Montgomery County parks will receive state funding for accessibility improvements, new playground equipment, and a restroom and concession facility as part of $4.6 million in grants approved by the Maryland Board of Public Works.
Wheaton Regional Park is among four projects receiving approximately $950,000 through Program Open Space. The funding will support the renovation of a one-mile trail and make it accessible to people with disabilities.
Three additional Montgomery County projects will receive funding through the state’s Community Parks and Playgrounds program:
- New playground equipment at the Salem United Methodist Church Community Playground in Brookeville
- New playground equipment at Community Center Park in Garrett Park
- A new restroom and concession building at Stevens Park in Poolesville
The Board approved a total of $3.18 million through the Community Parks and Playgrounds program for 13 projects across Maryland. Other funded projects include playground improvements in Caroline County, a new park with a basketball court and walking trails in Cambridge, park upgrades in Prince George’s County, new trails and a pier in St. Michaels, recreational improvements in Wicomico County, and a new skatepark in Berlin.
The Board also approved $484,000 through the Rural Legacy program for the Land Preservation Trust to acquire a permanent conservation easement covering 48 acres in Baltimore County. The easement will protect farmland, forestland, and stream buffers within the Loch Raven Reservoir watershed.
An additional $325,500 in Program Open Space funding was approved for the acquisition of 170 acres in Allegany County. The forested property will become a new Natural Environment Area within the Rocky Gap State Park complex, protecting approximately two miles of Braddock Run while expanding wildlife habitat and public recreational opportunities.
The three-member Board of Public Works consists of Governor Wes Moore, Treasurer Dereck E. Davis, and Comptroller Brooke E. Lierman.
