CARIBOU, Maine — The late Karla Wolters donated about 90 antique runner sleds to the city of Caribou, which Parks and Recreation Superintendent Gary Marquis plans on mounting along the walls of the recreation center’s lobby.
Marquis told city councilors during their Dec. 11 meeting that, before her passing, Wolters “wanted to make sure that her collection would remain in one piece and on display,” adding that the Caribou Recreation Foundation unanimously voted to use their funds to help with the project.
Marquis said he hired Mike McCarthy to build the wall brackets and Bryan Cullins of Signtech to create individual wall plaques for each sled using the write-ups that Wolters provided with each one.
“It’s probably a one of a kind collection for the area,” Marquis told councilors. “You don’t see many around like this.”
The recreation department superintendent said the reason he was bringing the matter before the City Council was that, even though he accepted the offer, he realized he had to first get permission from the city.
“So I’m here with my tail between my legs asking for permission,” Marquis told the councilors.
Councilor David Martin asked if Marquis plans on putting up “all ninety” of the sleds.
“We have enough to do all four walls,” Marquis said. “It will be quite the impressive collection, especially for the generation that grew up with these sleds. It will draw a lot of people.”
Martin said he was anxious to see if there was a replica of the sled he rode on when he was a child.
Mayor Gary Aiken asked if Marquis could confidently fit all the sleds in the lobby. He said that, after measuring the space “several times,” he would be able to fit about 125 sleds on the walls.
A member of the audience asked if there would be any maintenance costs associated once the project is complete.
“There is no maintenance required whatsoever once the sleds are on the walls,” Marquis said. “They’ll be so high up that we won’t even have to dust them.”
Councilor Phil McDonough asked if any conditions were attached to the donation.
Marquis responded that Wolters’ only request was that the sleds stay together and he added that such is his intention.
Councilors unanimously voted to accept the donation.
Marquis said that while he and recreation staffers are aiming to get the sleds up before Christmas, there is still “a lot of work ahead,” and they may not be installed until late December.
