Ongoing Park Projects

Hallowing Point Park

The Hallowing Point Park Master Plan final draft will soon be available! Hallowing Point Park is one of the oldest and most used parks in Calvert County. The 1998 Master Plan helped steer park development over the last two decades, but it is outdated. The 2024 Master Plan will assess current and future needs of the community, establish a long-range vision for the park, help prioritize and budget for development, and build support for these ideas. The plan will serve as the guiding light for the future of Hallowing Point Park and enable CCPR to keep pace with and support the growth of Calvert County.

The new pickleball facility at Hallowing Point Park is open! Completed in summer of 2024, eight new dedicated pickleball courts are ready for play. This will meet our community’s growing demand for additional courts for the fastest-growing sport in America.

Have you ever heard of petanque? This bocce-like game is very popular in French-speaking countries and we just completed a new court at Hallowing PoinPlayers throw boules on a petanque courtt Park! The game is played by individuals or in teams and the goal is to toss metal balls (boules) as close as possible to a small wooden target ball (the jack or cochonnet). Points are awarded based on how close your boules are to the jack and the first team to reach 13 points wins! Perfect for a sunny day in the park, pétanque is easy to learn and great for all ages. Grab some friends and give it a try!

In addition, we've recently retrofitted to energy-efficient LEDs lights around Field 4 and the existing tennis courts, installed better signage around the fields, and pavement in the back of the park. We're also renovating the bathrooms in the back of the park near the football and soccer fields for year-round use!

Ward Farm Recreation Area

Athletic fields and flowersImprovements continue at Ward Farm Recreation and Nature Park. Four premium dugouts were completed around the baseball/softball fields in August 2024 and are ready for fall leagues! The 8’H x 10’D x 30’L structures will provide comfort, safety, and equipment storage, and are designed to be accessible to players of all ages and abilities.

A new 10-hole disc golf course is open! This course begins at the edge of the parking lot near Field 3, and quickly moves into the forest. Most of the course winds through the woods around the Blue and Red trails with a challenging final hole near Muskrat Pond. This is one of the few wooded public courses in Southern Maryland, so we hope to see you there!

We invite you to view the Ward Farm Master Plan park development layout map, completed in 2015, for a glimpse at what's to come! 

Dunkirk District Park

Construction continues on the new tennis and pickleball facility located in the back of the park. Coming in late-2024, players can look forward to three exclusive tennis courts, four exclusive pickleball courts, two dual-lines courts, and a climate-controlled restroom facility that will allow year-round use. Lighting for night play and additional parking will be added, as well. See below for the new tennis facility site plan.
Site Plan from SPR-2020-315, Dunkirk D.P. Tennis Courts, DSDP Drawings

Three baseball/softball fields were upgraded using a premium DuraEdge infield mix in February 2024. All the soil and surrounding sod was first removed, then new, high-quality soil and grass was added back in its place. This will improve drainage and playability and allow our fields to reopen sooner after big rainstorms. We hope to add these upgrades to parks across Calvert County over the next few years!

A worker upgrades and levels a baseball field with new infield mix

Chesapeake Hills Golf Course

The Chesapeake Hills Golf Course Clubhouse opened to the public in spring 2024! The new state of the art 8,150 square foot facility features:

  • Pro Shop
  • Full-Service Bar & Grille
  • Banquet Facility
  • Catering Kitchen
  • Bride & Groom Rooms
  • Conference Room
  • Terrace

Email reservations.CHGC@calvertcountymd.gov to inquire about booking events at the new clubhouse!

The front of the Chesapeake Hills Golf Clubhouse with a flowering tree

The interior of the Chesapeake Hills Golf Clubhouse great room



Broomes Island

A new playground was installed at Broomes Island Park in November of 2023. It replaces the outdated play equipment and goes beyond ADA requirements to allow children with different mobility, neurological, and intellectual needs to play freely. The inclusive playground features new swings, a spiral slide, two glide slides, a ribbon climber, a rock climber, a beanstalk climber, and several tactile inserts. In addition, several new benches flank the play area.

Broomes Island playground and community center Broomes Island Playground and sign


Cove Point Park

Basketball court mural, swimming pool complex, forest, and Chesapeake Bay

The Cove Point Park basketball courts recently got a complete makeover, with new hoops, lines, and a large public art mural painted on the surface. The nearby Calvert Cliffs provided artist Donald Ely with inspiration for the mural, which was a collaborative effort between the Calvert County Department of Parks & Recreation, MD Department of Natural Resources – Program Open Space, and the Arts Council of Calvert County. The mural was applied by Mid-Atlantic Asphalt and drone footage was captured by Ray Mahar.  

Brand new energy efficient, LED field lights were installed around Fields 3 and 4 at Cove Point Park in spring 2024. This state-of-the-art system has a long lifespan, is cost-effective to operate, and is designed to minimize light pollution to reduce spillover glare to nearby residents and wildlife. This system is also operable using a Control Link system that enables park staff to remotely control and schedule lighting on the fields. Now, every athletic field at Cove Point Park is available for play after dark!

Sign for Battle Creek Cypress Swap Sanctuary

Building

The basement fire in November 2022 required the complete gutting of both levels of the building. The renovation will support current and future needs of visitor services and office spaces. In addition, the facility will be upgraded to meet current ADA guidelines.

The building houses interpretive exhibits, classrooms, public bathrooms, and live animal displays. The building serves as the main office space for 6 full-time employees, in addition to 4-6 seasonal employees. The area also houses: animal care and quarantine space; program preparation and supply storage; janitorial storage; and mechanical room. The renovations also include replacement of two level deck to meet ADA guidelines.

Throughout the fall of 2024, work will be ongoing to complete the renovation. Anticipated completion date anticipated in spring 2025.

Funding includes insurance reimbursement, Recreation Excise Tax and General Funds.

Exhibits

Natural history and cultural exhibits educate visitors and reinforce classroom lessons and CHESPAX experiences. The interior exhibits were damaged by the November 2022 fire and require replacement.

The new interior Ambassador Animal exhibits will feature larger aquariums for the Albino Snapping and the pond turtles. New wall graphics will highlight the bald cypress swamp and meadows of the sanctuary. Other exhibits will highlight the volunteer communities science projects, spotlight animals and plants of the sanctuary, and other interesting subjects.

In future phases, we will develop additional exhibits highlighting the full history of the bald cypress swamp, from when mastodons roamed the land, to the role of the Piscataway nation in the past and present, colonial history and modern land uses.

Funding includes insurance reimbursement, Program Open Space Grants, Recreation Excise Tax and General Funds.

Stormwater Management Improvements

The BCCSS has been experiencing runoff issues that pose a threat to both the swamp and surrounding structures. Some of the primary concerns include pooling water near the electrical and communications box and The swale along the parking lot are not adequate to handle the sheet flow across the parking area towards the septic system and leach field. The drainage pipe under the parking areas has collapsed.

Several practical measures are being implemented to address the runoff issues at BCCS. First, improving the existing swale to enhance infiltration of runoff before it reaches a outfall structure. Installation of curbing along the parking lot to help divert water flow away from the communication and electrical boxes, directing it into the trench and outfall structure.

Funding includes Federal ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act of 2021) grants.