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Last March, ShoreRivers submitted a grant to the Chesapeake Bay Trust to seek funding for concept-level designs for two community parks that when implemented, will control storm water, enhance community enjoyment, encourage habitat and biodiversity and reduce runoff in the Chester River and Bay. The effort would fuse community needs and environmental benefits, according to the press release from ShoreRivers.

Over the summer, that grant was approved.

In November, Parks and Recreation members held a community visioning session, welcoming Chester RiverKeeper, Annie Richards and coworkers Katie Drummond, landscape architect and Community Restoration Coordinator Jennifer Klug Vaccaro.

Using technology and surveys, they engaged in a series of activities to draw input from residents pertaining to both Civic Center Park and the ball park.

Going through the presentation slides, Klug Vaccaro emphasized that although the grant is to focus on environmental factors, storm run-off and native species, it is also to create something pleasing for the public.

Klug Vaccaro asked for input as to how many people in the community, drive as oppose to walking, what entrances are they more likely to use in the parks, what activities would they like to do there, and several other questions to gauge the level of activities at the parks, their impressions of the parks, and what they would like to see in the future.

Dog walking, shade trees, bocce ball and playground use were all popular answers from the community.

Residents were afforded ample time to ask ShoreRivers questions, before the recreation commission commenced with other business.

Drummond noted they will engage a smaller steering committee which will be a representative of the town to provide feedback to help them narrow down what they will present in June at a similar meeting.

For those not at the meeting, ShoreRivers left papers at the Rock Hall office to pick up, and is sharing the QR code to take the survey.

“You all have been good sports, this is great data for us, thank you,� Richards said to attendees, for providing ShoreRivers’ design team the initial building blocks for these public spaces.

“Nicely done, that was a great interactive presentation,� Mayor James Cook added.

Their press release summed up ShoreRivers mission going forward: “Throughout the course of 2025, ShoreRivers will look to design effective green stormwater practices to help alleviate nuisance flooding and bolster local resilience to climate impacts, while also providing essential and threatened habitat for migratory songbirds and native pollinator species.�

“In addition to identifying stormwater projects and opportunities, ShoreRivers plans to incorporate passive and active recreational features into the park based on public feedback, and ultimately produce designs that authentically reflect the community’s needs and desires.�