CUMBERLAND – May 6, 2026

Senator Mike McKay delivered more than $450,000 in state funding for four Western Maryland projects today—putting new lights on a Cresaptown ball field, fixing up parks in Barton and Williamsport, and adding nearly 200 acres to Wills Mountain State Park.

“Western Marylanders pay plenty in taxes. My job is making sure some of that money comes back home—to the ball fields where our kids play, the parks where our families spend weekends, and the public lands that make this region what it is,” said Senator McKay.

The largest piece—$307,000—will acquire 195.7 acres of forested land along Wills Mountain in Allegany County, expanding Wills Mountain State Park. The property protects habitat and water quality in the Wills Creek watershed and opens up more land for hunting, hiking, and the outdoor activities that define life in Western Maryland.

Closer to home, $60,000 will install new LED lighting at Brauer Field at the Cresaptown Sports Complex, so local kids and rec leagues can keep playing after the sun goes down. Another $8,100 will go to three small parks in the Town of Barton—Hill Street, Latrobe Street, and Takoma Drive—for signage, landscaping, and dugout repairs that the community has needed for a while.

In Washington County, $75,000 will renovate the bathrooms at Billy Doub Park in Williamsport—a small but real fix for families who actually use the park.

“These aren’t pet projects in Annapolis. These are ball fields, parks, and public lands that working families in Allegany and Washington Counties use every single weekend. I fight to make sure Western Maryland gets its fair share, because nobody else in Annapolis is going to do it for us,” McKay added.

The Board of Public Works approved all four items at its May 6, 2026 meeting following Senator McKay’s advocacy on behalf of local officials and the Department of Natural Resources.

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