The Friendship and Memorial Gardens at the site of the Brunswick Naval Museum will be open twice a week on a regular basis for the first time since the base’s closure.
The gardens are located in two courtyards within the former base chapel, now the Brunswick Naval Museum, at 179 Admiral Fitch Ave. at Brunswick Landing. They are the only privately established memorial on an operating naval base, and are preserved and maintained by the museum, the Harpswell Garden Club and the Brunswick Veterans’ Council.
The museum was founded after the base’s 2009 closure, with plans to convert the base’s chapel into a museum with a research library, archives, and meeting and work areas. The memorial gardens at the chapel honors service personnel from the base who gave their lives for their country. Also on site, the Friendship Garden celebrates civilians who supported the base, and celebrates the base’s ties with the community.
Brunswick Naval Museum and Memorial Gardens operate out of three leased rooms in the chapel, but is looking to purchase the entire building from the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority, the agency that oversees
Brunswick Landing.
The future museum would honor the base’s legacy and celebrate its ties with Brunswick, according to John Briley, the museum’s president.
“Many people serving here didn’t regard this as just another duty station,” said Briley. “And the community welcomed the Navy here.”
MRRA has not set a price for the building, said Briley, but added that it will likely cost $400,000 to $500,000.
The museum in March sent a message to the Next Generation Foundation of Maine, announcing their intent to apply for $1.85 million in foundation grants. The grants would pay for purchase and renovation of the chapel, as well as the establishment of an endowment.
Briley said the museum is also gearing up for a capital campaign to raise an additional $250,000 for the endowment.
The gardens will still be open by appointment, which can be scheduled by calling Briley at 729-7216.
For more information, go to www.brunswicknavalmuseum.org.
jswinconeck@timesrecord.com
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