Rangeley board approves park lighting, directs engineers to defer rink design

The Rangeley Select Board voted on a package of park improvements Tuesday, approving lighting and conduit for Town Park and directing engineering work to proceed while delaying formal engineering for a proposed ice rink. The board also asked staff to bundle multiple park projects into one future Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) application to improve grant competitiveness.

The action came after a public hearing and extended discussion of three items staff said were needed to complete Phase 2 of the park design: (1) whether to reserve engineered space for a rink, (2) whether to include overhead and pathway lighting, and (3) whether to bundle future phases into a single grant application. Town staff told the board Phase 2 design had been budgeted at roughly $49,000 and that LWCF grants are strictly reimbursement-based and subject to permanent use restrictions.

Town staff asked the board for a single motion to guide engineers. The motion, which staff read into the record, directed engineers to bundle projects for a future LWCF application, to provide space and stub conduit for a rink but not to design or engineer the rink itself, and to approve the proposed ballpark-style lighting and conduit work in Town Park. The motion was moved and seconded and passed unanimously.

Board members and residents debated whether a rink should be placed on park green space or on Franklin Street, where seasonal closure could reduce impacts on the grass. Concerns included maintenance, water access, volunteer capacity to operate a rink, and the operating costs that follow capital spending. One board member urged accounting for lifecycle operating costs, noting that some grant funding cannot be used for ongoing maintenance.

Several residents also urged using an RFP process for new, distinct projects. Staff said design elements such as lighting are within the Phase 2 scope while a separate rink design would be an additional cost item. Staff noted that bundling projects could shift construction timing if the town pursues a larger grant and that construction is likely to occur in later application cycles (staff gave a range into 2027–2028 if a large grant is secured).

The board’s direction allows engineering to proceed on lighting and conduit and to compile a bundled LWCF application; the decision preserves the option to add a rink later without committing to an engineered rink now. Staff said they will relay the motion to the engineers and return with design updates and budget implications in future packets.