Essex Street Ski Area Bangor, ME
Facts:
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The Essex Street Ski Area is on the site of the current PAL Center and the Essex Street Recreation Area. This area is no longer a ski area, but it still functions as as a place to go hiking, biking and walking. In the winter the trails can be used for cross country skiing. The trails may also be used for snowmobiling. In its hay day it was a fully functional ski area and winter recreational site with a 800-foot ski slope, ski tow, ski lodge and sledding hill. All that remains of the ski area to date is the ski lodge which isn't open to the public and the concrete slabs of the old ski lift. The ski area was off to the left of the sliding hill which still exist and is kept clear, however where the ski area exist it is all grown in. More recently The Essex Street Recreation center is now home to Bangor's First Dog Park.
In a September Bangor Daily Newspaper in 1971 Roland Perry of the Bangor Jaycees group said that the slope would be complete with a lodge, rope tow, and lights for night skiing and that the area would be ready for operation for the winter of 1972. He stated that the land surrounding it at that time which was the old Essex Street dump was at least 50 acres and that it would be cleared and cleaned up for the ski area. Some of the services he said that some of the other activities and services the area would have would be sliding, snowmobiling, and ski classes to utilize the whole site. Apparently Roland Perry said boldly that "if this comes out as planned, were going to have one of the finest municipally owned winter recreation facilities in the state," In a Bangor Daily News article in December of 1972 Dale Theriault a City recreation director stated that the Essex street ski area would sponsor "five-week package of lessons for novice skiers age 6-18 will start the first Saturday in January". The ski area apparently used instructors from Hermon Mountain Ski School. Each class had 10 students and the costs were nominal. Also he stated "if there’s not enough snow at the Essex street ski area during any Saturday, students will be bused to Hermon Mountain for their lessons." In a Bangor daily news article in January, 1976 It states that the Essex street recreation area would be open for public skiing Saturday and Sunday from noon - 4:30 p.m and that a fee of $1.00 per day would be charged. The area would also offer adult beginner lessons on the first four ski lessons which would be held Saturday starting at 11 am. The fee was $8 for adults. A Bangor Daily Article in Mar, 1972 says that Bangor proposed a $50,000 Essex street recreation area. The biggest expense to add to the area would be a $20,000 ski lodge (Which is still standing as of today) - which would was largely the brain child of the Jaycees. Over the summer before the proposal for improvements volunteer crews help cleared a new, 800-foot ski slope which was next to the existing sliding area, which would be steeper and longer then the sledding area and featured a rope tow and night lights. In a Febuarary, 1973 Bangor daily news article apparently there wasn't an enough snow on the city’s slope and that the ski lessons would be moved to Hermon Mountain. Participants participating in the program would still report to the Essex street lodge and from there would be bused to Hermon. A December, 1975 Bangor Daily Article states that students could register for lessons at the ski lodge, or at drop in centers at Garland and Fifth Street schools. Ages 5-18 were accepted for five weekend sessions. A September Bangor Daily News Article in 1972 talks about the building of a 41 by 51 foot $50,000 lodge which would be heated, supervised, and available for winter recreation enthusiasts. The lodge would feature food vending machines, lounge area, first aid station, and a lift ticket booth. Rec director Theriault stated that "if the club gets the building up in time, it will provide a warm place for not only for the sports-minded, but also... for the parents who bring their children their children to the sledding area. |
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Pictures
 Satellite view of Essex St. Ski area.
The white line represents where ski lift used to be |
Related Links
Nelsap - Nelsap lists this area some information
Pal - Police Althetic League is what currently uses the former base lodge building
Essex Street Recreation Area - Essex street hill is part of the Bangor Parks and Recreation and has many hiking, biking, and walking trails
Bangor Dog Park - Currently the area is now home to Bangor's First Dog Park
Pal - Police Althetic League is what currently uses the former base lodge building
Essex Street Recreation Area - Essex street hill is part of the Bangor Parks and Recreation and has many hiking, biking, and walking trails
Bangor Dog Park - Currently the area is now home to Bangor's First Dog Park
