Midccoast Recreation Center sees over 100,000 visits each year. With the expansion, it’s able to accommodate more programming and playtime.
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Midcoast Recreation Center, a nonprofit sports facility at 535 West St. in Rockport, completed an expansion project with the recent ribbon-cutting of new outdoor tennis courts.
The courts at Midcoast Rec, as it's known, are dedicated to the late Eric Lee, a local tennis coach popular with many local children who grew up playing the sport.
"Great coaches leave an indelible mark on our hearts, and true friends leave a lasting legacy in our community,” said Grace Chen, the organization’s executive director. “In dedicating these courts to Eric, we ensure that his enduring impact and commitment to midcoast kids will continue to inspire generations of players to come.”
Expanded capacity
Opening in 2001, Midcoast Rec provides low- to no-barrier community access, low-cost programs, free gear, free programs and space to local service groups and nonprofits, and financial aid to qualifying program applicants.
The facility started as a for-profit ice rink, and indoor tennis courts were added shortly thereafter. Midcoast Rec became a nonprofit in 2009.
The facility sees over 100,000 visits each year. With the expansion, it’s able to accommodate more programming and playtime.
“We expect this number to grow substantially, and we are already seeing an increase in participation,” Chen told Mainebiz.
Broader campaign
The Eric Lee Memorial Courts took three years of planning and fundraising. They consist of four full-size outdoor tennis courts, two of which are lined with 60-foot lines for youth tennis.
The courts were part of a broader capital campaign called "Campaign for a Healthy Future." The project consisted of three phases and cost $6.9 million.
Interior renovation of community spaces and the HVAC system was completed in October. In February, a new eight-court pickleball building opened.
The four illuminated outdoor tennis courts and repaved parking lot marked the project’s completion.
A facility for four seasons
Funding for the campaign came from individual donors, corporate donations and grants, including a $126,000 grant from the U.S. Tennis Association’s Tennis Venue Services for the outdoor courts.
The project included clearing space, on land already owned by Midcoast Rec, for the pickleball building and the outdoor tennis courts.
The courts “allow us to become a true year-round, four-season facility, with summer programming for both adults and kids,” said Chen. “We can have the capacity to run large tennis and pickleball events, clinics and tournaments that not only serve Maine, but the broader New England area.”
Midcoast Rec has annual revenues of $1.45 million, according to data from GuideStar by Candid as of July 28, 2025, as published in the 2025 Mainebiz Giving Guide.
