At a recent candidate forum for the City of Brunswick City Council the majority of participants voiced their emphatic support for the preservation of the historic downtown.
The forum, which was hosted by the Greater Brunswick Area Chamber of Commerce, featured six participants who are vying for three available council positions. The non-partisan forum focused on a wide variety of issues confronting the historic town — from infrastructure to water treatment and historic preservation.
Recent efforts to demolish significant historic structures in the downtown historic district have generated significant concern citizen advocacy. As a result of that advocacy, several of the candidates voiced their support for historic preservation and expressed their willingness to consider the establishment of a preservation ordinance.
In addition to candidate support, citizen pressure and advocacy convinced the current city council to revoke their support for state financial support of the downtown project that would require significant demolition. The reversal of the sitting council is a major victory for preservation and a reminder of the value of organized citizen advocacy.
Preservation Maryland remains supportive of the local preservationists who are now organizing an ad-hoc preservation group under the banner of “Better Brunswick.” From smarter growth decisions to preserving the downtown, the new group is an outgrowth of a panel discussion Preservation Maryland hosted in Brunswick in late 2017.
Learn more about efforts to preserve Brunswick’s rich heritage
Preservation Maryland is a 501(c)3 non-profit and non-partisan organization. The organization does not endorse or support any candidate and this material is informational only.