Funding approved for DNR’s Program Open Space Local, Local Parks and Playgrounds Infrastructure, Community Parks and Playgrounds, and Rural Legacy programs
Funding is approved for Cecil Land Trust to acquire a conservation easement on 42 acres in the Fair Hill Rural Legacy Area, to preserve productive agricultural land and forested stream buffers along Little North East Creek, a source of drinking water for the Town of North East. Maryland DNR photo.
The Board of Public Works today approved more than $1.9 million in grants to local governments and a land trust from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to improve park facilities and protect land with perpetual conservation easements in Cecil, Frederick, and Somerset counties.
Nearly $275,000 in Program Open Space – Local funding was approved for five projects including $217,000 for Frederick County to improve and renovate several parks. Planned improvements include additional funding for a new restroom and concession stand at E. Eugene Myers Community Park, a new scoreboard at Memorial Park, new playground equipment, benches, and picnic tables at Kim Weddle Park, and a replacement playground at Valley Street Park.
Frederick County will receive $220,000 from the Community Parks and Playgrounds Program to develop the new B&O Railroad Park, which will include a repurposed railroad car and railroad-inspired design elements for the playground, picnic tables, and sidewalk.
Frederick County will also receive $240,000 in Local Parks and Playgrounds Infrastructure Program funding to construct a hiker-biker trail at Young Nature Preserve, which will connect to Doubs Meadow Park. Additionally, the county will add a new pavilion at Doubs Meadow Park near its soccer fields.
Somerset County was approved for $1 million in Local Parks and Playgrounds Infrastructure funds to help expand Long Centralized Athletic Complex. The park will add pickleball and basketball courts, playground equipment, a walking path extension, natural turf fields, and other park amenities.
Additionally, the Board approved $185,000 in Rural Legacy funding for the Cecil Land Trust to acquire a conservation easement on 42 acres in the Fair Hill Rural Legacy Area of Cecil County. The easement will preserve productive agricultural land and forested stream buffers along Little North East Creek, a source of drinking water for the Town of North East.
All projects funded are listed in the Board of Public Works May 7, 2025 meeting agenda. The three-member Board of Public Works is composed of Governor Wes Moore, Treasurer Dereck E. Davis and Comptroller Brooke E. Lierman.
Program Open Space – Local provides funding for county and municipal governments for the planning, acquisition, and development of recreational land or facilities. Established under the Department of Natural Resources in 1969, Program Open Space (divided into Local and Stateside programs), along with other state land conservation programs, symbolizes Maryland’s long-term commitment to conserving our natural resources while providing exceptional outdoor recreation opportunities for all citizens. The program is funded by a property transfer tax.
The Local Parks and Playgrounds Infrastructure Program was funded with $85 million in both Fiscal 2022 and Fiscal 2023 to provide grant funds primarily to local governments for park and recreation projects.
The Community Parks and Playground Program provides funding to municipal governments to restore existing and create new park and recreational facilities throughout the state.
The Rural Legacy Program, created in 1997, conserves large working landscapes across 36 locally designated areas throughout Maryland. The Rural Legacy Program, along with the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation, have recently earned the State of Maryland a national recognition from the American Farmland Trust.
A recent survey conducted by the American Farmland Trust ranks Maryland among the top five states in both the total number of acres protected and the total number of easements acquired through purchased conservation easements. This recognition underscores Maryland’s ongoing commitment to preserving its agricultural heritage and ensuring the long-term viability of farming communities.
More news on grants approved for Program Open Space Local, Local Parks and Playgrounds Infrastructure, Rural Legacy, and Conservation Reserve Enhancement Permanent Easement programs is available on the Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ Land News webpage.
