In an effort to enhance recreational facilities for Kent County residents, Governor Parris N. Glendening today announced Board of Public Works approval of $179,625 in Program Open Space (POS) funds to construct a pavilion and refurbish the baseball field at Worton Park, and for replacement of the boardwalk at Betterton Beach. Worton Park is a county-wide regional park complex that is considered the center of recreational activities in Kent County, and Betterton Beach is one of only a few public beaches on the eastern shore of the Chesapeake Bay.
"Access to adequate parks, playgrounds, and recreational facilities have a tremendous impact on a community's quality of life," said Governor Glendening. "These much-needed upgrades will provide Kent County residents with additional recreational options to exercise, play, and spend time together near their homes."
The 70-acre Worton Park has become a regional showplace for a wide variety of events, including local and regional equestrian competitions, the State's Babe Ruth baseball championship, State and regional amateur softball tournaments, "Cycle Across America," and various car shows. Part of the $141,750 for this POS project will be used to construct the only major park structure missing from the Worton facility: a covered picnic pavilion to provide protection during inclement weather and a more accessible protected area for the disabled. Additional improvements for the park include the replacement of home run and out-of-play fences around baseball diamonds and the installation of a new lighting system.
POS funds totaling $37,875 will be used at Betterton Beach to cover the cost of installing a new 440-foot boardwalk made of trek polymer lumber, which uses reclaimed materials consisting of waste wood fiber and polyethylene plastic. The trek lumber boardwalk replaces a 15-year old wooden structure that had become cracked and splintery. It will be better able to withstand pounding, sandy water and strong winds, eliminate the safety issue of splinters for barefooted beach users, and provide an attractive maintenance-free boardwalk for Kent County residents.
The Department of Natural Resources' (DNR) Program Open Space is a nationally-recognized program that provides funding for Maryland's state and local parks and conservation areas. More than 3,000 county and municipal parks and conservation areas have been built through the program, improving the quality of life for millions of Marylanders on a year-round basis.
Chaired by the Governor, the Board of Public Works also includes Comptroller William Donald Schaefer and Treasurer Richard Dixon. The Board is authorized by the General Assembly to approve major construction and consultant contracts, equipment purchases, property transactions and other procurement actions.
Posted: 4-19-2001
