Brunswick School Department Moves Forward on New 6,600-Square-Foot Bus Garage

The Brunswick School Department has begun permitting and planning to replace its aging maintenance garage with a new 6,600-square-foot facility, a move Superintendent Phillip Potenziano says will improve safety, efficiency and protection of the district’s 47-vehicle fleet.

The existing garage behind Coffin School is too small for today’s longer buses, forcing mechanics to leave the door open to lift hoods and to work in cold conditions during winter months. The building also lacks a vehicle lift, requiring mechanics to use makeshift "creepers" to access bus undersides and creating elevated injury risk. Storage is constrained, with parts, supplies and tools scattered because there is nowhere to store them properly.

The proposed replacement structure will sit next to the current building, which the district plans to repurpose for fleet and staff parking. The new garage design calls for a 38-by-62-foot work area, two dedicated storage rooms, a staff training area and laundry storage, plus a wash bay intended to remove road salt through weekly washes. Those features are intended to let mechanics complete more work in-house, reduce exposure to harsh conditions and extend the usable life of buses, vans and other vehicles.

Environmental safeguards are built into the plan. The district proposes relocating the garage away from Mere Brook, installing retention ponds, tying into wastewater systems and reforesting along the brook. Those measures aim to limit stormwater runoff and reduce environmental impacts from vehicle maintenance and site operations.

For Brunswick residents, the project addresses a routine but essential local service: getting students to school, activities and field trips safely and on time. Better-maintained vehicles should reduce midroute breakdowns and unscheduled delays, support extracurricular scheduling, and protect the school district’s capital investment in 47 vehicles. Upgraded storage and training space also reduces occupational hazards for drivers and mechanics and could lower long-term maintenance outlays by preserving vehicle chassis and systems from corrosion and deferred repairs.

The permitting and planning phase marks the start of a multi-step process. Once permits are secured, the district will move toward construction planning and bidding. The existing garage’s conversion into parking will free up immediate space near Coffin School and keep vehicle operations centralized.

This project is a pragmatic infrastructure upgrade that touches daily routines in Brunswick: cleaner buses, safer workplaces for mechanics and more reliable rides for students. As planning advances, residents can expect further details on timelines, construction impacts and any opportunities for public input.