New Playground Honors Local Sisters

Sykesville showed off the new Jones Park with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Sunday.

The park, located off Kalorama Road, is named after the Jones sisters from Sykesville. They were Miss Elsie Sluby, Miss Ida Webb and Miss Frances Isabelle. They were born in the area in the 1870s and 1880s, and lived together, sharing a passion for photography.

Julia Betz, town council member and parks and recreation liaison, cut the ribbon Sunday afternoon in front of some neighborhood kids.

The town received a $100,000 grant from the state to redo the park, which has existed about 20 years. The work started in the fall.

"We got the grant and then of course, the weather delayed us. They got the surface in just before the winter hit. So then we just had some cleanup efforts in the spring to get it ready to reopen," said Betz.

After cutting the ribbon, everyone retired to the park to look over the new equipment and enjoy a snack.

Rob Toczylowski was there with his daughter Emma. He saw the notice in the town newsletter and said to her that they should join the "party at the new park."