A former selectman was fond of saying that "Rumford was once a mill town but now it's a town with a mill."
It's also a town with a 450-acre community forest.
State and local officials joined conservation groups and outdoor enthusiasts on Saturday to mark the official opening of the Rumford Community Forest.
"After decades of doubt over the future of mill towns like this area, it's only fitting that we're here today to celebrate another symbol of Rumford's resurgence," said Gov. Janet Mills.
The land, which includes woods, wetlands and brook trout habitat, was once slated for more than 250 housing and condominium lots. It's now permanently protected from development and open to the public for hunting, fishing, hiking, biking, skiing and snowmobiling.
Gabe Perkins, executive director of Inland Woods and Trails helped design the project with extensive public input. He says once it's complete, it will include about ten miles of trails including an all-persons trail for universal access.
Rumford Planning Board member Travis Palmer says the project is both a community asset and an investment in the town's future.
"When we started designing this trail network in collaboration with Inland Woods and Trails that was at the forefront of what we were doing," Palmer says. "You know, how do we offer both something for the community to take advantage of as well as attract some outside individuals to come and take advantage of the outside recreational opportunities here?"
The Trust for Public Land, the U.S. Forest Service and the Land for Maine's Future Program helped provide funding. The Rumford Community Forest joins a network of community and town forests that encompass 400-thousand acres across Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.
