Governor O’Malley Announces BPW Approval of Funding for Three Local Park Improvement Projects and Preservation of 58 Acres in Carroll County

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ANNAPOLIS, MD – Today, Governor Martin O’Malley announced Board of Public Works (BPW) approval of local-side Program Open Space (POS) funds for improvements at three local parks and Rural Legacy funds to preserve 58 acres of agricultural and woodlands in Carroll County.

One of Carroll County’s most popular parks, Westminster Community Pond will be renovated, adding a 35-foot pavilion, swing set, tot lot, and three single table pavilions. Trail signage, walkways and benches will compliment newly reforested and landscaped areas throughout the park. Local-side POS funds totaling $353,070 will partially finance (90 percent) the renovations. Westminster Community Pond receives more than 100,000 visits annually.

Carroll County Sports Complex Tot Lot in Westminster will replace aging playground equipment, partially financed by local-side POS funds.

To addressing safety concerns, an additional $72,000 in local-side POS funds will partially finance renovations to Westminster’s Skate Park. The Skate Park receives an estimated 70,000 visits annually.

Since 1969, Program Open Space has provided funding for acquisition of 322,355 acres for open space and recreation areas. Most Maryland residents live within 15 minutes of an open space or recreational area funded by this program.

Today, the BPW also approved the purchase of a 58+ acre conservation easement located in the Little Pipe Creek Rural Legacy Area of Carroll County. Purchased for $300,000, the easement preserves valuable forest land. The easement will improve water quality with riparian buffers along streams that drain into Little Pipe Creek, part of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Carroll County will hold the easements.

In total the BPW approved funding for 14 local park and recreation areas and preservation of more than 4,566 acres of agricultural and forest land in 18 Counties today.

Chaired by Governor O’Malley, the Board of Public Works is also comprised of Treasurer Nancy Kopp and Comptroller Peter Franchot. The Board is authorized by the General Assembly to approve major construction and consultant contracts, equipment purchases, property transactions and other procurement actions.

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December 12, 2007

Contact: Olivia Campbell 410-260-8016 office I 410-507-7525 cell ocampbell@dnr.state.md.us

Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 449,000 acres of public lands and 17,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic and cultural resources attract 12 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov