SNOW HILL – County officials approved a concept plan for a new park in Bishopville.
The Worcester County Commissioners on Tuesday approved a concept plan for the development of the former Bergey and Chmar properties into a passive recreational space. Both county-owned properties are located near the intersection of St. Martin’s Neck Road and Bishopville Road.
Bill Rodriguez, the county’s parks superintendent, said the project was estimated to cost $125,000 with much of the funding could come from Program Open Space (POS) grants.
“If approved through the POS process, 90 percent of the funding could be obtained through Program Open Space,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez presented the commissioners with a description of the park plans as well as cost estimates. According to his project description, the two county owned properties, divided by Bishopville Road, would together make up a public park. While the old Bergey property would be used as a passive recreational space featuring a stone sitting wall and patio as well as walkways and benches, the former Chmar property would be used for parking. The Bergey parcel was selected as the site for the passive recreation features because it borders Old Mill Pond.
“The long history associated with the parcel is still evidenced by the Old Mill foundation slightly protruding from the existing grade,” Rodriguez wrote in his project description. “The thought of boats navigating the Bishopville Prong and taking deliveries directly from the mill is, today, mind boggling. There certainly is a worthwhile story to be told.”
Rodriguez said the project was expected to cost $111,737 but that setting the estimate at $125,000 would allow for some contingency funding. He said that if the commissioners approved the concept plan, it would be included in the county’s Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan as well as the county’s Program Open Space Annual Update.
He said that if POS funding covered 90 percent of the project cost, the county would only need to spend $12,500.
He added, however, that parking access on the former Chmar property would have to be approved by the Maryland State Highway Administration because of the site’s proximity to the Bishopville Road and St. Martin’s Neck Road intersection.
The commissioners voted unanimously to approve the concept plan.
