On a clear wintry December night as we were driving down Maine Street, my wife Tina exclaimed, “What a wonderful town, such a great place to live!”

Who could argue with her? Holiday lighting displays worked their magic, creating a fairyland atmosphere. Restaurants for all tastes filled with happy patrons lined the streets. Virtually all the stores are locally owned and managed; you can’t spot a “for rent” sign in store windows, because all sites are occupied. Leaders in other small towns throughout Maine would love to be faced with the town’s parking problem.

The Brunswick Downtown Association (the BDA) has played a major role in the town’s steady growth over the last 15 years. Cathy Barter, a Vice President at Key Bank, was a member of the informal Brunswick In-Town Group, a forerunner of the BDA which was founded in 2004, and has long served as an energetic BDA Board member. “We’ve always had the goal of creating a vibrant downtown,” she says.

Stunning statistics speak to the BDA’s success. In 2010 the organization had 99 members and a budget of $198,000; today there are 342 members and a budget of $347,500.

“We make promises that can be kept, and then we follow through on them,” explains Deborah King, BDA’s Executive Director for the last six years. “We have a tremendous hard-working Board; the Town has been very supportive; and we have a great relationship with Bowdoin College. We’re always asking business owners in town, ‘What can we do to make your life easier?’”

Consider just a few of the successful BDA-sponsored programs and events in addition to the holiday lighting spectacle:

Each Music on the Mall concert attracts between 400-600 people, and the Maine Street Music Theatre concert broke all records with about 1,500 people in attendance.

The Visitor Center, ideally located at the train/bus station and staffed mainly by dedicated friendly volunteers, sets a welcoming tone.

The Brunswick Outdoor Arts Festival, held in mid-August, is the largest juried show in Maine, with over 100 artists participating every year.

The BDA Speaker Events Series has attracted a compelling array of speakers over the last ten years: e.g. Senator Angus King and Senator Susan Collins; Kathleen Fleury, Down East magazine editor; Coleman Burke, Founder of Waterfront Maine and owner of Fort Andross; Ron Phillips, Chief Executive Officer of Coastal Enterprises; and Bob Ludwig, 11-time Grammy winner, just to name a few.

Other popular events include the Rolling Slumber Bed Races, the Community BBQ and 2nd Friday Brunswick.

The BDA stands today as a model of its kind. In 2012, the BDA became part of the Main Street America program and Brunswick became recognized as a Main Street Community in recognition of its following best practices established by the national organization. The BDA was named the “One to Watch” Main Street Program in 2018 by the National Main Street Center; and the BDA received the “Spirit of America” award in 2019 from the Cumberland County Commissioner’s office.

Past BDA Board member David Knight, who received the Volunteer of the Year Award at the annual meeting last month, gives his take on BDA’s success. “This is truly a team effort, headed by an amazingly effective and popular executive director. BDA is exemplary when it comes to reaching out and working with other groups.”

All explanations aside, one drive down Maine Street day or night should convince anyone that the BDA has successfully fulfilled its mission: “To promote Downtown Brunswick as a vibrant and attractive place to live, work, play and do business.” For more information on the BDA go to www.brunswickdowntown.org.

David Treadwell, a Brunswick writer, welcomes commentary and suggestions for future “Just a Little Old” columns. dtreadw575@aol.com.