The New Castle County government plans to spend $7.7 million towards upgrades and additions to Glasgow Park that officials says will restore some historic buildings and enhance public use of the park.
New Castle County Executive Tom Gordon (D) says the improvements have been planned since the park was built in the nineties. The 20 historic buildings, which include barns and sheds that once belonged to a famous farm, the Hermitage, are now in declining condition. A third of them will likely be renovated.
“As a government, you’re not supposed to allow them to be neglected and so we should have years ago began to fix them up and repair the roofs," said Gordon. "But we didn’t do that and many of them are unrepairable, should have been repaired, the ones that are, we are going to put roofs and sides on them and decide what use we can make of them.”
County officials are now brainstorming on the potential use the old farm structures, but are looking into using them an extension of the farmer’s market, among other ideas. They are also considering a pettng zoo.
Glasgow Park currently has a skate park, almost 3 miles in walking trails and a $123,000 dog park that was added last year also includes a dog park that was built last year, along with walking and biking trails.
New Castle County Executive Tom Gordon says the surrounding population of 120,000 has little access to parks and treat Glasgow Park as an oasis.
“If you go down there any given day, that park is crowded. When it snows, people will be sledding. Right now, there’s hundreds of people walking. During the summer they’re using the pavilion," said Gordon. "With that kind of population with hardly any parks, whatever we do there, I can guarantee you it will be crowded by the day you finish it.”
Construction on the historic buildings has already started, and Gordon says they expect to have the projects completed in two years.