Development is finally under way on parts of a highly anticipated park in Columbia, but court battles and funding struggles over the years have slowed the process.
It may take until 2010 to complete the development and restoration of the 300-acre Blandair property, said Gary Arthur, director of the county?s Department of Recreation and Parks. The land, near the intersection of Routes 29 and 175, will become a county park, complete with a mansion for events, a nature center, playground and athletic fields.
The land is the only regional park on the east of Columbia, and the first regional park retrofitted into an urban area, said Bridget Mugane, president of the Howard County Citizens Association.
“It also represents a non-development of further housing, which provides some relief in this densely populated area,” she said.
The county bought the land in 1998, but became tangled in court when The Blandair Foundation, chaired by Byron Hall, challenged the ownership. Although the foundation lost the court case, Hall said he is “not really opposed” to the plans for the space.
A 23-member committee then crafted a plan that was vetted in public meetings a few years ago. In 2004, officials secured two bonds from the state delegation, which were matched with county funds to total $1.6 million. This money is being used to renovate the historic Blandair Mansion, which will be used for business meetings, weddings and tours.
“We?ve been pretty active on the historic renovations, but we haven?t been able to further the master plan, because those years the [Maryland] Open Space program was cut by 50 percent,” Arthur said.
