About Us
History
Efforts started as long as 20 years ago to raise funds to build an indoor skating
facility that would service the coastal towns of Camden, Rockland, Rockport and
surrounding communities in a 30 mile radius. The efforts fell short, but the enthusiasm did not die.
The dream became reality in late 2001. Four generous families joined together to
provide funding to build a multi-purpose, state of the art recreation complex conveniently
located in Rockport. Midcoast Recreation Center brings not only indoor tennis and long
awaited indoor ice skating to the area, but a 75,000 square foot multi-million dollar
community based facility where details were not spared.
Our mission is simple but meaningful: "To provide a consistent and positive experience."
MRC sits on a 27-acre campus off of Maine Route 90 about 6 miles west of Camden. Not
visible from the road, it is reached by a winding driveway that leads to a spacious parking
lot. The area has been beautifully landscaped and presents a welcoming entry way to the
center of the two principal buildings, the ice arena and tennis courts.
You walk in to a spacious main lobby detailed with ceramic tiled floors and tongue and
groove wainscoting. One side of the lobby leads to a quiet tennis lounge, sectioned off
by a breast high wall, equipped with plush furniture, dim lighting and a gas fireplace.
There are 4 indoor tennis courts coated with a 10 layer "Plexipave" surface. There
are two large locker rooms, tennis Pros room, and large windows on the second floor to
view the courts from above.
To the left of main lobby you leave the ceramic floor and step onto a "Mondo" product
rubber floor which is carried through the rink side of the facility. There is a snack bar
and deli, an arcade and an elevated seating area with large picture windows that look into
the rink.
The rink is an 85'x 200' NHL sized surface and seats 300 spectators. The floor is concrete
with sub floor heating. Commercial Refrigeration installed an ammonia system equipped
with Mycom compressors and sub-floor heat and for energy management purposes both the chiller
barrel size and condensing unit size was upgraded. A reflective low emissive ceiling was
also put in place. Becker supplied and installed the dasherboards and tempered glass.
Rounding out the rink are five player locker rooms and two referee locker rooms all equipped
with in-floor radiant heat, and a Zamboni was the resurfacer of choice.
Midcoast Recreation Center also houses a 1700 sq/f personal training studio (Optimum
Performance) and a daycare center (Creative Children's Learning Center), and two studios,
with a hardwood floor made from Maine grown trees, with Tai Chi Classes and Fitness Group
Classes (Power Fitness Concepts, Inc.) and, beginning April 1, 2008 MRC will house Martial
Arts Classes (Mid-Coast Martial Arts) in the studios, as well.
With a goal of attracting young people to the facility for sport and recreation, MRC supports
our local youth organizations: Skating Club of Maine, Maine Coast Skaters Association Youth Hockey,
Camden Hills Regional High School Hockey, Ice Cats Region High School Hockey and the Junior Tennis
Development Program. MRC is also proud to bring local schools to the facility at no charge though
a program called the Skating Tennis Education Program (STEP).
General Information
Midcoast Recreation Center located in Rockport, Maine brings a full-size, indoor
ice arena and four indoor tennis courts to the mid-coast area. MRC will provide year
'round access to the sport of tennis, and seasonal access to ice skating, for all ages
and skill levels! Both the ice arena and tennis center offer a full range of
development programs including lessons, clinics and leagues. All programs are open to
the public.
Midcoast Recreation Center (MRC) is located on Route 90 just east of Route 17 in
Rockport, Maine. MRC is open seven days a week when the ice is in (October 1 - April
1), and Monday - Friday during the rest of the year.
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