HoCo Bags Big Bond Bucks

The HoCo state delegation bought back almost a million bucks in bond money for HoCo from the recently concluded General Assembly session. Among the big winners were the Linwood Center in Ellicott City and the former Post Office on Main Street in Ellicott City.

Linwood, which provides programs and services for individuals with autism and related developmental disabilities, will receive $500,000 towards a new school building.

The former post office received $175,000 to go towards the renovation of the building for HoCo Tourism. Last year, the existing tourism office in the basement of the building, helped over 20,000 HoCo visitors from 39 states, 18 countries and 3 territories.

Arc of Howard County received $145,000 towards the renovation of the Graeloch group home in North Laurel and the Howard County Conservancy received $125,000 to upgrade the heating and cooling at the the Mount Pleasant farmhouse in Woodstock.

Alas, the delegation did not get everything they asked for. Requests for money to develop Blandair and Troy Hill parks went unfulfilled. Last year the privately owned Symphony Woods park in Columbia received $250,000.