Lt. Governor Brown Presents City of Baltimore with $1.26 Million Ceremonial Check for Program Open Space Project at Clifton Park
BALTIMORE, MD (July 13, 2009) – At Baltimore’s Clifton Park today, Lt. Governor Anthony G. Brown presented a $1.26 million check to the City of Baltimore for a new recreation center. Joined by Baltimore City Recreation and Parks Director Wendy Durden, community members and local children, Lt. Governor Brown took the opportunity to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Program Open Space.
“For forty years, the State of Maryland has been committed to conserving our natural resources and protecting our surroundings while providing Marylanders with more opportunities to enjoy outdoor recreation,” Lt. Governor Brown said. “By investing Program Open Space dollars in Open Space projects, we are enhancing the City of Baltimore and upgrading Clifton Park Recreation Center so it can be used by families and community members for many years to come.”
“I want to personally thank the entire O’Malley-Brown administration for its continued support of Baltimore, its residents and businesses,” said Mayor Dixon. “The funding from Program Open Space gives this community the recreation opportunities it deserves and sets an example for green construction projects everywhere.”
Clifton Park, the 266 acre historic estate of Johns Hopkins, is located in East Baltimore. The Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks will use the state funding, along with $420,000 from the City of Baltimore to enclose and redevelop the former pool pavilion to create a new recreation center. The preliminary designs for the pavilion include a multipurpose room, classrooms, a kitchen, and staff offices. The Clifton Park project was included in the State’s FY09 budget and was approved at the June 17, 2009 Board of Public Works meeting.
Since Maryland launched Program Open Space in 1969, the State has protected nearly 350,000 acres of land across the state, including more than 275 in Baltimore City – approximately the size of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Program Open Space has become a nationally recognized program that protects natural watersheds and wildlife and preserves recreational opportunities. The program is comprised of two components: grants to local government and a component that funds acquisitions by the State. There are currently more than 5,000 county and municipal parks and conservation areas that exist due to Program Open Space. Since taking office in 2007, the O’Malley-Brown Administration has preserved nearly 25,000 acres of natural land.
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