MIDDLE RIVER, Md. — There is forward progress in talks between Baltimore County and its sports community, according to county recreation leaders, as they work with stakeholders to review a controversial plan to change county sports.
The 'Reimagine Recreation and Parks' plan, which is not yet final, sparked concern earlier this year. Parents, coaches, and rec councils have been worried they could pay more for sports and potentially lose access to local fields their taxes pay for; they worried their towns would be on the losing end of the field permitting process for out-of-town programs in a reshaped permitting process.
Adult sports players, like Jeffrey Aull, a softball league member from Perry Hall, are worried, too.
"From what I've heard, I don't like it, because adult sports are very low on the totem pole," Aull noted.
Aull and other county residents attended a Baltimore County Recreation and Parks open house on Wednesday night in Middle River. Youth and adult sports, which could see a host of changes, were on the minds of many in attendance.
Bob Smith, the county's Recreation and Parks Director, is working with local rec councils to amend the plan.
"A lot of it is going to be status quo to where we are, which is a comfort point for the user groups, and we got there by having these meetings and talks to hear from them," Smith told reporters Wednesday night.
Smith told WMAR that travel, club, and adult sports fees are still in the works, but not for rec sports.
READ MORE: Concerns about changes to Baltimore County's rec sports programs
"Last night we had a good meeting," Smith continued, "where I think we have a lot of good collaboration and good agreement on how we can move forward with priority of access, which was a big issue for a lot of the councils, that they're going to remain the same priority of access they've always had. So, local programming first."
The Recreation and Parks Board is chaired by Corey Johns, in an advisory role to the actual department.
"Yesterday there was a meeting of the stakeholders, and everybody left really happy," Johns told WMAR Wednesday.
Johns said the negotiations resulted in improved definitions between rec, travel, and club sports, leaving rec councils satisfied.
"This is not going to be a set-it-and-forget-it thing," Johns added. "We are always going to work with rec councils and our stakeholders and volunteers and rec users."
The final plan is expected by July 1st.
