Bel Air Awarded $150K Grant For Water-Themed Play Area

BEL AIR, MD — Bel Air was recently awarded a $150,000 grant to build a water-centered play area. The grant came from the American Water Charitable Foundation, a nonprofit through American Water, which provides utility service for the town of Bel Air.

Called Chesapeake Sensory Plaza, the play area will encompass 5,000 square feet in Rockfield Park near the playground, according to Bel Air officials.

A 70-foot-long channel will be the centerpiece, with water flow triggered by hand pumps and switches. Mill wheels, lock gates, flaps, forks and collecting areas will be incorporated into the interactive channel.

Signage will educate visitors to Chesapeake Sensory Plaza about the Chesapeake Bay watershed and emphasize the importance of water conservation as part of environmental stewardship.

“We are so excited to bring this unique educational play space to Bel Air,” Bel Air's Director of Planning Kevin Small said in a statement. “As a Sustainable Community, we value the opportunity to teach local families the importance of the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed.”

The Bel Air project was selected by the American Water Charitable Foundation based on several criteria, according to a statement from the organization. Its educational value, use of natural play materials and opportunities for American Water employees to volunteer were some factors.

“This water-centric park improvement project will give residents of all ages the opportunity to enjoy, learn about and appreciate the environment and especially our critical natural resource, water, in a fun and engaging way,” President of the American Water Charitable Foundation Laura Martin said in a statement. “We are proud to further American Water’s ongoing commitment to being good stewards of the environment and bettering the communities where our employees and our customers live, work and play through this grant program.”

The funds will be administered by the National Recreation and Park Association as part of the American Water Foundation’s Building Better Communities grant program.

Bel Air is one of 13 recipients of such a grant in the past five years, according to American Water. Others have been communities in California, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.

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