Governor O'Malley Announces BPW Approval Of Local Recreational Projects In Baltimore City And Talbot County

Annapolis, Md. (December 15, 2010) — Governor Martin O’Malley today announced Board of Public Works (BPW) approval of recreational projects in Baltimore City and Talbot County through Program Open Space.

“Providing safe, accessible outdoor spaces for our families to enjoy is essential,” said Governor O’Malley. “By creating and maintaining these recreational opportunities, we influence our children to become the next generation of environmental stewards.”

Today the Board of Public Works approved the following local-side Program Open Space projects:

Baltimore City will receive $400,000 for the development of a youth baseball field on a portion of the former Memorial Stadium parcel in partnership with the YMCA of Central Maryland and the Ripken Baseball Foundation. When Memorial Stadium, the former home field of the Baltimore Orioles baseball team, was demolished a decade ago, a portion of the land was sold for development by the YMCA of Central Maryland.

Talbot County will receive:

• $6,577 to construct an ADA-accessible extension from the existing walking path to the playground and replenish the engineered wood fiber safety surface at the Home Run Baker Sports Complex in Trappe.
• $7,456 to renovate the existing baseball field at Easton Middle School Park to include new dugouts, bleachers and fencing.
• $3,615 to resurface the basketball courts and install a new picnic pavilion, playground equipment, park fixtures and landscaping in Bellevue Community Park. In addition, the county will install fencing and parking lines at the parking lot adjacent to the playground area for improved safety.

“Through Program Open Space many families will now have, in all of these villages, access to a healthier active lifestyle while simultaneously helping to protect green space,” said Rick Towle, Director of Talbot County Parks and Recreation. “We especially thank the Talbot County Council for constant support resulting in extraordinary outcomes with the limited resources available.”

Under the leadership of Governor O’Malley, the Board of Public Works has approved funding for 940 recreational projects, including Community Parks & Playgrounds, totaling over $281,900,644 through local-side Program Open Space since 2007.

A video showing the direct benefits of Program Open Space can be viewed here.

The three-member Board of Public Works is comprised of Governor O’Malley (chair), 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.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages nearly one-half million 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 11 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