Just as the weather turned frosty again, students from Oxford Hills Technical School’s construction technology class finished up the warming hut at the town of Norway’s outdoor ice skating rink on Cottage Street.

Cheers to this awesome community service project completed by the students and funded with a $15,000 grant from New Balance.

In all, the rink and its amenities took two years to complete, but it will provide Norway and Oxford Hills residents years of outdoor winter enjoyment and exercise.

Cheers to the fact that temperatures finally dropped again, allowing recreation crews in Norway and Farmington to start the process of making ice on their outdoor rinks. Nothing beats a skate on a cold day.

Cheers to the inclusion of the Androscoggin River in a new report commissioned by the National Park Service that highlights seven natural corridors in New England that would benefit from federal funding to improve recreational access. For Lewiston-Auburn, the report suggests more federal funds could be coming to better connect existing trail systems to downtown river recreational resources.

It’s no secret to residents of Lewiston-Auburn what a great asset the river has become. From Auburn’s Riverwalk to the development of Simard-Payne Park to the emerging popularity of bass fishing, canoeing and kayaking on the river, locals know what a gem we have. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of many local people and organizations like the Androscoggin Land Trust, the river corridor has caught the spotlight of the federal government. Cheers to that. Now let’s hope the river can net some federal funding to help advance the ideas of these visionary groups and people.

It was sad news that Maddy’s Pizza in Mexico has closed its doors after a 41-year run. Jeers to the circumstances that led to the demise of a local business that for years gave back to the community. “They have never said no to donating to a benefit. They’ve always given, even when they had nothing to give,” friend Kim Chaisson said of the Arsenault family, the owners of Maddy’s. Health problems for Greg Arsenault precipitated some of the business’s financial concerns.

While Greg still has a “long way to go” in his recovery, according to his wife, Norma, the good news is he will be moved to Rumford Hospital soon, where he can be close to the community he supported. Cheers to that and to those who have banded together to help the Arsenaults, returning some of the charity Maddy’s Pizza has shown over the years.

Finally, cheers to the end of 2011. Suffice it to say it’s been a tough year for many of us. We can only hope that 2012 will bring greater prosperity and progress for Maine and our region.

sthistle@sunjournal.com

The opinions expressed in this column reflect the views of the ownership and editorial board.

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