department has received a $251,000 matching grant to put a canopy over the rink and replace the boards. Bruce Farrin/Rumford Falls Times
RUMFORD — The Rumford Park and Recreation Department has received a $251,000 matching grant to put a canopy over the hockey rink at the Hosmer Field Complex on Lincoln Avenue.
The department’s board of directors announced the award from the Land and Water Conservation Fund at their meeting Monday. Chairman Dan Richard said the department applied for the grant last winter and got federal approval two weeks ago.
The Land and Water Conservation Fund‘s purpose is to to conserve irreplaceable lands and improve outdoor recreation opportunities throughout the nation. The program works in partnership with federal, state and local efforts and support state and local parks and playgrounds, according to its website.
“The main reason for the canopy is to keep the sun off the ice on the rink,” department Superintendent Marcus Palmer said. It could be 15 degrees out, but if the sun is out beating on it, a lot of it will turn to water.”
“Last year, there were days that we could have been open, but we had to close because it was all water because of the sun,” he said.
Richard said the canopy will “save on the time for the guys to clean the rink. And you’re still going to get some snow in there, but it’ll be a lot less than now.”
The project will start next spring and include replacing the boards around the rink.
“Originally, we were just going to do the boards, which have to be about 50 years old,” Richard said. Then they decided they should add the canopy.
Next will be putting the project out to bid.
Palmer said if the price for materials increases during the construction period, they can apply for additional money to complete the project.
“Because you have to get pricing so early, what it was from last spring to this spring could be way different,” he said.
The canopy will also allow for more uses of the rink area, Palmer said.
“Right now, you’ve got this big piece right here that’s only utilized in the winter,” he said. “It’s a big area where there’s really nothing the other three seasons. You put a canopy over it and new boards, there’s so many different things you could do.”
Richard is hopeful the improvements will lead to a return of community hockey here.
“Rumford used to be known for their hockey team,” he said. “It would be great to kind of spawn that back again.”
With the canopy, he said, “I think you could get a cornhole tournament going in there because now we have a roof, with lights over it. So you could play in any weather.”
Another possibility is a summer camp where crafts and other activities could be held.
The project should be completed in time for the 2024-25 winter season, assuming they can find someone to do it.
“That’s the hardest part,” Richard said. “The good part is that it’s a pretty good-sized project. Think you’d find a couple people happy to be involved in that.”
The local match will come from the department’s capital budget as part of its five-year plan.
Richard said the hope is there will be help from the community so the department can keep its capital budget for future projects.
The Hosmer Field Complex at 15 Lincoln St. includes the rink, nature walking trails and picnic area.
This is the second grant the Land and Water Conservation Fund has awarded for the department for the Hosmer Field Complex. In 2018, it was awarded $292,000 toward a $660,000 project for LED lights for the football field, repaving the track around that field, and improvements to the half-mile walking trail that runs along the Swift River.
Experienced grant writer Tina West volunteered her time to write both grants.
“She’s been a good asset for us,” Richard said.
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