Cumberland to Buy 24 Acres Next to Twin Brook for $85,000

Cumberland's Town Council authorized Town Manager Matt Sturgis on Oct. 13 to sign a purchase and sale agreement for a 24-acre parcel next to Twin Brook Recreation Area, a deal that would increase the town-owned park's size by roughly 10%, the Portland Press Herald reported.

The town and the landowners settled on a price of $85,000 after negotiation. The money will come from Cumberland's land acquisition fund, which is financed through impact fees. The council had discussed the purchase earlier in executive session.

Sturgis said the property owners contacted the town about adding their land to the park so it would be preserved for public use. The parcel is mostly woods, rolling hills and streams, he said, a contrast to the recreation area's open fields.

"It's going to be something we only have the opportunity to get once," Councilor Geoff Michalak said.

Twin Brook Recreation Area covers 224 acres and operates year-round. It has 4 miles of trails used for hiking and groomed in winter for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, along with 22 acres of fields for soccer, baseball and softball and a disc golf course.

This story was first reported by The Portland Press Herald.