Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski today announced that the Baltimore Ravens have committed $500,000 to help build a new destination playground at Northwest Regional Park in Owings Mills.
The new playground will feature a wheelchair accessible rubberized surface, as well as features for children of all ages, including a timed 40-yard dash.
"Access to high-quality recreational facilities contributes significantly to the overall quality of life in a community. This new playground will provide our children with a state of the art play space," Olszewski said. "I am incredibly grateful to the Ravens organization for their generosity in supporting this project and the children of Baltimore County."
"The Ravens are proud to support this project, because we believe in creating safe environments for children that not only provide fun experiences, but also keep them active," team president Dick Cass stated. "As we strive to be a positive force in our community, we appreciate the commitment demonstrated by County Executive Olszewski, as we work together to expand meaningful opportunities for children in our region."
The 322.7 acre Northwest Regional Park has the unique distinction of being home to 1 Winning Drive, the training facility and headquarters of the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens have been a generous partner of Baltimore County and its Department of Recreation and Parks over the decades, hosting youth groups during training camps, providing a training clinic at Meadowood Regional Park in 2017, regularly contributing to "Holiday Helper" events for PAL Recreation Center participants, and contributing towards the cost of the synthetic turf field at Towson High School Recreation Center, a facility that supports both scholastic and recreation programs.
"The Baltimore Ravens have been a generous partner and have once again shown their commitment to make Baltimore County a great place to live," said House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones. "I would like to thank the Ravens organization for their donation. Families and especially children in Baltimore County will now have another safe place to play and enjoy the outdoors."
"I am really excited about the playground partnership with the Ravens. This destination playground will provide years of entertainment, fun, and physical fitness to scores of children," said County Council Chairman Julian Jones. "This is just another example of why our Ravens are champions on and off the field."
The County is dedicating an additional $350,000 for the playground project. The gift from the Ravens organization exceeds the 50 percent match required for Program Open Space projects. The County has contracted with PlayPower Inc., to construct the playground. Construction is expected to begin this summer, and completed by the end of 2021.
The new playground, which will be approximately .8 acres, will not replace the existing playground at the park. Instead, it will be located south of park's turf fields, near the Lyons Mill Road entrance. The existing playground at the park is approximately a tenth of an acre and is nearly 20 years old.
Acceptance of the donation from the Ravens organization is subject to approval by the County Council.
