FARMINGTON — When students at the University of Maine at Farmington voiced a desire for a hub for outdoor recreation and a place to rent gear last year, their voices were heard.

Mainely Outdoors showcased their new space Wednesday with an open house at 144 Quebec St., a former home located next to the UMF Fitness and Recreation Center. The new meeting place leases equipment at minimal fees for people to try outdoor experiences like kayaking, biking, snowshoeing or cross country skiing.

An event is planned for most weekends except during school vacations. A lot of the community, including UMF alumni and professors, participate. Most trips are open to the public.

The students enlisted members of the Outdoor Club and other students to help transform the building in to the new space.  They built shelves for the equipment, painted, cleaned and collected furniture from around campus to “re-purpose” the building.

Mainely Outdoors, a part of the university’s strategic plan, started a few years ago. It has recently earned a trademark for Mainely Outdoors to protect the identity of the program, Toner said.

Although the new space will offer weekday hours to start, rentals are still available on weekends from the Fitness Center. The hours are Monday to Friday 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

Students are teaching ski and snowboarding lessons for adults every Wednesday at Titcomb Mountain for $5.

FMI: www.facebook.com/UMFalpineops/?fref=ts, Twitter @MainelyUMF.

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