RUMFORD – Ground was broken Tuesday for a new 12,000-square-foot base lodge at Black Mountain.

“This symbolizes a rebirth in energy and community,” said Andy Shepard, head of Maine Winter Sports Center, the group that bought the small, family-oriented ski area last year. “We have found the right combination here. This is important to the community. It will create an identity.”

Shepard, along with Rumford Board of Selectmen Chairman Jim Thibodeau, contractor Kevin French, architect Jim Reuter and Chisholm Ski Club member and former olympian Chummy Broomhall, then dug the first spadefuls of soil.

The actual construction will begin later in the week, said French, co-owner of Ledgewood Construction of Portland. His company also plans to start renovation work at Rumford Hospital later in the summer.

Thibodeau originally had doubts about the planned expansion of Black Mountain when the Libra Foundation first approved the grant that enabled Maine Winter Sports to buy the mountain. But now, his entire viewpoint has changed.

“This is the most positive thing that has happened to Rumford in decades. I see great things happening and am very proud to be a part of it,” he said.

Shepard was also proud to be associated with Broomhall, a hard-working member of the Chisholm Ski Cub for many years and an Olympic competitor in the 1950s.

“This is an exciting day,” said Broomhall. “I never thought it would happen.”

Not only will the new ski lodge be completed by early December, but a new ski lift that will carry skiers to the top of Black Mountain will be installed by then, too. Pieces of the lift are due to arrive by helicopter on Monday.

The exterior of the new lodge, the old lodge and all the outbuildings associated with the ski area will have the same rustic decorative theme.

Because of the large size of the lodge and the new trails, major competitions can take place at the same time as less competitive skiing.

The old lodge will be gutted and reduced from three stories to two, then renovated into a wax building for skiers. The new lodge will be 2 stories.

The architect is Smith Reuter Lull Architects of Bethel.

Shepard said he expects the mountain to open a little earlier than usual this year, in early December rather than during the start of Christmas vacation.

The first person scheduled to ride up the new lift, then to ski down the mountain, will be Jeff Knight, the mountain manager who has been affiliated with Black Mountain for decades.

[email protected]