When the New Gloucester Little League’s ball fields finally thaw out and dry up – foul weather has already postponed their season by a week – one field will be groomed by its owners, the Little League itself.

No other Little League in Maine boasts ownership of its own ball field.

“I think it’s going to be a terrific opportunity for us,” said Kevin Sullivan, vice president of special projects for the group. Leaders are contemplating adding fields, a new equipment hut or a snack shack.

A gift made it possible.

Fortin Construction Inc. of Auburn and ERA Today Realty donated the property, more than 30 acres in all, to the Little League. The two businesses purchased the land as part of their nearby development, the Briarwood Estates subdivision.

Immediately, the Little League worried about what would happen to the ball field, which had already been used by kids for years.

That was two years ago.

“It was our main baseball field,” Sullivan said. Owned by a private family, it was one of four used by the league. The others include another privately owned field and a pair of town diamonds.

At first, league leaders were most interested in hearing what was to be done with the Penny Road field.

“Our intent from the beginning was to find a way to preserve the field,” Don Fortin, the president of Fortin Construction, said in a statement. “Whenever we discussed our plans for the open space, the ball field was always an important factor.”

Then, the leaders took a chance and asked for a donation.

“When Little League approached us, we thought this was a terrific idea,” said Tim Nolan, president of ERA Today. “It made sense to us as business people and as developers.

In their plan to create the subdivision, the open space was used to offset the build-up of homes, located near the ball field but separated by a buffer of trees.

By taking ownership, the league has promised not to develop the property itself beyond recreational uses.

It ought to get plenty of recreational use.

New Gloucester’s Little League draws more than 250 youths each season, ages 5 to 16.

“Our program is undergoing a growth spurt and available playing fields are tougher to find and accommodate the new teams we’re adding,” Linda Chase, president for New Gloucester Little League, said in a statement. “Their generosity helps our program in so many ways.”