Brunswick council recognizes need, but balks at cost

BRUNSWICK

The town’s parks and recreation department wants to conserve part of the former Brunswick Naval Air Station while opening a part of it up to public use, but at a cost of nearly $2 million.

The Capt. William A. Fitzgerald USN, Recreation and Conservation Area sits on 66 acres off Old Bath Road on the site of a Navy radio transmitter.

Town Councilor John Perreault on Monday balked at the cost of the project, noting the town’s strained finances.

“I just think that’s too much,” said Perreault.

The council may decide whether to adopt a proposed management plan for the area at a later date. The management plan was formed with input through a committee made up of various stakeholders.

In an interview, Parks and Recreation Director Thomas Farrell said there is not yet a ratio for how much the project will draw from local funds versus other sources.

Farrell is asking for $20,000 to be included in his next fiscal year’s budget to begin work on the site that includes improvements to the area’s entrance.

The project would be completed over seven phases that can be built independently of each other with no set timeline as resources become available.

The project will rely heavily on funds separate from local tax dollars for the construction of some facilities on the site, Farrell said.

“We were very mindful to the fact that now is not a time when the town has discretionary funds to spend on this project,” said Farrell.

Part of what makes the site unique, said Farrell, is the wildlife habitat there.

“It’s been identified as one of the top habitat-type sites in Maine,” said Farrell. “There’s a real desire on the part of the community to protect that resource.”

Rare birds, butterflies and moths inhabit the sandplain grassland in the area.

The area is home to white-tailed deer and other game species, and limited hunting using shotguns, black powder and archery may be permitted to continue at the site, said Farrell.

There is a proposal to remove most larger plants and trees to restore that habitat while leaving the pitch pine. A controlled burn on part of the land was conducted last year, and an additional burn may be held this spring.

Councilor Steve Walker said this is a “one-of-a-kind opportunity” to preserve ecologically significant land while providing opportunities for recreation.

East Brunswick, Farrell said, has been “long under-served” with a lack of recreation facilities.

The conservation area is close to a large number of children living in two nearby large mobile home parks, said Farrell.

About 15 acres of the site would be developed for recreational facilities including playgrounds and two athletic fields, in addition to hiking and bike paths.

“It’s an interesting balance,” Farrell said. “People feel very passionately about having active recreation in east Brunswick, and people feel very passionately about protecting that very sensitive habitat.”

Evidence of prehistoric artifacts have been discovered on the site, which means certain aspects of the project may need to be reviewed by the Maine Historic Preservation Commission, which might require an archaeological survey of the site.

There is limited evidence of stone tool-making at the site.

It would cost about $35,000 annually to maintain the site.

The parcel is named after Capt. William Fitzgerald, the last commanding officer at Brunswick Naval Air Station.

Calls for improving recreational access in east Brunswick have been ongoing since before the announcement of the former base’s closure, said Farrell. With a drop in the town’s population following the base closure, the need is not as urgent.

“What remains deficient is a safe, accessible recreation complex close to where people live in east Brunswick. The difference is, the demand may not be as high as it was 15 years ago,” Farrell said.

jswinconeck@timesrecord.com

— PARKS AND Recreation Director Thomas Farrell is asking for $20,000 to be included in his next fiscal year’s budget to begin work on the site that includes improvements to the area’s entrance.

— THE PROJECT would be completed over seven phases that can be built independently of each other with no set timeline as resources become available.