Bar Harbor Council Likely to Decide on Temporary Ice Rink Tonight
Dec 16, 2025
The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Paradis Ace Hardware.
TOWN HILL—The first town step for a temporary ice skating rink on Bar Harbor’s ball fields happened Monday when the Bar Harbor Parks and Recreation Committee recommended the rink’s approval to the town council.
Tonight, Tuesday, the town council will likely vote to approve (or not) the Bar Harbor Village Improvement Association’s (VIA) project, which Public Works Director Bethany Leavitt said is supported by the Witham Family Hotel Charitable Fund.
The cost to the town, she said, would be approximately $100.
The VIA would buy the ice skate materials and set it up.
Leavitt met with David C. Witham of the VIA and Witham Family Hotels about putting up the temporary ice skating rink.
The proposal places the rink on the diamond of ball field #3, which is close to a hydrant for filling and also close to a drainage pipe. There is more stable soil in the ball field rather than the grass area, Leavitt explained.
She said the size would likely be up to 90 feet by 70 feet.
A standard rink is 200 by 85 feet, committee member John Kelly said.
Committee Chair Greg Veilleux asked if there the rink would be larger than the College of the Atlantic’s.
“The largest rink that we could get is the best, I would think,” he said.
Anne Tikkanen of the MDI YMCA suggested having dasher boards for safety around the rink. She added it was a great idea, but without refrigeration without coils under the water, the amount of ice time becomes iffy. Tikkanen does not vote on the recommendation though she sits on the board as the YMCA representative. This is because she does not live in Bar Harbor and town rules do not let her have a vote on the committee.
Kelly and others also suggested that the temporary rink not be overly regulated.
“Treat it like Glen Mary. It is what it is,” Kelly suggested.
“It is meant to be like Glen Mary, meaning we’re not actively managing it,” Leavitt said. “It is temporary. It’s meant to be there to backfill until Glen Mary gets up and running.”
There had been ice skating at the Glen Mary pool area where there also wasn’t refrigeration coils under the ice. However, the wading pool (and winter rink) has been closed since 2022 due to broken piping beneath the ground. Leavitt has previously said the system was last upgraded in 2009, which was before Leavitt’s time in Bar Harbor. The pool is within Glen Mary Park, which is located on 7.5 acres off Glen Mary Road and Waldron Road.
“I think it’s a really gracious gift from the Witham family and we should accept it with open arms,” Veilleux said.
Committee members Jeff Dobbs and Erin Cough recused because they are also board members on the VIA. The two remaining voters approved recommending it to the council, which will meet tonight, Tuesday, December 16, at 6:30 p.m.
HADLEY POINT
During public comment, William “Bill” Hersey asked why Hadley Point worries wasn’t on the agenda.
“It’s been dragged on for months and months,” he said.
Leavitt said potential ordinance changes have gone to Bar Harbor Code Enforcement Officer Michael Gurtler and will be heading to the town council after that.
This past summer, a combination of heavy construction equipment being loaded onto barges at the Hadley Point boat ramp in Bar Harbor, some tour vehicles being allegedly parked on town property overnight, and overall increased commercial usage of the park prompted a closer look at the rules for park usage by both residents and town officials.
At the November 3 meeting of the Park’s and Recreation Committee, Leavitt had asked for the “committee’s advice on preventing or limiting commercialization of town parks, including Hadley Point Landing.”
At the time, Leavitt had said that the town is working on making changes to the town’s ordinances concerning usage of town parks and she was looking for advice and recommendations from the Parks and Recreation Committee. These ordinance changes would apply to all town parks and not just Hadley Point.
That was the only public comment at the meeting.
ROTARY PANCAKE BREAKFAST
Once again Rotary came back to be allowed to be on the town’s ball field for more than 48 hours in order to hold the July 4 seafood festival and pancake breakfast.
Scott Hammond said that because the Fourth of July is on a Saturday to remove the equipment would be on a Sunday. Wallace Tent would like to give its employees the day off on Sunday.
“This happened last year, but it was rectified and they were able to do it” the next day then, Kelly said.
Cough said the waiver happened last year and there were no issues and they should be allowed this year as well.
“It’s an event that’s important for our community and if it’s going to run a little bit later, it’s going to run a little bit later,” Veilleux said.
The committee recommended to the council that the waiver be allowed.
TOWN HILL PLAYGROUND FENCE
Emily Anne Pepper has a proposal to redo the existing fence around the playground and add fence to the back and repair and replace where the fence meets the ball field fence. They’d like a gate as well.
The concern is that it’s open to the parking lot.
“As you know it’s parking lot and then road,” Leavitt said.
It would be a four-feet high galvanized fence, likely with green paint. There’s also a drop off to the back wooded area and the fence would be before that.
Camden National Bank did not have issues, according to Leavitt.
Kelly suggested checking the lease with the bank, which likely expires 2026. Leavitt said she’d likely be the town contact point to discuss the lease’s extension with the bank. Kelly said it would be good to get a renewal of the lease before there are investments.
His only concern was where the fence might be located in front of the tree line. There has been no tree cutting discussed, Leavitt said.
Having a fence around a ball field is logical, Veilleux said, especially next to a busy road.
“It seems the right thing to do,” he said.
“Town Hill Playground is nestled between two active parking lots and is less than 100 yards from busy ME-102. Without near-constant vigilance, a child could be seconds away from major injury. By building a fence, we can prevent an accident from happening,” said Pepper in 2023.
The moms and dads that go to the Town Hill Playground with their children can tell you about one close call after another at the site located on Rt 102 between the Camden National Bank and the Town Hill Fire Station, she’d said.
“As a mom utilizing this wonderful playground that caters to all ages, I find myself always looking around to make sure no child is wandering unattended,” Pepper said. “My hopes in building this fence is to keep our children safe as they enjoy the wonderful exercise, fresh air, and socialization that Town Hill Playground offers.”
Since 2023, Pepper has been raising money to support the fence’s construction. Her goal is $10,000.
PICKLEBALL LINES
Wally and Dee Dee Cook have requested to grant approximately $3,000 to draw in pickleball lines on the town’s tennis courts at the ball fields. The committee accepted the donation with thanks.
LINKS TO LEARN MORE
Parks and Recreation Committee page
The meeting’s agenda.
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