Two local institutions have made significant donations in support of the Culler Lake Renaissance. PNC has announced a $10,000 donation in support of Phase II of the Culler Lake Renaissance while The Joseph D. Baker Fund, Inc., contributed $7,000 to this effort. These donations, along with $150,000 in State bond bill money plus matching City funds, will enable work on Phase II to begin as soon as the City of Frederick reviews completed construction drawings and sends these out for bid. The Friends of Baker Park board has designated construction of a Culler Memorial Plaza to be the first component of Phase II efforts.
Work on this project began last year with the refurbishment of the Culler Memorial Bench itself by the City that included repointing the bench’s facing stones, replacing the bench cap with uniform pieces of stone, and the creation and installation of an informational sign about Lloyd Culler and why he is honored with a bench. A local artist is designing and creating a replacement sundial for installation on the bench (see related article). Plans call for installation of a tear-drop plaza around the bench to bring more access and attention to this structure, including installation of a bas relief of the Monocacy watershed showing where Culler Lake and Carroll Creek fit within this region, plus plantings, benches, pavers, and relocation of the interpretive sign.
This phase will also include amenities such as expanding the mixed-use pathways adjacent to the bench to 10’, installing a wider cross walk at the Fleming / West College intersection, adding bypass pathways so that bicyclists can avoid riding over the two boardwalks along the lake’s southern edge. “These generous PNC Joseph D. Baker Fund grants are exciting and will serve as a catalyst for raising the additional funds needed to complete Phase II,” said Culler Lake Renaissance Fundraising Chair Kathy Fay, adding “Both organizations are demonstrating their strong commitment to Baker Park and the City of Frederick, with one result being to make our city a desirable place to live, work, and play.”