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As someone who enjoys sports, recreation, and parks, I am looking forward to an upcoming meeting taking place Aug. 30 from 3:30-5 p.m. at the C. Burr Artz Public Library. There will be a public presentation on future sports facilities in Frederick County.
The presentation will be given by Victus Advisors, a Utah-based company that specializes in sports, recreation, and event facilities, which was contracted to conduct a feasibility study on potential year-round sports facilities for our community. It will share its initial report findings, which includes a market assessment and some recommendations.
Back in March, it was announced that an $80,000 grant was awarded from the Maryland Department of Commerce to fund a feasibility study for the “Maryland Sports and Education Campus at Hargett Farm,” which of course is now known as Frederick’s Westside Regional Park. The grant application was submitted to the state by Ed Hinde and his organization, Good Works Frederick Inc.
I am excited to hear the suggestions the firm will propose. I previously served on the Frederick County Parks and Recreation Commission when we undertook a similar study to determine potential park amenities and opportunities that included a water park, equestrian trials, and everything in between.
Some of the initial ideas being tossed around for Westside Regional Park include a variety of athletic facilities, such as swimming, track and field, and fields for soccer, field hockey, and lacrosse.
In fact, a master plan completed in 2015 identified the park as a good spot for an athletic facility that would serve local residents, as well as out-of-town competitors attending tournaments or other sporting events.
Other amenities could include basketball and volleyball courts, a strength and conditioning center, a sports medicine and rehab center, and perhaps a center on aging and health.
There is no doubt Frederick County needs some of these facilities.
I have heard for years about the need for an Olympic size indoor swimming pool in our area.
I work for a national adaptive sports organization and last month, we held a national competition that included swimming and six other sports. We utilized two amazing facilities during the weeklong event, including the Birmingham CrossPlex and the Finley Center.
The CrossPlex included 75,000 square feet of competition floor space for track and field, volleyball, gymnastics and more. It also included an Olympic-size natatorium, hospitality rooms, and full-service food and beverage capabilities.
The Finley Center was large enough to host sports tournaments, banquets, trade shows, and lots of other events. It also housed an elevated walking track, an open gym, a climbing center, and pickleball courts.
The only question I have is whether Westside Regional Park is the right location for such facilities.
The park is already home to Sophie and Madigan’s Playground, and is the future home of the National Park Service’s Historic Preservation Training Center, which is currently downtown.
There seems to be a hodgepodge of facilities and spaces, so I just want to make sure long-term strategic planning is involved in the decision-making process rather than piecemealing the park together.
In addition, if the desire is to hold large-scale tournaments or competitions that could draw tourism to our area, is this location the best fit?
Westside Regional Park is primarily in a residential setting. What impact could the increased traffic and parking challenges have on the neighborhood? Plus, there is not immediate access to overnight lodging for out-of-town guests.
Nevertheless, whatever is proposed, I hope the city looks to potential partnerships with organizations such as the YMCA, Boys & Girls Club, Asian American Center, FC Frederick, and other sports groups, or several others, so the burden doesn’t have to fall fully on the city and can be a win-win for everyone involved.
I look forward to hearing the results of the study and to see how the firm has looked at the current needs of our city.
What do we not have enough of? What do we not have at all?
What do current societal trends say will be needed in the future? How are we not addressing or supporting the growing and diverse needs of our residents?
Maybe we’ll find out in a couple of weeks.
Shuan Butcher is a nonprofit professional, freelance writer, event planner, and avid traveler. He writes from Frederick.
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Nice article about sports possibilities. Unfortunately, it reminds me how slow the city and county are to execute projects. Hargett Farm was purchased (I believe) in 2009, and 14 years later no capital plan for development is moving forward. The well-used public pool at Frederick High School was lost during construction of the new school, with no plan by city or county to replace it. I fear the exciting plans that Shaun mentions in his article are unlikely to be executed during my lifetime.
Or my grandchildren’s lifetime.
Since the city bought the Hargett farm, the County has built Utica Park which has a huge sports complex and stadium; Othello Park near Brunswick that also has a stadium though smaller than Utica, and has redone the Middletown Park and maybe more but this is all I can think of at the moment. The County actually does build parks. The City hasn’t by comparison completed a park or much else. It took them at least 20 years to figure out where to put a new police station. And the City doesn’t even seem to be involved with this particular proposal by Good Works so not clear how coordinated or not coordinated this effort is. If it is not being done in partnership with the City, then how does this move forward?
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