Howard County Executive Calvin Ball Opens Three New Turf Baseball Diamonds at Centennial Park West, Named in Honor of County Employee A. Rau...

With the completion of three baseball fields, Recreation & Parks is continuing with its improvement project at Centennial Park – West, with the conversion of two grass multipurpose fields into one large, grass multipurpose field with lights. The transformation of this multipurpose field will create a premier venue capable of accommodating a wide range of sports and community activities. Additionally, the restroom facilities adjacent to the ballfields will be updated, which includes the addition of a family restroom equipped with an adult changing station. Centennial Park will now join the department’s Blandair Regional Park in Columbia, Troy Park at Elkridge, and Western Regional Park in Woodbine which also feature adult changing tables.

These park improvements to Centennial Park – West were made possible thanks to a strong partnership with state representatives. Together, state and local investments in Centennial Park total more than $10 million during the past four years.

“The kids who get to play here will learn how to be a part of something that is bigger than themselves, how to work hard for something, how to win with grace and lose with dignity, how to get back up again after they stumble, how to strike out but not give up. Those are lessons that carry far beyond these beautiful new fields,” said Dan Hedgecock, Coach, Columbia Baseball League.

In addition to these park upgrades, Recreation & Parks has also completed a series of other projects across Centennial Park since Ball took office in December 2018, to beautify, enhance, and make the park more accessible to all visitors, including:

• Installed lighting on the basketball courts in the west area;
• Replaced two bridges and sections of pathway for smoother walks, runs, and bike rides;
• Opened an inclusive playground, added a sensory-friendly trail loop that includes musical features, sensory panels and play equipment, renovated the tennis courts, and constructed an age-friendly fitness lot featuring 10 pieces of cardio and strength training equipment in the north area; and
• Widened the pathways, added a new accessible parking lot, finished restroom renovations, and added an accessible kayak launch in the parks south area.

About Centennial Park:

Centennial Park was established in 1987 with a vision to create an environment where anyone and everyone could visit to play, hike, boat and come together as a community. At nearly 340 acres, visitors to Centennial Park can enjoy walking, running or biking on a 2.6-mile paved pathway, boating or fishing on a 54-acre man-made lake, and playing recreational volleyball, basketball, tennis, racquetball and baseball/softball in designated areas throughout the park.

For more information on Centennial Park, visit Recreation & Parks’ “Parks, Playgrounds & Trails” webpage.