PRINCE FREDERICK, Md. — The Calvert County Board of Commissioners (BOCC) voted 5-0 to adopt the Hallowing Point Park Master Plan, ending a years-long process to formally update the long-term plans for the Prince Frederick park.
The last master plan was developed in 1998, and the update was needed to guide the park’s improvement and growth over the next 15 to 20 years. All the possible budget requirements for the projects are included in the plan, which will help the parks and recreation department and county financial planners make decisions for the park in the coming years.
As in previous discussions with the Planning Commission and at the May public hearing, the Parks & Recreation Department said the master plan can be updated as needed to make sure the county is adhering to what the public wants and needs at the time of the updates.
Park planner Stephanie Sperling said the department received more than 2,000 responses to their initial survey asking what types of updates people wanted to see in the park in the coming years. Walking paths and turf fields ranked highest on the list.
The walking paths project is a top priority, and the department hopes to make the paths more accessible for all — including connecting fields and sections of the park and making the paths easier for those with mobility issues.
Parks & Recreation Director Bob Branham said the department itemizes the needs and problems in the parks so they have the ability to address things as they come up, like the walking paths.
“We’re working toward making those updates and meeting the criteria in the master plan,” Branham said. Sperling added that they were seeking more grant funds and had secured funds from Project Open Space and others.
Commissioner Earl Hance raised concerns about making sure those paths were also accessible as per the Americans With Disabilities Act, but Branham assured the board that the parks were included in the county’s ADA transition plan.
Parks & Recreation also updated the portions in the master plan relating to the two historic barns on park property, a concern raised earlier this year by the Planning Commission. The plan now includes information about the barns’ association with Maryland’s historic tobacco culture and recommends that the barns be considered “historically significant” when making any decisions regarding their use or the land use.
Residents can view the final ordinance and full master plan online.
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