TOPSHAM — The Board of Selectmen on Thursday, Sept. 3, will conduct a public hearing and possibly vote on the transfer of town land to Habitat for Humanity/7 Rivers to serve as the site of a future home.

Paul Rossignol, president of the Bath Iron Works-based Ironclad hockey team, approached the board Aug. 20 about donating the land to Habitat and a waiving a bid process for the transfer. He said he learned through town staff that the nearly one-acre parcel at the intersection of River Road and Hagar Drive is of little conservation value and could therefore be put on Topsham’s tax map as a privately owned buildable site.

BIW has been involved in three local Habitat builds and is in a position to participate in a fourth, Rossignol said.

Ironclad will play an exhibition game Oct. 11 against the Montreal Canadian Alumni hockey team, and will use the proceeds from this event to aid Habitat, Rossignol said. All the money raised by the organization will go toward helping Habitat sponsor the entire cost of the home. Rossignol said he hoped to be able to present the land donation to Habitat at the Oct. 11 game.

Selectmen expressed support for the cause, but opted to postpone a decision until all five members were present and the public had an opportunity to offer feedback.

“I think your letter is the nicest I’ve seen as a board member,” Selectman Michelle Derr said.

Besides Habitat, the income from program sales at the game will benefit the Mt. Ararat High School Class of 2010 Project Graduation initiatives, and raffle sales of National Hockey League-autographed items will go to Midcoast Youth Hockey to fund registration fees for underprivileged youths.

The Oct. 11 game will be held at the Cumberland County Civic Center in Portland at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15, and admission is free for children under 2. Tickets are available through ticketmaster.com.

Alex Lear can be reached at 373-9060 ext. 113 or alear@theforecaster.net.

Copy the Story Link