By Greg Ellison

Staff Writer

(Jan. 23, 2020) Following a brief period of inactivity, the recently reconstituted OPA Recreation and Parks Committee convened earlier this month with discussions covering both procedural matters and future projects.

Board liaison Larry Perrone said the committee membership count blossomed over the past month.

“We actually have four new people apply to be on the committee, plus we had approved two more prior to the meeting,” he said.

Perrone said Steve Cohen volunteered as chairman during the group’s Jan. 9 meeting, which also covered points regarding OPA resolutions and advisory committee responsibilities.

“We talked a little bit about the funding process for projects that the committee may want to get done,” he said.

Incoming chairman Cohen said the mostly new membership was brought up to speed about the advisory nature of the group and board approval processes.

“This was a resurrection of the committee,” he said.

Cohen said Perrone discussed the level of research advisory committees are expected to complete before forwarding projects to the board for its consideration.

“Larry mentioned that under the new board … you have to come up with a business plan,” he said. “This is what I want to do, this is how much it’s going to cost and where we’d get the money.”

Perrone also presented a list of earlier goals and objectives, including pending matters.

“We gave them an update on the tentative current budget and what items would be included for parks and recs,” he said.

Perrone said the list includes replacing 1980s-era playground equipment at both Robin Hood and Bainbridge parks.

Perrone also discussed a previous project concept the committee wants to advance.

“We’re going to start looking at possibly establishing a park playground area for handicapped and disabled individuals,” he said. “That’s going to be one of the major things that we’re looking at as we progress.”

The concept was also on a list of initial priorities compiled by Cohen, who has been a longtime volunteer and board member for the Worcester County Developmental Center in Newark.

“My wife and I have been in the field working with intellectually challenged handicapped people for years,” he said. “I was kind of surprised there was no handicapped accessible equipment in Ocean Pines.”

Cohen, who is the 2019-2020 president elect for the Kiwanis Club of Greater Ocean Pines/Ocean City, is hoping to form partnerships with area businesses and organizations to advance the playground development.

“I’m going to be the president of the Kiwanis of Ocean Pines and … they have a foundation that donates money to build programs,” he said.

The consensus building is not unfamiliar to Cohen, who was instrumental in forming WCDC’s Aktion Club in conjunction with the Kiwanis in 2017.

Intended for adults with developmental disabilities, the Aktion Club provides members the opportunity to perform service projects to enrich and beautify the community.

While the playground discussions are yet in the formative stages, the committee appeared amiable, Perrone said.

“With the community growing as it is it’s probably time to look at something like that, even though as we re do all of the playgrounds they are all ADA compliant,” he said.

To prepare for February’s committee meeting, Cohen asked members to bring forward project proposals for future consideration and also suggested the group tour OPA park facilities and review recreational activity offerings.

“So we all know what we have and what we need,” he said.