Council considers accepting Hebron Lions Club park donation; planning linked to West Metro/Conley Mill debate

Wicomico County staff presented a proposed donation of roughly 4 to 5 acres from the Hebron Lions Club for recreational use and asked the council for direction on whether to accept the land.

Steve Miller, director of Recreation, Parks and Tourism, said the Lions Club park on West Church Street in Hebron has long served the community but needs renovations. The club’s president offered the park to the county in May, conditioned on county planning that includes Lions Club representation and a dedicated space to honor the club’s legacy.

Why it matters: The offer intersects an earlier, long-running debate about other county park properties — notably the West Metro Core site (Levin DeShield Road) and Conley Mill. The county previously purchased West Metro as part of a planned park project; some residents opposed development there. Council members and residents said they would rather see Hebron’s existing park revitalized than build a new large park close by.

What staff described: Miller said the land offered consists of the active park area (about 4.5 acres); the Lions’ adjacent event center and parking would remain privately owned by the club. Miller said renovating the Hebron park would likely cost far less than building a new park on a blank site and could incorporate features the community previously requested (for example, lighted fields) if the council directed staff to pursue that path. He said county staff could pursue a land-conversion request to move the program-open-space designation from West Metro to Conley Mill if the council desired.

Council discussion and public comment: Council members asked for an estimate of renovation and ongoing maintenance costs and for an analysis of potential parking needs and whether adjacent parcels could be acquired. Residents and the Lions Club leaders in the chamber urged the council to accept the donation and prioritize a fiscally responsible solution that preserves neighborhood character. Multiple speakers urged protecting Connolly (Conley) Mill’s natural features and said moving the program-open-space designation to Conley Mill was consistent with prior planning.

Next steps: Director Miller said staff will prepare a resolution and a fiscal estimate and return to council. The council asked to see the park’s revenue/lease history for comparable West Metro funds and requested a work session to discuss the land-conversion option and the fiscal impacts before final action.