County Settles on Former Bittersweet Golf Course Property

ELKTON, MD. -- County Executive Alan McCarthy, accompanied by Director of Administration Al Wein, signed the settlement agreement to take possession of the former Bittersweet Golf Course, located on Route 213 south of Elkton, this afternoon. The property was acquired through Maryland's Program Open Space, which allocated $933,000 to Cecil County to take ownership and develop the land into a recreational park. The property was previously owned by Ted Mercer and his partner, John Giordano, who is co-owner of Schaefer's Canal House in North Chesapeake City.

"We are very grateful and pleased to able to settle on this property through Program Open Space funding," said County Executive Alan McCarthy. "The park will provide leisure and recreational activities for Cecil County residents and visitors. I am confident that our staff will maintain it and it will be a wonderful amenity for the community."

In the coming months, the Cecil County Department of Parks and Recreation will work to prepare a portion of the 121 acre property as a walking park and eventually other amenities, subsequent to the receipt of input from the public.

"My staff and I are working on a project maintenance plan which will be ready by the end of the month," stated Clyde Van Dyke, Director of Parks and Recreation. "We're excited that the settlement process is now completed so we can get to work on developing the park for folks to enjoy."

Program Open Space funds are collected by the State of Maryland through a property transfer tax received on the sale of each house or parcel of land. The program was designed to tie development to available funding for open space and recreational facilities for the benefit of the public and has resulted in more than 334,000 acres for state parks and natural resource areas and more than 46,000 acres for local parks.

###

Photo:
L. to r., Attorney Dwight E. Thomey, former property owners John Giordano and Ted Mercer, County Executive Alan McCarthy and Director of Administration Al Wein settled on the former Bittersweet Golf Course property today.

For more information, contact:

Jennifer Lyall
Public Information Officer
410-996-8454
jlyall@ccgov.org