Friends of Historic Glasgow (Delaware)

Glasgow Regional Park welcomed (10/26/03)

News Journal editorial on LaGrange

Glasgow Regional Park welcomed
Groundbreaking will take place Monday

By MICHELE BESSO
Bear Bureau reporter
10/26/2003

New Castle County finally will break ground Monday on a nearly 300-acre regional park at the northeast corner of U.S. 40 and Del. 896.

The ceremony, originally planned for last month, was postponed because of Hurricane Isabel.

County officials, civic leaders and residents will participate in the groundbreaking ceremony at 1 p.m. at Glasgow Regional Park. Located in one of the fastest-growing areas of the state, the new park's master plan is based on input from a series of community meetings, the last of which was held back in June.

"We are really looking forward to it," said Susan Amadio, spokeswoman for the county Department of Special Services. "We are anxious to have residents participate in the ceremony. The community has been extremely active in participating in the master planning process."

The county hired the landscape architectural firm of Wallace, Roberts and Todd to develop the park plan.

The park will include interactive water features, family picnic area, adventure playground and play sculptures, amphitheater, trail system for hikers, walkers and joggers, a special-event camping area, sledding hill, community commons and multi-use open green space. Development of an area surrounding a group of historic farm buildings known as The Grange is reserved for a future phase of the park.

The park may open within a year to 18 months, Amadio said. Construction will be done in phases. Work already has started on the perimeter walking trail, to be completed in a few weeks. A parking area to accommodate the walking path is now complete.

The county is still in touch with the Barczewski family about possibly purchasing the Barczewski farm, an additional 235 acres near the park across Del . 896 and north of U.S. 40, Amadio said. There still remains a $10 million difference between the county's appraisal and the family's asking price. Council earmarked about $6 million in its capital budget to pay for the property.

"If the family changes their mind about their asking price, maybe it will be possible," Amadio said.

Reach Michele Besso at (302) 838-3187 or mbesso@delawareonline.com.

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Glasgow Regional Park welcomed