FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, May 13

, 2002

JENNIFER BOES, 302.672.6811

(Wilmington, Del.) Governor Ruth Ann Minner officially dedicated 225 acres of land in the Brandywine Hundred Community of Wilmington currently known as the Blue Ball Properties Project, including the newly created Alapocas Run Park, during a ceremony Monday, May 13, at 10 a.m. at the Weldin Plantation Ruin site. The site is located at the intersection of Rt. 202, Foulk and Rockland Roads.

A unique integration of planning, the Blue Ball Properties Project promises to bring improved transportation, public recreation, as well as historical and environmental restoration to the community of Brandywine Hundred and citizens of Delaware.

Governor Ruth Ann Minner stated, "This event marks the culmination of an extremely successful partnership between private industry, government, and the community. Through the acquisition of the Blue Ball Properties, we are ensuring that future generations will enjoy the same scenic open spaces that make today’s Wilmington area such a great place to work and live."

In July 1999, the State committed to purchase approximately 225 acres of land from a number of local trusts and private land owners. The effort, coordinated by the Delaware Economic Development Office, would provide AstraZeneca with the space the company needed to construct its new North American headquarters. In answer to the surrounding community’s desire for open space preservation, the remaining 152 acres would remain undeveloped.

DNREC's Division of Parks and Recreation committed itself to convert the remainder of the property into public parkland. This partnership will allow AstraZeneca to increase its employees from 2400 to 7000 in New Castle County, as well as provide the parks system with an opportunity to create recreational facilities and open space management opportunities.

John D. Wik, Director of the Delaware Economic Development Office says, "The acquisition of the Blue Ball Properties helped drive AstraZeneca’s decision to locate in Delaware, a tremendous economic victory for the state. This also opened the door for a land preservation initiative that will result in numerous quality of life benefits. These benefits are very important to businesses, such as AstraZeneca, looking to attract a highly skilled workforce."

To facilitate the increased traffic needs resulting from this expansion, DelDOT provided key features in the Master Plan enabling the separation of regional and local traffic by creating a local road system through the parkland. Road changes and traffic redirection will allow smooth access and improved safety along these roadways connecting Augustine Cut-off and Rockland Road with Weldin Road by means of an underpass beneath Route 202.

Recreational amenities throughout the new park will include multi-purpose playing fields, picnic areas, a children’s garden, dog park, and the expansion of the Rock Manor golf course. This expansion will include a new driving range and a training facility. All of this development will be contained to the property east of Route 202 and allowing the west side to be preserved as open space. A planned second underpass reserved for local and pedestrian traffic will also be constructed beneath Rt. 202 connecting the west and east parks, and expanding the Northern Delaware Greenway trail system from the banks of the Brandywine River to Rockwood Museum.

The property contains several historically significant buildings and ruins. These include the Bird-Husbands House, a wooden farm house dating back to the 19th Century, and the Blue Ball Dairy Barn, , constructed in 1914 as part of the A.I. Dupont Estate. There is also the Weldin Plantation site, and the William Murphy House. All of these historical buildings will be preserved, with some (such as the dairy barn) being adaptively renovated for multiple-use by the state parks system.

Throughout all phases of the planning stage community thoughts, ideas, concerns, and suggestions were sought through public meetings, legislative representation on city, county and state levels, and were considered with every aspect of the master plan. Overall, the number of people involved in the project is staggering, and the amount of cooperation necessary could have become overwhelming, were it not for the belief by those involved in the positive impact the project would have on the community.

Charles Salkin, Director, Delaware Division of Parks and Recreation stated, "The Division of Parks and Recreation is very pleased with the strong and effective partnerships with DelDOT and DEDO and AstraZeneca which is making these community enhancements possible. Only through this type of cooperative effort could we make these community recreation facilities available."