Project Open Space is a grant program that encourages municipalities to acquire and update undeveloped spaces for use as parks, playgrounds and recreation centers. Currently, council plans to use grant money to repair a small playground at 2 Research Road, improve some of the concrete at the Aquatic & Fitness Center, install a splash park and perform maintenance work on Buddy Attick Park. Just under $500,000 is being set aside for buying land to create more public spaces. At the Monday, June 17 council meeting, Councilmember Rodney Roberts criticized his fellow councilmembers for not including any plans for Greenbelt West in its proposal for using grant money for Project Open Space.
Councilmember Colin Byrd noted and Councilmember Judith Davis echoed that money in that fund could theoretically still be used to buy land in the Franklin Park Apartment neighborhood to build playgrounds and parks, although no plans are currently set in place for that. But Roberts raised his concern that the city has spent millions in the past five years for various construction projects in the center of Greenbelt, but little if any money on acquisition, especially in Franklin Park.
Roberts found it concerning that council has stressed for a long time the need to acquire more recreational land in Franklin Park, but seemingly has no interest in doing that with a grant specifically for buying land from private owners.
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