A glimpse of LTRC’s history by James Royer, Jr., a longtime participant and board member of LTRC…
Since it was organized in 1949, under the able leadership of its first director, Hubert Snyder, the goal of the Baltimore County Department of Recreation & Parks was to provide leisure-time recreational activities to all its citizens, youth and adults.
The 1950 census for Timonium was less than 3,000. The end of World War II was the beginning of rapid growth for both Timonium and Lutherville. Prior to 1949, the main buildings on York Road were the Timonium Methodist Church, the Timonium Elementary School, Crowther’s Bar & Lounge, two small shopping strips and, of course, the Timonium Fairgrounds.
In 1951 the Timonium Recreation Council was organized by a small group of volunteers. Ray LaForce was elected its first president. A six week summer playground was held on the grounds of the two room elementary school. A men’s baseball and a square-dancing club were added.
The construction of a new Lutherville Elementary School on York Road was completed in 1952. The Lutherville-Timonium Recreation Council was organized and Ray LaForce was named its first president. Maynard Webster, who was principal of the old Lutherville school on Bellona Avenue, across from the Lutherville Volunteer Fire Company, was appointed to head the new school. Mr. Webster was an ardent supporter of recreation and opened the doors of his new school for LTRC’s growing activities. Mr. Carroll Klingerhofer succeeded Mr. LaForce as president.
Since that early beginning, consisting of only three activities, LTRC’s list of recreational offerings has grown to nearly 50.
We owe this tremendous growth to the outstanding leadership of all our past presidents, from Ray LaForce to Jim Boyer; to the hundreds of volunteers; to the support of the Baltimore County Department of Education; and last, but not least, to the Baltimore County Department of Recreation and Parks.