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Community Corner

Youth Hockey League Cuts Ribbon on Solar-Powered Arena

The state-of-the-art rink is Falmouth's latest, and possibly boldest, step toward energy efficiency.

At a ribbon cutting ceremony on Saturday afternoon, the Falmouth Youth Hockey League officially unveiled its new home, a cutting-edge, $6 million facility which is the result of years of planning, fundraising, and construction.

The new Falmouth Ice Arena, the brainchild of FYHL President Paul Moore, may be the most energy-efficient building of its kind ever conceived. Powered in part by the 3,302 solar panels that line its roof and the nearby parking shelter, the arena boasts a number of other efficiency technologies. Optimized heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems, heat recovery technologies, and on-demand water heaters minimize the rink's power usage.

“They said we'd never do it,” Moore told a crowd of kids, parents, and other interested residents prior to the ribbon cutting, “but here we are. This is a great day for Falmouth Youth Hockey, and for the community.”

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Chamber of Commerce President Jay Zavala echoed that sentiment, and congratulated Moore, and the town, on making the arena a reality.

“This is a community that cares,” Zavala said, “and I'm very proud to be a part of this community.”

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Chairman of the Board of Selectmen Kevin Murphy called the rink a symbol of “the idea and the ideal that Falmouth can come together and get a project done.”

Fellow Selectman Mary Pat Flynn agreed, saying, “This building is really incredible, and it means so much to all of us.”

Moore said the energy savings would allow the FYHL to offer cheaper rates for ice and tuition, opening the facility to residents who might otherwise not be able to take advantage of it.

The 49,000-square-foot arena is state-of-the-art in more than just its green approach to energy. The main sheet is the same size as a regulation NHL surface—with another half-sheet providing even more skating space—and the stands can seat a crowd of 700. Another major point of pride for Moore and the assembled officials was that the bulk of the construction costs were raised through small, private donations.

“There's no rink like it in the country,” Moore said. “It's an incredible, incredible building.”

Moore thanked all those who had contributed, as well as the previous generations of FYHL volunteers who helped shape the organization, and put it into a position from which it could embark on such an ambitious project. He urged others to get involved in similar efforts.

“There's no greater gift you can give your community than volunteerism,” he said.

When Moore's short remarks were over, he and the assembled FYHL officials watched as a member of the league snipped the ribbon, officially opening the new Falmouth Ice Arena. He then welcomed in the crowd—many with skates slung over their shoulders—to tour the facilities and try out the fresh ice.

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