Carroll County commissioners approve upgrades to Sykesville’s Freedom Park

Freedom Park in Sykesville will be getting $117,788 worth of upgrades intended to improve the experience for families who frequent the popular sports complex.

The Board of Carroll County Commissioners on Thursday unanimously approved $34,719 for the paving of an existing gravel parking lot that can hold 32 vehicles and $83,069 for a new steel pavilion.

The money for both projects comes from the state’s Local Park and Playground Infrastructure funding.

Looking south, the paved parking lot and wooden pavilion at the southeast end of Freedom Park in Sykesville. County commissioners this week approved $34,700 for paving a 32-car parking lot (currently gravel) to serve as a trailhead for the future connection to the Patapsco Valley Greenway. And also $83,000 to replace an old wooden pavilion with a steel pavilion. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Carroll County Times)

“This parking lot is located at the very rear of Freedom Park,” Jeff Degitz, director of the county’s Department of Recreation and Parks, said. “It needs to be resurfaced, and it will provide accessible access to the new (steel) pavilion that will be constructed there.

“Also, you probably heard of the Patapsco Valley Regional Greenway. This is a trail system that would actually connect from the Town of Sykesville through Freedom Park all the way through Patapsco Valley State Park. This parking lot will serve as a launching point for that trail.”

The parking lot also serves three athletic fields.

“In that area there is a lot of activity,” Commissioners’ President Ed Rothstein said. “We use every field possible.”

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Stambaugh’s Inc. of Union Bridge is the contractor handling the paving. The company GameTime was awarded the contract to build the steel pavilion.

A wooden pavilion at the southeast end of Freedom Park near the gravel parking lot. The county commissioners approved $83,000 to replace the wooden pavilion with a steel pavilion. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Carroll County Times)

“This is to replace the existing rear (wooden) pavilion at Freedom Park,” Degitz said. “It has outlived its useful life. It is in need of replacement. The condition is not great. We are going to move the location of it to give it a little more separation from the walking trail. Right now that rear pavilion literally sits directly adjacent to the trail.

“It doesn’t make for the best picnic experience. They will have a little bit of separation there. Also, to have a paved lot, and have it accessible, we’ll have access directly to that pavilion.”

Degitz said he believes the original wooden pavilion was constructed in 1995.

“So, we have exceeded that life span,” he said.

Degitz said the state assumes the steel pavilion will be usable for a minimum of 20 years.

There was no timeline presented as when the work will begin on both projects.