WESTBROOK – Two new outdoor-space projects are on track for the Ward 5 area of Westbrook, including a partnership between the city and the town of Falmouth to purchase and preserve the 37-acre McDermott property, near Suckfish Brook on Mast Road.

“It’s a fabulous piece of property and we hope to continue to expand Suckfish Brook as an open space, open to public. There’s a lot of opportunity for trail linkages in that area,” said Molly Just, city planner, at a City Council meeting Monday.

Just said Westbrook officials have been working with Falmouth officials and the Falmouth Land Trust for more than a year to find the money needed to purchase the McDermott property.

The property, on Mast Road, abuts 93 acres of land recently purchased by the town of Falmouth to be preserved as recreational open space, with hiking trails, including a bog trail and links to other trail systems in the area.

The heirs to the McDermott property are offering it to Westbrook for $80,000, $45,000 less than the appraised value of the land. Jerre Bryant, city administrator, said the family was willing to lower the price of the property because “they really wanted to see this land preserved.”

Both the Westbrook Environmental Improvement Corp. and the Westbrook Recreation and Conservation Committee kicked in money to the cause, totaling more than $33,000. Casco Bay Estuary Partnership funded another $30,000, Davis Conservation Foundation funded $7,000 and members of the Falmouth Land Trust personally donated the remaining $13,500 to reach the landowner’s asking price.

The remaining balance will be used to cover the closing costs on the property and stewardship fees.

Just said there is room on the property for three suitable house lots, but this new conservation easement will protect the entire property from being developed.

At one time, a development was approved on the land, but according to Just, that was planned out before Maine formulated subdivision laws, which require space for things like a leech field and a septic system.

Bryant said Westbrook would not have to pay for the upkeep of the land, but will install a gate to lock when the property is closed to the public and improve a small gravel lot to be used as public parking. The city plows will also make a pass through the McDermott parking lot during winter.

The City Council gave first reading approval Monday for the purchase of the property.

While the councilors didn’t say much about the project, it was clear with the unanimous vote to move forward on it they were pleased with the addition of more open outdoor space in that area.

Councilors also tentatively approved spending nearly $72,000 to seed and loam the Small Hardy Road athletic field. The money will come out of the Capital Improvement Project.

Land for the field was donated to the city by Mike White and his brother, the late Tim White, of White Brothers Construction, now owned by Lane Construction, who also built the athletic field and parking lot for the facility. In return, city officials agreed to pay for the engineer and design work and the seeding and loaming of the field.

Shaw Brothers Construction, who was the low bidder on the project, will do seeding and loaming.

Eric Dudley, city engineer, said the field could be open by the fall of 2014. According to an email from Dudley to the council, the project is set to begin in September when the field will be loamed, seeded and mulched. Above-ground irrigation will water the grass during the fall and give the turf a full year “to set up a significant root system” before being used by the public.

Mayor Colleen Hilton, who said Ward 5 residents have complained about a lack of recreational areas, said there would be a ceremony at the field when it is complete.

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