Quarry Road: Waterville's rope tow, on the site of the old Colby Ski Area

Per Quarry Road's own "Rope Tow Ski Hill" page, the site's first lift was a 1,200-foot rope tow that opened to the public in January 1938, on a slope "known initially as Dunham's Mountain Farm and later the Colby Ski Area." Per the operator's own "History" page, the area's history began "in the 1930's with a tow rope," and it became "a hub of activity for local ski enthusiasts." The hill was closed during World War II, then re-opened by veterans and the Colby Outing Club in the late 1940s. It operated again "in the late 60's/early 70's when operated by Colby College as a lighted ski area with limited snowmaking," per the same page; downhill operations were then suspended specifically "during the 1970s energy crisis," per the "Rope Tow Ski Hill" page, and "the area closed again and was abandoned for a number of years," per the "History" page. At its peak, per the operator's own site, "the 250-foot hill featured a T-bar, snowmaking, lights for night skiing, and a spacious lodge."

In 2007, per Quarry Road's own "History" page, "a small group of volunteers gathered to revive outdoor recreation once again at Quarry Road," developing a year-round recreation area with the City of Waterville. In February 2021, per the operator's own "Rope Tow Ski Hill" page, "we ran a snowmobile-assisted alpine ski day" on the old slope, ahead of the rope tow's December 2021 installation. For 2026-2027, per the operator's own "Ski Ticket & Pass Rates" page, alpine season passes are $80 (adult 19-64), $60 (student 7-18 or senior 65+), and $200 (family of 2 adults + 2 students), with discounted rates for Waterville residents. Friends of Quarry Road states it has "raised over $120,000 for bringing lift-served skiing back to Waterville" toward a future capital plan for "new lift infrastructure, snowmaking, a permanent base lodge / outdoor center," per the operator's own page, crediting a challenge gift from the Bill and Joan Alfond Foundation and lead donors Golden Pond Wealth Management and Ned and Erica Ervin. The Quarry Road Ski Club also runs an "introductory alpine skiing program for area youth in grades 2-8" using the rope tow, per the Club's own site, in two 4-week sessions costing $65 for the 2025-26 season.

The Colby College Museum of Art, per the college's own "Visit" page, sits on the Colby College campus at "5600 Mayflower Hill Dr. Waterville, ME 04901." The Redington Museum, operated by the Waterville Historical Society, is housed in "an elegant Federal-style home that was built by Asa Redington in 1814," per the Society's own site. The Waterville Opera House, at 1 Common Street, is a performing-arts venue that, per Waterville Creates' own capital-campaign materials, is now connected by "a new skywalk that will provide an accessible connection" to the Waterville Opera House lobby from the newly built Paul J. Schupf Art Center. The Maine Film Center, per Waterville Creates' own "About Us" page, "educates, entertains, and builds community through film," operating Railroad Square Cinema's three screening rooms, now relocated into the Art Center at 93 Main Street, which opened to the public December 17, 2022. Front & Main, at 9 Main Street, describes itself, per its own website, as offering "Creative, nourishing cuisine, sourced lovingly from our own farms, fields, bays and oceans." Per Wikipedia's "Waterville, Maine" article, "The $26 million Lockwood Hotel...opened in August 2022 as downtown's first new hotel in over a century," a 53-room hotel developed by Colby College and managed by Charlestowne Hotels, housing the Front & Main restaurant.