Blandair Park Committee Adopts Master Plan

In an 11 to 7 vote, the Blandair Regional Park Advisory Committee adopted Alternate G-1 as the park concept that will go forward to the next steps in the development process.  The plan will continue to be refined as the Master Plan is developed.  The Master Plan will be presented at the Oct 15, 2008 Public Meeting in the Department of Recreation and Parks Conference Room, 7120 Oakland Mills Rd., Columbia MD at 7:30 PM.

Tonight, the advisory committee was presented with two alternatives G-1 (shown below) and I.

Blandair Alternate G-1

Alternative G-1 is a modification of the plan presented by the residents of Sealed Message at the Sept 11, 2008 public hearing.  Both G and G-1 locate the park’s multipurpose building and the skate park in the center of the park and route Oakland Mills Rd. extension to Rt. 175 through the center of the park.  The major modification in G-1 from the residents original proposal is the road is shifted slightly farther to the east.

Tonight, the Director of the Howard County Department or Recreation and Parks, Gary Arthur said he believes the department has sufficient funding to continue development of the park through the planning stage.  However, with the uncertain Maryland economy and the falling transfer tax revenues that provide the majority of park funding, he could only estimate that phase one work may be completed in 2010 – 2012 time frame.