Utility Construction Begins on New Downtown Recreation Facility in Ocean City

OCEAN CITY, Md. - The town has begun construction for the new Downtown Recreation Facility. 

The new project is apart of the capital improvement plan and it was a top priority for this fiscal year. They've started by digging up certain streets like Chicago Avenue and adding city utilities to the park area to cut costs when the full construction begins. 

Chicago Avenue will be paved over for bicyclists and pedestrians and it will be used as a promenade area for special events. 

But some locals like Butch Smith, who fish along the bay on Chicago Avenue think the project takes away much needed parking in the fishing area, "I think it's a waste of money and it's been messing up the fishing down here," Smith said. 

Although some like Alison Krester think the new additions to the park is worth the little inconveniences, "For the benefit of having the additional area for families and children to play outweigh losing a few parking spaces," Krester said.

The facility construction will begin on May 1 of this year.