The purchase, on Sept. 30, of the Knights of Columbus property known to generations for its Westbrook skating rink is good news for skaters and open space advocates.

Not everyone is cheering, of course, but it’s hard to find a downside to this arrangement. With a $20,000 down payment and a $150,000 purchase price for the land and building (property that has an assessed value of $350,000) the city got an excellent deal.

The city was dealing with what real estate agents call a “motivated seller.” One of the primary motivations of the Knights of Columbus, a spokesman said, was to ensure that the skating pond, said to have been in use since 1907, could be used by future generations of Biddeford skaters.

The organization deserves great credit for this decision, and for coming to terms with the reality that its older membership has become a bit less inclined to take an active interest in the shoveling and scraping needed to keep the ice smooth. The purchase price will simply cover the outstanding loans on the property.

The deal, which has been in the works for more than a year, also provides a valuable buffer to the city’s adjacent Clifford Park. The hall will continue to be used as a polling place for Ward I and Ward II voters, and will provide space for the city’s busy cable television studio.

The city has some real estate holdings ”“ like the long-vacant Emery School, whose prime value to the city seems to be sentimental. But acquiring an actively used recreation property at a bargain price is an excellent investment.

 — Questions? Comments? Contact Kristen Schulze Muszynski or Nick Cowenhoven at 282-1535 or kristenm@journaltribune.com or nickc@journaltribune.com.