Workers perform last-minute tasks before first game
By Lisa Chmelecki
Staff Writer
LEWISTON

A man with tired eyes and a tool belt around his waist sets the ladder in front of the Central Maine Civic Center, climbs to the top and hangs the sign above the doors: “L/A – It’s Happening Here.”

Inside the ice arena, things are certainly happening.

Two men install the last sets of bleachers, as women in a nearby trailer answer phones and sell tickets for the remaining seats.

A crew of electricians install 48 emergency lights in the rafters, while a builder pounds the final nails into the brand-new, nearly-finished ticket booth.

A man arranges the letters on the menu for the concession stand, as a large truck drives through the back door and onto the ice with the new clock and scoreboard.

It is 2:30 p.m. Thursday.

In less than 24 hours, a team of inspectors from the State Fire Marshal’s Office will arrive to make sure that everything is up to code.

And, a few hours after that, the Maineiacs will skate onto the ice for their first home opener in front of what likely will be a sell-out crowd.

“Everything is getting into place at the last minute,” said Roger Theriault, owner of the Central Maine Civic Center.

Theriault didn’t plan for Thursday to be so hectic.

But, due to several minor setbacks out of his control, such as the late arrival of the bleachers and scoreboard, he was planning to work through most of the night – along with the painters, electricians and the people who make the ice.

“Almost every trade you can think of is in here,” Theriault said. “We’ll be working through the night.”

Renovations at the Central Maine Civic Center started in April, after the owners of the Major Junior Hockey League team officially picked Lewiston as their new home and chose Maineiacs as their name.

At that point, Theriault instructed his staff to answer the phone with the greeting, “Central Maine Civic Center. Home of the Maineiacs.”

Plans were quickly put in place.

Nearly everything had to be replaced or upgraded: the floor beneath the ice, the boards and Plexiglas surrounding the rink, most of the lights. Sprinklers needed to be installed. All 28,000 seats needed to be removed, sanded, painted and put back. Advertising logos needed to be painted on the ice.

“It’s amazing that we’ve done as much as we have,” Theriault said. “It’s been a remarkable feat on everybody’s part.”

As phones continued to ring and the afternoon turned to evening, Theriault was confident that the ladders, the piles of sawdust, and the wet paint signs would all be gone in time for the first hockey fans to take their seats.

lchmelecki@sunjournal.com

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