Stations, buses, light bulbs, and other fragrances on the summer air…..

We had occasion recently to do a bit of research into the history of Brunswick’s world class (Great American) downtown station, where buses and trains arrive to discharge and pick-up passengers.  We found this depiction of the master plan for the property, as proposed by JHR Development:

http://www.greatamericanstations.com/Stations/BRK
It may confuse you a bit, because two of the buildings shown don’t currently exist.  On the same site, we found this run down on the funding for the project:

As of early 2012, public funding for Brunswick Station amounted to approximately $5.2 million obtained from the following sources: $750,000 through the EPA Brownfields Program; $902,500 from the Economic Development Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce; $300,000 in Community Development Block Grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; $350,000 from Maine’s Municipal Investment Trust Fund, established by the state legislature to provide financial assistance for the design, construction and improvement of public service infrastructure and downtown renewal projects; $2.25 million in municipal bonds; and $668,594 expended by the town to acquire the property. The town government estimates that these public funds have leveraged more than $25 million in private investment by the developer.

While we have some further work to do on the underlying details of this disclosure, we thought you’d enjoy being reminded that something like $3 million in direct town funds went into the project, along with a variety of sums from OPM (Oppem) accounts of several types.  In addition, we don’t want you to forget that our ‘community’ graciously budgets something like $80-100 thousand a year for operation of the Station departure center and maintenance tasks associated with the station property.
                     
This doesn’t phase the ladies of the Brunswick carriage set, of course.  But we wonder if they might be a bit troubled by this recent advisory from NNEPRA, the Maine state agency responsible for operating the Downeaster:
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• For this week surfacing crews continue to focus working between Wells and Old Orchard Beach stations

Service for Wednesday, July 15
Southbound
680 & 682

• Depart Brunswick and/or Portland on-time
• 10  minutes late into Old Orchard Beach
• 10 - 15 minutes late into Saco
• 20 - 25 minutes late into Wells
• 25 - 30 minutes late into Dover
• 30 minutes late into Durham
• 30 minutes late into Exeter
• 30 minutes late into Haverhill
• 30 minutes late into Woburn
• 30 - 35 minutes late into Boston

684 & 686 - Train service will operate servicing all stations from Dover to Boston,  Passengers from Portland and Wells will be transported by bus to Dover station to meet the train.
        
No service to/from Old Orchard Beach or Saco.                      

• Anticipated to operate on-time.

688- Train service will operate servicing all stations from Wells to Boston only. Passengers from Brunswick, Freeport, and Portland will be transported by bus to Wells station to meet the train.
                                                       
No service to/from Old Orchard Beach or Saco.

• Anticipated to operate on-time.

Northbound
685, 687 & 689

• Depart Boston On-Time
• on-time into Woburn
• on-time into Haverhill
• on-time into Exeter
• on time into Durham
• 1 - 2  minutes late into Dover
• 2 - 5  minutes late into Wells
• 10 - 15 minutes late into Saco
• 15 - 20 minutes late into Old Orchard Beach
• 30 - 35  minutes late into Portland
• 30 - 35 minutes late into Freeport
• 35 minutes late into Brunswick

681 - Train service will operate servicing all stations from Boston to Dover only. Passengers travelling to Wells and Portland will be transported by bus from the Dover station.
                           
No service to/from Old Orchard Beach or Saco.

• Anticipated to operate on-time.

683 - Train service will operate servicing all stations from Boston to Dover only. Passengers travelling to Wells, Portland, Freeport and Brunswick will be transported by bus from the Dover station.
                                                   
No service to/from Old Orchard Beach or Saco.
•Anticipated to operate on-time.

Come to think of it, after reading the foregoing, we’re wondering whether the good ladies would like to meet and greet, or send off, those folks being transported on buses arranged by NNEPRA to replace the non-operating train service.
In the past, they’ve identified themselves with “AAB” to signify “All Aboard Brunswick!,” and happily handed out identifying stickers to those of like mind.
Under the circumstances, we think a revised happy sticker is in order, and we’ve volunteered our considerable graphic design talents to come up with this appropriate variation……
                 
Our only concern is that the ladies aren’t particularly fond of light bulbs as portrayed here.  Sudden flashes of logic, fact, or awareness can be so unsettling.

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