AUBURN — Norway Savings Bank Arena is doing everything it can to bring more people in to use the facility.

On Sunday, that means turning into a disco for the afternoon.

“The biggest thing for us is, we want people to use the facility,” said Marc Gosselin, general manager of the arena. “We’ve looked for different ways to bring people in, trying to do something fun and a little different.”

Gosselin said the arena is experimenting with Sunday’s regularly-scheduled public skating program, bringing in a light system and a local DJ to play music.

The program, called “Lights and Ice,” runs from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday.

“We picked Sunday because that tends to be our bigger regular crowd,” Gosselin said. “Sundays are a little more family friendly because people aren’t working and they have the time.”

If it’s popular, the light show might be back.

“None of this is set in stone, but we have the equipment,” he said. “Why not try it out?”

Gosselin was hired in July to manage the facility, the third to do so since it opened two years ago. The arena ended its first year with a $190,000 deficit and Gosselin said his job is to turn that around by bringing in more users.

“We’re doing 100 percent better,” he said. “Our reputation is getting out there. We’ve had Mt. Ararat practice here, we’ve had Brunswick High School practice here. These are people that are outside of our area.”

Gosselin began opening the ice for regular public skates in the fall. Public skating is from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday; from 8:40 to 10:10 p.m. Friday; and from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday. Entrance costs $5 and skate rentals are $5.

The sessions are growing more popular, he said, with between 35 and 150 people coming to each session.

“I think the biggest reason for seeing more people coming in, even during the week, is consistent hours,” he said. “We have a consistent schedule they can depend on and that takes the question out of deciding to come.”

[email protected]