*Part of the plans for remodeling the property at 307 G Street.*

In the November monthly Mayor and Town Council meeting, a group of citizens presented architectural plans (SEE BELOW) to repurpose the small white house and pump house that accompany the new splash pad in Leo Martin Memorial Park. The citizen group is made up of Carolyn Henderson, Mike Hood, Carter Wagoner, Mark Stutzman, and MLPHA President, Karen Wooddell. Collectively, the panel of five offered solutions to add public restrooms to the existing pump house and refurbish the home at 307 G Street to provide a public space with indoor-outdoor uses.

The town purchased the piece of real estate from Community Action last year. The private residence was occupied for several decades and well-maintained by its occupant. With it becoming a potential asset to the town and a parcel sandwiched between other town properties, it made sense to assume ownership. A rental agreement between the town and Maryland Department of Transportation has kept it occupied while the future of the property is determined. The original rental agreement stated, that in lieu of rent, the crew utilizing the home would demolish it once their rental term expired. The building would then be replaced with a new pre-fabricated structure to house public restrooms and possible storage space. Saving and restoring the property was a preferred solution among several residents living in the Historic District and with MLPHA representatives.

Mark Stutzman presented the proposal to the Mayor and Town Council by beginning with a rationale centered on saving the house. Besides its suspected historic significance as being built from the Bashford Amphitheater’s salvaged lumber, the home also marks the second wave of development following the Mountain Chautauqua decline in the 1930s. The proposal to save it noted the building will be 100 years old in less than 20 years.

If accepted by the Mayor and Town Council, the plans for the house include a medium-sized public meeting space, two private rooms, a full bath, and a certified kitchen on the first floor. Adding a front and back dormer to the roof would allow the second floor to be used for storage and/or office space. The design features an added wrap-around porch that would allow shelter for seasonal outdoor gatherings. Stutzman suggested several uses for the property such as serving the Park, the Ticket Office Museum, and Bethel Center visitors, functioning as a rental space for private gatherings such as weddings, family reunions, and memorial services, or operating as a short-term, in-residence accommodation for workshop instructors or dignitaries visiting Garrett County.

The park and the surrounding amenities were described as the town’s Festival Grounds by Stutzman. He asked the council to imagine the positive first impression a period-appropriate “welcome center” and enhanced pump house could make as people first enter the designated Historic District. A potential to house seasonal activities such as farmer’s market days, Easter egg hunts, pumpkin sales, and Christmas tree sales during the holidays was suggested.

Ellen Cowgill, who has organized historic walking tours, splash pad parties, and holiday activities with Mountain Lake Partners endorsed the plan and described it as “very exciting.” Mayor Sincell acknowledged Cowgill’s work with the Health Department as important and fun activities for residents of The Park.

As an added incentive, three of the committee members who helped develop the plan offered financial support and qualified craftsmen to take on the repurposing project. A list of sources for grant funding was also suggested, however, Sincell requested the committee prepare and submit any applications on their own. He qualified his request due to the number of other projects for which he is currently responsible.

A grant proposal was previously submitted to Project Open Space to cover the cost of adding public restrooms to Leo Martin Memorial Park. Since the completion of the Splash Pad, port-a-potties have been placed on site as a temporary solution. The Health Department requires permanent bathroom facilities and regular water testing to keep the Splash Pad operating.