Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski and officials of the county’s Department of Recreation and Parks joined community leaders and state and local elected officials on Wednesday afternoon, Oct. 18, for a groundbreaking ceremony for Meadow Creek Park.
The $1.45 million, four-acre park, located at 300 Church Lane in the heart of Pikesville, is expected to be completed by the summer of 2024.
“The residents of Pikesville Township worked very hard to bring a pocket park to their neighborhood, and we support and applaud their efforts,” said Beth Rheingold, president of the Greater Baltimore Chamber of Commerce. “It’s this kind of grassroots commitment to conservation and community that can make all the difference in Pikesville. When people come together, great things happen.”
The park will include a network of natural trails and accessible surface paths; a nature-inspired playground; a stepping stone stream crossing; a communal plaza area with seating; shade structures; and accessible parking lot.
The eco-friendly design will also include vegetative buffers that serve as a protective layer for Church Meadow Creek.
“Community parks are neighborhood anchors, and we are committed to expanding green spaces, tree canopy and recreational opportunities for residents throughout Baltimore County,” said Olszewski. “The new Meadow Creek Park will feature beautiful walking paths, gathering spaces and a state-of-the-art playground to ensure that it becomes a destination location in Pikesville for years to come.”
The site was purchased for $432,000 with Project Open Space funding and is the latest effort under the Olszewski administration to expand park and recreation opportunities throughout the County.
Besides Olszewski, speakers at the ceremony included Baltimore County Councilman Izzy Patoka (D-2nd) and Bob Smith, director of the Department of Recreation and Parks.
“It is so exciting to join the community in creating this beautiful park as a continuation of our efforts to provide additional open space in Baltimore County,” said Patoka. “Many community members have participated in the design of Meadow Creek Park so that it is fitting, and it creates a sense of place for the Pikesville Township community. This four-acre park will help address the long-recognized shortage of green space in Pikesville.”
Meadow Creek Park was designed with input from the Pikesville community to ensure that open, communal green space and the preservation of the community’s natural waterway would be top priorities. The creek was officially designated as “Church Meadow Creek” in December of 2021 following a “Name Our Stream” contest sponsored by the county’s Department of Environmental Protection and Sustainability and the U.S. Geological Survey.
“At the Department of Recreation and Parks, our mission extends beyond offering access to large, programmed facilities; we are also dedicated to establishing quality, passive community parks,” said Smith. “Meadow Creek Park represents our commitment to providing vital community spaces, and we’re excited to launch this new pocket park in the heart of Pikesville.”
Meadow Creek Park joins the list of parks and greenways located along stream valleys in the western and northwestern parts of Baltimore County, adjacent to such rivers and streams as the Gwynns Falls, Patapsco River, Dead Run, Dogwood Run, Bens Run, Red Run, and more. Such parks not only provide recreational benefits but help alleviate flooding.
For information about the Meadow Creek Park project, contact the Department of Recreation and Parks baltimorecountymd.gov/departments/recreation/.
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