While the Central Maine Civic Center is being renovated, Auburn’s high school needs another site.
By Lindsay Tice
Staff Writer

AUBURN- After years of “Pomp and Circumstance” at the Central Maine Civic Center, Edward Little High School must find a new place to hold its graduation.

For at least two decades, Auburn high school seniors have crossed the river to graduate at the Central Maine Civic Center in Lewiston- one of the few local buildings big enough to accommodate Auburn’s 300 graduates and their 2,000 guests

But this year, the civic center is undergoing extensive renovations for the fall start of Lewiston’s new Quebec Major Junior Hockey League team, the Maineiacs. Officials originally believed that work on the building wouldn’t interfere with Auburn’s June 1 graduation. A couple of weeks ago, they realized that new ice-rink refrigerator pipes had to be installed in the civic center’s floor in late May or early June.

“And nobody can walk on that for 30 days,” said civic center owner Roger Theriault.

Edward Little officials are now looking for a place to go.

Because this year’s 270-student graduating class is smaller than classes in the past, Principal James Miller believes Auburn might be able to hold its ceremony in the school gymnasium. Since the gym can only hold about 2,000 people, students would be allowed to invite six friends or family members each rather than the seven allowed in the past.

“It’ll be crowded, but I think it’ll be okay,” he said.

Miller is working with the city’s Fire Department to see whether the gym would meet the safety and fire codes required.

“If that doesn’t work, we use Plan B,” he said. “I don’t know what that is yet.”

Although Lewiston High School holds its graduation ceremony outside on school grounds, Miller has ruled out that option for Edward Little. The high school’s available field has only one small entryway, no lights for an evening ceremony and no shade for a daytime ceremony. And if the weather turned bad, he said, the school would be abruptly forced to move the ceremony.

Students have suggested holding the ceremony at a lake, in Portland or even at the University of Maine at Farmington, where Edward Little’s Project Graduation will be held.

Miller said the school should know by the end of April whether the gym will be adequate for graduation. If it’s not, administrators will meet with the senior class to discuss other options.

Theriault said school officials won’t have this problem next year. The civic center will be theirs.

“Definitely,” he said.

ltice@sunjournal.com