MD Board of Public Works awards funds to Wicomico County

Salisbury, Md. – Last week the board approved more than $12.9 million in Maryland Department of Natural Resources grants for local parks and land preservation projects statewide, including in Wicomico County. One of the ways the grants were used was to enhance parks and recreation.

“So we received $350,000 I believe, through program Open Space for WinterPlace Park, and that’s for a lighting project that we’re going to use to light that’s a community park,” Steven Miller, director of Wicomico County Department of Recreation, Parks and Tourism said. “We’ve got softball and soccer fields out there, so that will allow us to put lights on that park.”

In a statement, County Executive Julie Giordano said:

“These state investments are a meaningful win for Wicomico County. Improvements like the new lighting at Winterplace Park enhance safety, expand access to our recreational spaces, and support the families and youth who use them every day. We appreciate the partnership with the State of Maryland as we continue investing in our community.”
The grants and funding awards also go towards land conservation as part of the broader Open Space program, which allows Wicomico County to preserve and enhance its green spaces for the community.”

Miller said this grant allows the county to invest in its facilities, “where otherwise we may not have the funds to be able to do that.”

“These grant programs are huge,” he said.

Additional support from the board also included awards in local and rural conservation programs that strengthen environmental stewardship and access to outdoor spaces statewide for the community.

Miller told WMDT that the department relies heavily on public feedback and the public can use their most recent survey to let them know what they’d like to see in the county.