Taneytown Parks board seeks volunteers for spring events, outlines park improvements and plans memorial bench

The Taneytown Parks and Recreation Advisory Board used its April 16 meeting to recruit volunteers for several spring events, review park maintenance projects across the system and discuss a memorial bench and plaque for the late council liaison Daryl.

Staff asked volunteers to help hide eggs and shepherd children for the Easter egg hunt scheduled for "this Saturday" (as announced in the meeting), and requested volunteers for an Earth Day cleanup planned for the 26th (as stated in the meeting). The board also sought volunteers and community-service participants for the Fishing Derby on May 10; registration was described as opening at 8 a.m., with fishing at 8:30 a.m. and the event concluding at noon. The Spring Community Flea Market is scheduled for May 17 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.; staff reported 30 vendors signed up so far and set a vendor deadline of May 1. The wine festival team reported 28 craft vendors, four food vendors, three breweries, three distilleries and eight wine/mead/cider vendors committed so far, and a vendor deadline of May 16.

Board and staff updates listed ongoing park improvements: installation of a curved fence at Memorial Park, memorial bench installations at Roberts Mill and Bollinger parks, tin ceilings being installed at Memorial Park pavilions, replacement of old practice-field lights with LEDs, neo surfacing to be poured (weather permitting), seed plantings for Bollinger Park's pollinator meadow, plans to realign the Roberts Mill basketball court, upgrades to the pump track at THS Park, replacement of older two-post aluminum benches with slatted black metal benches, a paved path connecting the pond pathway at Roberts Mill to the dog park entrance, and improvements to the dog-park holding corral.

Board members proposed placing a memorial bench with a plaque for Daryl; council liaison Judy confirmed the mayor approved honoring him at the Memorial Day ceremony and staff said they had requested a citation from state delegates to present to Daryl's family at the ceremony.

Several members noted lessons from the Maryland Recreation and Park Association conference, including turf choices for playing fields; staff said bermudagrass can be mowed shorter than the fescue currently used and may be better suited to some play surfaces after establishment.

Staff invited residents who are interested in volunteering to contact Parks and Recreation for assignments and shift coverage.