May 8, 2020
Media Contact:
Scott Peterson, Director of Communications, Office of Public Information, 202-277-9412
Raul Delerme, Director, Department of Recreation & Parks, 410-313-4689
ELLICOTT CITY, MD – Howard County Department of Recreation & Parks has canceled plans for July 4th fireworks, hosted annually at Lake Kittamaqundi in Columbia. The Department also canceled all weddings and other large gatherings at their facilities through June 14th. Each couple was contacted by the Department and was given the opportunity for a refund or to reschedule. By May 15, the County will evaluate if weddings may resume starting June 15. Additionally, the department canceled all programs, classes, events, and leagues through May 31. Amid continued mitigation measures, some programming has been made available online for Howard County residents to access.
“Our fireworks celebrations for Independence Day draw large crowds of residents and visitors and amid the continued spread of COVID-19 it is not in the best interest of our community to host these celebrations,” said County Executive Calvin Ball. “It is imperative we take these precautions to avoid a potential outbreak of COVID-19 and keep our residents safe in Howard County.”
In March, Howard County announced Wine In The Woods was canceled, which was scheduled for May 16-17, 2020, and ticket holders received a full refund.
“Without a definitive timeline on when each stage of the state’s recovery plan will be executed, we cannot safely hold an event that draws 20,000-30,000 people in a crowded area,” commented Raul Delerme, Director of Recreation & Parks.
Recreation & Parks plans to begin offering online programming for new and currently enrolled participants. The first online courses will be those easiest to transfer to an online format. This includes, but it not limited to, courses in cooking, fitness, and lectures. Online programs will be posted as they come available here. The Department plans to continue online programming after stay-at-home and other mitigation measures are lifted, advancing equity for residents who may not have had access previously due to lack of transportation, childcare, or were home-bound.
Following guidance from the State of Maryland, some parks restrictions were eased this week. Beginning next week, the county will reopen handball courts. Additionally, the Worthington Dog Park will re-open on Wednesday, May 13th for members that are pre-registered. Members can pre-register beginning Monday at 8:00 a.m. To register for a 45-minute slot, dog owners can visit activenet or call 410-313-7275 (Monday-Friday, 8am-4:30pm). Upon arrival, members must show the attendant a print or digital copy of their confirmation receipt. There will be five available slots for the small dog park and eight available slots for the large dog park each hour. Each handler may sign up a maximum of two dogs per slot.