Governor Ehrlich Announces BPW Approval of $755,164 in Program Open Space Funds
for Carroll and Howard Counties
Two regional parks to be developed
ANNAPOLIS, MD — Citing the unequivocal value of recreation, Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. today announced Board of Public Works approval of $755,164 in Program Open Space funds for parks in Carroll and Howard Counties.
“In parts of Maryland, populations have grown rapidly in recent years,” said Governor Ehrlich. “New county parks and new recreational facilities are appropriate responses to this growth.”
The total allocation of $755,164 will fund two projects in two counties.
DNR’s Program Open Space is a nationally recognized program that provides funding for Maryland’s state and local parks and conservation areas. More than 4,600 county and municipal park and conservation projects have been completed through the program, improving the quality of life for millions of Marylanders.
- Carroll County: The Board approved $221,050 to develop Gillis Falls Park, a 1,200-acre site owned by the county. This new regional park will become an additional recreational facility for residents in southern Carroll County and the Mount Airy area. The primary attraction will be an 18-mile trail system for horseback riding, hiking, and biking. The project calls for incorporating existing access roads and equestrian paths into the trail system when possible, building several bridges, and surfacing the trails with stone dust and gravel, asphalt, or natural materials, according to the expected use. The county will also construct a main road system with a parking area and three auxiliary parking areas.
- Howard County: The Board approved $534,114 as a fifth installment towards the development of Western Regional Park. The park, situated at Carrs Mill Road and Route 97 near Glenwood, encompasses 160 acres. When all phases of this $14 million project are completed, facilities will include athletic fields and courts, a roller-hockey pavilion, picnic areas, pathways, an equestrian trail, playgrounds, restrooms, concession and maintenance buildings, roads, and parking areas. Wetlands, steep slopes, forests, and wildlife habitats will be protected. This is the only regional park in the western half of the county.