After leasing the former Bath Armory building for three years, the Midcoast Youth Center has purchased the building. Courtesy of Midcoast Youth Center

Midcoast Youth Center recently announced that it has reached an agreement with the City of Bath to acquire the former Bath Armory property located at 4 Old Brunswick Road. The City Council unanimously approved the sale at its May 3 meeting.

Under lease to MYC since 2020, the former Bath Armory houses MYC’s teen center which serves over 600 youth annually by providing a safe place to access free, after-school enrichment, workforce development and homecooked meals, while also providing support for youth experiencing homelessness, mental health challenges and/or substance use disorders through a team approach with several of its community partners.

In addition, the armory is home to MYC’s Bath Skatepark, the largest indoor skatepark in Maine, where local youth stay active year-round and where youth staff learn critical workforce development skills. The skatepark welcomes 400 skateboard, scooter and BMX riders of all ages from across New England each year and the fees generated through sessions and birthday parties support the mental health mission of MYC.

Recent data from the 2021 Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey shows that only half of students in Sagadahoc County feel that they matter to their community. Thirty-three percent of middle schoolers and 42% of high schoolers feel sad or hopeless, and 23% and 24%, respectively, have seriously considered suicide in the past year.

“We are very pleased to have the support of the Bath City Council and the City of Bath, as they take action to show youth that they matter by partnering with us for a healthy future,” said Jamie Dorr, MYC executive director, who founded the organization in 2016 in response to several local youth suicide deaths.

“By acquiring the former Bath Armory, we can make much needed safety repairs and improvements that will allow us to serve young people more effectively, while working toward a long-term vision of a thriving youth complex, where local kids and families are engaged, connected and supported.”