Outdoor rink ice is in; bonfire in the works for Jan. 17

January 5, 2026 | By Lisa Scagliotti 

There’s ice at the outdoor rink at Anderson Park. Plans are in the works for a Christmas tree bonfire on Jan. 17.

And Waterbury has a new Recreation Director. 

Christmas tree bonfire in January 2023 at Anderson Park. Photo by Gordon Miller

New Year’s Eve was Erika Linskey’s first day on the job as Waterbury’s new Recreation Director. Linskey, who lives in Waterbury Center, comes to the town staff having most recently worked as executive director at the nonprofit HOPE Works Inc. in Burlington, a rape crisis center. She succeeds Katarina Lisaius, who stepped down from the position in the fall.

Linskey has much nonprofit experience in her background, including working as a program coordinator at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Vermont where she coordinated with Waterbury’s Recreation Department to provide swim lessons to mentoring pairs in the community. Linskey also worked at the Safer Society in Addison County as its mentoring program director.

Linskey began her career as an elementary school art teacher in Gypsum, Colorado, and moved to Vermont nearly 20 years ago, settling down in Granville, where she served on the school board for a time. She said her love for winter outdoor recreation in particular began in Colorado. “That's where I learned to ski and ride, and I volunteered for Arapahoe Basin, Eldora Mountain and Aspen/Snowmass,” she said. “When my daughter was at the Warren Elementary School, I volunteered as a parent ski coach for the Warren Ski and Ride program at Sugarbush.”

Waterbury Roundabout will visit soon with Linskey, who started on day one by diving into some important Waterbury winter recreation matters and sharing some key information:

• Ice has been made at the outdoor rink at Anderson Park downtown, and it’s open for skating. 

• A bonfire for used (clean) Christmas trees is being planned for Jan. 17 by the Waterbury Fire Department, weather permitting. Details for a potential skating party at the bonfire will be announced closer to the date. In the meantime, trees may be left at Anderson Park near the ice rink. 

• Waterbury Cub Scout Pack 711 will collect used Christmas trees on Saturday, Jan. 10, for a suggested donation of $15. Proceeds will support scout activities. To sign up for tree pickup, use this online form by 6 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 8. Email any tree pickup questions to scout leader Albert Caron at troop701webmaster@gmail.com.