Brunswick Council Approves $1.05 Million for MARC Basketball Courts, Lighting

The Brunswick Town Council voted to appropriate up to $1.05 million for the next construction phase at the Midcoast Athletic and Recreation Complex, greenlighting two basketball courts, new lighting and a storage shed at the Brunswick Landing site.

Sally Costello, Brunswick's director of economic and community development, told the council that construction work was expected to begin around June, with a target opening in October.

The appropriation builds on earlier phases that have already transformed a former Navy parcel into a regional destination. The Navy transferred 10 acres at Brunswick Landing to the town in 2020 with the stipulation that the land be used for recreation, and a town advisory committee has since guided phased development that produced an eight-court pickleball complex, a skate park, playgrounds and walking loops.

The lighting component drew particular enthusiasm at the council meeting. Dozens of residents spoke in support, including representatives of the Maine Skateboard Association, who argued that extending illuminated hours would allow skateboarders and other patrons to use the complex during darker months. Josh Bankhead of the Maine Skateboard Association described the complex's reach as stretching "from as far away as Camden, all the way down to York County."

The $1.05 million will be drawn from a mix of grants, recreation impact fees, private donations and institutional contributions, including Bowdoin College's annual support to the town.

The vote advances a multi-year master plan to build MARC into a comprehensive regional recreational campus. With courts targeted to open in fall, Brunswick Landing would add its newest amenity well ahead of winter.