BERLIN – Berlin officials met with the head of Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources last week to express interest in working with the agency in the future.
Berlin officials met with Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio, secretary of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) on Friday. While what was supposed to be a site visit to Heron Park was rained out, officials discussed the importance of improvements at the former chicken processing plant.
“We are optimistic for the parcel,” Tyndall said.
The mayor, joined by council members and chair of the town’s parks commission, met with Haddaway-Riccio at town hall. He described the two parcels the town was considering selling as well as the larger passive use section of the park where the ponds are located.
“A nice little spot where you don’t even feel like you’re in town,” Tyndall said.
He said the town was trying to find a way to move forward with the property, perhaps with state help, despite limited funds.
“We’re applying for Department of Housing and Community Development strategic demo funds for the front parcel to try to hopefully bring some strategic demolition to that and repurpose that building,” he said. “We’ve got a little bit of vacant space over to one side, about 10 acres, that maybe we could put in like a concert venue or something like that in that space. Most recently we are going to issue on Nov. 1 an RFP for those two front parcels to see if there’s a way that we can start to bring them back on the tax rolls and to repurpose that site a little bit for maybe a better purpose for the town. But we still want to protect that passive use area for things like recreation and birding and things of that nature.”
He also asked if there was any news regarding the Bay Club, which is being purchased by DNR.
“We’re in the early phases of planning but we would always welcome input, suggestions, recommendations, ways to partner,” Haddaway-Riccio said. “We’re also really squarely focused on connectivity, ways we can connect people to parks but also connect to downtowns.”
Tyndall praised her department and the entire Hogan administration for its help in recent years. When he asked how the town could position itself to work with DNR regarding the Bay Club, Haddaway-Riccio said the town could identify a point of contact for her office to work with as a starting point.
Councilman Jack Orris echoed Tyndall’s interest in working with the agency regarding the Bay Club. Councilwoman Shaneka Nichols voiced interest in seeing DNR offer educational opportunities in town, perhaps at Heron Park.
Haddaway-Riccio mentioned DNR’s Project Green Classrooms, which is geared toward getting kids outside.
“We know it’s really important for our children but it’s just as important for us as adults and seniors too,” she said. “If we didn’t know that before, the pandemic certainly told us how important our open spaces are. We want to capitalize on this renewed interest in outdoor recreation and environmental education. Given the attributes you have described at this park it sounds like there are plenty of opportunities for people to learn.”
