County Unveils New Park Playground and Trail in Broadneck on Same Day

On Saturday, county officials hosted ribbon cuttings for two long overdue projects benefiting the public in Broadneck—a new park playground and a walking trail down College Parkway.

Wearing a pirate's bandanna and surrounded by a group of kid pirates, Broadneck's Councilman Dick Ladd attended the ribbon cutting ceremony at the Broadneck Park playground Saturday along with County Recreation and Parks Director Mark Garrity and County Executive Laura Neuman.

The same group also attended a ribbon cutting a little while later on College Parkway near Broadneck High School for the Broadneck Trail, the first phase of which was completed in late August. The .8 mile stretch of the trail stretches between Green Holly Drive and Cape St. Claire Road.

The trail's construction broke ground in August 2012, and was slated for completion by spring, however delays pushed that opening to September.

Future phases of the trail are in the design stage but have not yet received funding. The ultimate goal of the project is to span College Parkway and link up with the Baltimore & Annapolis Trail near Ritchie Highway.

A replacement of playground equipment at Broadneck Park was quick to move once work began late in August. The new pirate-themed playground opened in August.

Construction at the park began last month, starting with the demolition of the old playground. The playground was rebuilt with newer, safer equipment, following a fundraising movement led by a Broadneck mom.

Kara McGuirk-Allison's fundraising efforts through the Friends of Broadneck Park began late in 2011, after seeing playground equipment go unfixed.