BRUNSWICK

Proponents of Brunswick’s proposed outdoor pool are joining forces with those seeking a sports arena complex in an effort to raise funds.

At a town finance committee meeting earlier this month, Recreation Commission Chairman Kristi Hatrick said the projects should not be viewed in a vacuum, saying recreation contributes to the vitality of a community. The proposed Brunswick Landing Ice Rink and pool facility are exploring options to raise funding together, in an effort to see if the public would be more financially supportive if the projects worked in conjunction.

Bill Patterson of Midcoast Youth Hockey Association provided updates on the site and the potential fundraising partnership between the rink and the pool.

Currently, the Midcoast Youth Hockey Association is responsible for the fundraising and planning for the rink. The timeline is to secure gifts and donations by winter 2018, with construction to begin as soon as the Navy releases the land on Neptune Drive — which is projected to be by 2019.

The association estimates the arena would serve 125 families per day with 225 on the weekend, based on current participation in programs.

“With well documented demand and commitments for ice time in hand, we expect to open with operations at full capacity in a community that is ready to drive less and skate more,” the association states in documents about the proposed arena.

Patterson cited a 2015 study that said there was no demand for a year-round ice arena because the region is flooded with extra ice in the off season. However, the arena business model would propose hosting other sports in the complex, such as indoor soccer, lacrosse and roller skating. A four-acre lot adjacent to the Brunswick Recreation Center would be ideal for a multi-use arena that would serve nine area towns and 60,000 residents.

Patterson said Midcoast Youth Hockey loses a quarter of local players to neighboring programs because they cannot offer more consistent scheduling, and others drop out due to the stress of traveling.

Bowdoin College now provides ice time for high school teams, but demand for ice time is high, so even after the college players use the ice, the full schedule means very early hours for high school teams which is not conducive to their lifestyle and learning. Younger students, in third to eighth grade, often travel 40 minutes to Auburn for an hour of ice time during a weekday night. This anecdotal evidence highlights the opportunity for a rink at Brunswick Landing, said Patterson, adding the new Casco Bay Arena in Falmouth serves as a model of an ice rink that caters to other athletic programs.

The arena is proposed to cost

$3.4 million, with the construction budget expected to be about $2.8 million. With the open air pool included, the fundraising efforts aim to reach about $6.8 million.

An estimated cost for the outdoor pool ranges from $2.6 million to $2.9 million, according to Boston-based Bargmann Hendrie + Archetype Principal Tom Scarlata.

The design proposal includes eight lanes for lap swimming, a large shallow area with a depth of zero to three feet, and two slides, one for children and one for teenagers. A diving board is also part of the proposed design. A closed pool option would not be feasible because it is more expensive to maintain and the market is too competitive in the area, Hatrick said.

According to previous reporting by The Times Record, the plan is to have the pool pay for operating costs with user fees. Scarlata is working with recreational consultant firm Ballard*King to determine pool operating costs and income from user fees to reduce its cost to the town. User fees would bring in $133,000 toward operating costs, Scarlata said. Daily pool passes would be $5.50 for adults, $4 for youth and seniors, and $3.50 per person in a group. Summer season passes would cost $50 for adults, $40 for youth and seniors, and $95 for a family.

Although the combined fundraising effort idea is in a very preliminary stage, it is feasible, said Patterson. Hatrick said the town needs a strong plan in place if the aquatics facility is to become a reality, and said combining fundraising efforts with the rink may mean people in the area respond more favorably to funding the projects.

Town Councilor Jane Millett said those who are promoting the pool should look at expanding the times the pool is open, especially in the evening, so more people in the community could use the facility.

jlaaka@timesrecord.com

The Times Record Sustaining Sponsor
We believe a community must be informed to thrive. bowdoin.edu