Governor O’Malley Announces Support for Local Park Improvements in Nine Counties

Maryland Department of Natural Resources

Governor O’Malley Announces Support for Local Park Improvements in Nine Counties
ANNAPOLIS, MD — Governor Martin O’Malley announced Board of Public Works approval of local-side Program Open Space funding for local park improvement projects in nine counties.
Baltimore County will receive $271,504 to increase convenient access to the athletic fields and community gardens at Northwest Regional Park in Owings Mills.

Calvert County will receive $168,750 for renovations of the popular outdoor pool at Kings Landing Park in Huntingtown.

Carroll County will receive:

$64,850 for improvements at Bennett Cerf Park in Westminster, including installation of a climbing wall, an new outdoor pavilion and picnic tables; and

$90,000 for a new pavilion and expansion of the playground at Robert’s Mill Park in Taneytown.

Port Deposit in Cecil County will receive $119,773 for improvements to the playground area at Marina Park.

Charles County will receive $63,000 to install energy-efficient outdoor recreational lighting at Laurel Springs Park’s youth baseball field in La Plata.

Dorchester County will receive $28,800 for repairs of the parking lot at J. Edward Walter Park in Cambridge.

Thurmont in Frederick County will receive $28,500 to help finance refurbishing one of the original trolley cars that served Thurmont and installing a covered bridge to serve as a pedestrian and bike path to complete the Thurmont Memorial Park trolley trail.

Prince Georges County will receive $367,000 to begin a 1.6-mile extension of the 5.7-mile bike, pedestrian and equestrian trails in Henson Creek Stream Valley Park in Temple Hills.

Queen Anne’s County will receive $45,000 for improvements to the athletic fields at Old Love Point Park in Stevensville.

Yesterday, more than 150 conservation leaders and elected officials, including House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer, joined Governor O’Malley for historic land conservation announcements, including a proposal to acquire 9,242 acres of some of the most ecologically and historically significant forest, farm and shorelines in the State through Program Open Space, as well as the 2009 Rural Legacy grants. The Governor also launched GreenPrint, Maryland’s new, interactive mapping tool designed to help the State, local governments, conservation organizations, and individual citizens guide land conservation and growth.

Since 2007, Governor O'Malley and the Board of Public Works have preserved more than 9,987 acres of natural areas for public recreation and watershed and wildlife protection across Maryland. Since 1969, Program Open Space has protected more than 327,460 acres with funds from a percentage of the real estate transfer tax. Most Maryland residents live within 15 minutes of an open space or recreational area funded by Program Open Space.

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

December 4, 2008
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