Upper Maralboro, MD

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ray Feldmann
Town of Upper Marlboro
ray@fcstrategies.com

410-507-7714 (mobile)

TOWN OF UPPER MARLBORO REAPS FISCAL BENEFITS

UPPER MARLBORO, MD (Wednesday, April 27, 2022) – The Town of Upper Marlboro was among the top beneficiaries of the recently completed Maryland General Assembly session, Mayor Sarah Franklin said today. Thanks to the efforts of several members of the Prince George’s County delegation, the Town was successful in securing $275,000 in the capital budget, as well as another $192,000 in the operating budget, for the Upper Marlboro Community Playground and Splash Pad project.

Franklin said the $275,000 was included in the capital budget as a Legislative Bond Initiative that was sponsored by Senator Ronald L. Watson (District 23) and supported by Delegates Marvin E. Holmes, Jr. (District 23B) and Delegate Cheryl Summers Landis (also District 23B).

Additionally, the $192,000 included in the operating budget was part of the $5,000,000 Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) Community Parks & Playgrounds Program. Upper Marlboro was one of only 39 projects statewide that received funding this year.

“We are extremely grateful to Senator Watson for working so hard to secure this funding for the Town of Upper Marlboro,”  said Mayor Franklin, who met personally with Senator Watson in Annapolis during the legislative session to discuss the need for the additional resources.  “The community playground and splash pad is an exciting project for Upper Marlboro. It will be a place that builds and benefits our community for decades to come.”

Senator Watson was among the elected officials who attended a groundbreaking ceremony for the playground and splash pad project last October 30.

“I was proud to personally participate in the groundbreaking for this exciting project last October,” Senator Watson said. “We worked hard during the 90-day legislative session to make sure the funding for this community playground stayed in the final Fiscal Year 2023 budget. I promised Mayor Franklin when I met with her during the session that I will come back for the ribbon-cutting ceremony when the project is complete and ready to open. That’s going to be an exciting day for the town, and I’m definitely looking forward to cutting that ribbon!”

Phase one of the playground (for ages 5-12) has been completed, with plans for a “soft opening” later this spring. Construction on Phase two (for ages 2-5) and Phase three (splash pad) will be completed this summer. The train-themed playground is being built on a vacant lot adjacent to the Town Hall that was previously the site of the Marlboro station of the Chesapeake Beach Railroad, which ran from DC to the Chesapeake Beach and resort in Calvert County. This new playground and splash pad will be accessible from the Marlboro Boys & Girls athletic fields off School Lane.

DNR’s Community Parks & Playgrounds Program invests in the future of established communities by developing and revitalizing parks and playgrounds statewide. With the support of the governor and Maryland General Assembly, a total of $79.9 million has been approved so far for 793 parks and playground projects for communities across Maryland since the program’s inception.

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