Engineering funding for city athletic facility repairs and upgrades have been included in the City’s FY 22-23 budget, which is expected to be approved at the City Council’s meeting this month, Parks and Recreation Director Lorena Vaccare told the Taneytown Parks and Recreation Advisory Board and Taneytown Athletic Association at their March meeting.

Part of the funding will go to replacement of all athletic fencing in Memorial Park, according to Vaccare. "It is years and years old," she said. Because it is very cost prohibitive to do the entire fencing all at once, fence replacement will first focus on the worst areas and Field One first.

Upgrades for the baseball field will include installation of a new baseball field scoreboard and accompanying electricity for Field One. Upgrades to the softball field include putting in new dugouts, the soccer fields will receive additional lighting, and the football field house roof will also be repaired. Ideally all the work will begin in the autumn.

The town staff will share the concept vision with the Athletic Association to ensure the needs of the association and its players are met, she said.

Bollinger Park Plans Submitted

County agencies are reviewing the preliminary plans submitted by the Parks and Recreation Department for the creation of Bollinger Park, which will be Taneytown’s first Nature Park, Vaccare said.

Funding from a grant from the County Parks Department as well as a grant from the National Park Service has allowed the city to complete phase one of the Bollinger Park project.

The park will include a walking, jogging, and biking trail, a pollinator garden with apiary, and a meditation garden. Current plans also include an observatory constructed and operated by the Westminster Astronomical Society (WAS).

The observatory telescope will be used for viewing deep space objects and capturing meteor showers, conjunctions, and other celestial events. WAS will host public gatherings during these major events as well as monthly Star Parties and programs with local schools. The observatory will have a large view screens to project the images from the telescopes for others to see.

The Office of Environmental Management, who is responsible for grading and sediment control, will be the main agency the Parks and Recreation Department will work with. A sediment control erosion plan will be put together and reviewed by the County, according to Vaccare. Other items the county will be reviewing are the park’s water resources and floodplain management plans.

Although the parking lot of the park will be away from high traffic areas, courtesy plans were sent to the State Highway Association, who did not raise any comments or concerns on the projects, she said.

To save time, only one contract for the work will be issued, but will have two different proposal forms that can be bid separately including site work and excavation, and trail paving, as performing the rubberization of the trail is a "specialty," according to Vaccare. "A lot of contractors don’t do both," she said. Rubberizion is environmentally friendly option as it allows for root growth of shrubs and trees all along the trail.

The City hopes to begin clearing for the trail and parking lot entrance this Autumn. Because pouring the rubber for the trail requires consistent temperatures of at least 60-degrees, work on the trail aspect of the project is anticipated not to begin until next Spring.

Earth Day Park Clean Up

In honor of Earth Day, Taneytown’s Memorial Park will host a community cleanup April 23.

Residents are encouraged to participate in our Earth Day Cleanup by volunteering to help pick up trash in the parks. No registration needed. Pick a City park, show up during the allotted time, and a City volunteer will greet you and get you started!

Bags will be provided to you when you arrive at the park but be sure to bring your own gloves!

The Earth Day tribute promises to establish a clean park while getting fresh air, exercise as well as volunteer service hours.

Wine, Art, and Music Festival Returns

Sip, sip hooray! Taneytown Parks and Recreation Department calls all lovers of wine and melodies for its 10th annual Wine, Art, and Music Festival May 21 at Taneytown Memorial Park.

The festival promises a day jam packed with wineries, breweries, distilleries, artisan crafts, food, and more.

Cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic, City Parks and Recreation Director Lorena Vaccare has been ecstatic to see the festivities return.

Like a good wine, the festival has only improved over the years, blossoming to now include acclaimed music, near countless craft vendors, varieties of food trucks, along with multitudes of tastings, she said.

"It’s a very popular event," she said.

The festival will showcase a mix of both the local and renowned as Vaccare promised patrons will not only find newer or local distilleries, but acclaimed ones as well, as the festival has brought in adult beverage expertise as far as the Eastern Shore.

"This helps make Taneytown a tourist destination," she said.

The annual park festival matches perfectly with the warm Spring session coming into bloom and patrons are encouraged to make the most of it and to bring blankets and chairs to best drink in the day.

Craft vendors can be found selling every imaginable handcrafted item including woodworks, pet treats, clothing, and much more. "Shopping will be second to none," she said.

The festival is still accepting craft vendor applications. Vendor registration is $30, and spaces are allotted on a first come first serve basis.

More information contact Vaccare at 410-751-1100

Fishing Derby returns

Holy Mackerel! Taneytown’s annual youth Fishing Derby will take place on Saturday, May 7 at the Roberts Mill Park pond. This exciting sporting event is open to all children under the age of 16 (fishing license not required).

Registration opens at 8 a.m. and age groups are: five and under; six to eight; nine to 12; and 13 to 15. Every contestant will receive a door prize at check-in, and the top three contestants in each age group with the largest fish will win a rod and reel set. The Taneytown Lions Club will be there to give each contestant a free hot dog and drink at the end of the event!

Each contestant will receive a free hot dog and drink at the end of the event from the Taneytown Lions Club.