The renovation of O’Donnell Square, in the heart of Canton, will supposedly begin this spring and will continue through the summer. The work will include the replacement of benches and curbs, and the addition of sod and shade trees.  Click here to view the plan.

jeffcantonite@yahoo.com

The Lower Susquehanna Heritage Greenway is a non-profit organization that hopes to secure federal and state funding for crisscrossing trails that would link the area’s natural, cultural and historic resources.

This is a project that has the support of The Baltimore Psychogeography Association! It’s development where you can go out and walk around, have fun and not have to spend money. As much as I like to walk around The Inner Harbor, I feel compelled to shell out on crap food or tourist knick-knacks that I don’t want to buy. Psychogeography, among other things, is about walking around without the necessity to spend money. Why does everything have to be a mall? Don’t get me started on malls! Not that we’re against small business or that we’re anti-capitalist. We’re not. What’s a lot better than malls are all the cool indoor markets in Baltimore, like Lexington Market. It’s just that development always seems predicated on buying something. Does that always have to be the case? Psychogeography advocates that development should make the environment more fun! That reminds me- does anyone know of any good local skateboarding parks?

“Right here, in the middle of a densely populated area, you can still be outdoors enjoying nature within minutes,” said Mary Ann Lisanti, executive director of the greenway group. “Ten minutes off I-95 and 15 minutes from Bel Air, you can go fishing, walk through history into deep woods and see the spring flowers and nesting birds.”

We need more walking trails like this. Here’s the link to the story in the Baltimore Sun where I found out about The Lower Susquehanna Heritage Greenway group.

The Baltimore Sun recently ran an article on the proposed new development plan for the Inner Harbor’s Rash Field at the foot of Federal Hill.  The new plan will include a much needed underground parking garage, a large amount of open green space, and a dog park.  The current volleyball fields will be moved to another section of the park. Although, it looks like they may not be keeping as many courts as currently exist.  Rash Field is not being used well - so the latest proposal looks very promising.

Check out the city’s Rash Field plan - PDF format.

Mayor Sheila Dixon has decided that the city Fire Department’s waterfront repair facility - located along Key Highway in South Baltimore - will become a public park.  There has been a lot of debate over the future use of the property.  It’s a prime waterfront location that sits adjacent to the Harborview community and the popular bar and restaurant Little Havana.

 The property was very close to being rezoned a couple years ago.  A move that would have led developers to bid on the property and likely build a mixed use project that included condominiums and retail space.  I attended some of these Key Highway Association meetings back when this was being debated.  Much of the community was in favor of seeing the property rezoned and rebuilt.  However, a few residents raised concerns, and as a result the city backed away and included the property as part of the Key Highway Master Plan that it was creating. 

In one respect in would have been nice to see the property developed and put to good use, rather than just another dilapidated property sitting along Key Highway.  But in the end, it looks like the rethinking paid off.  A waterfront park will be a nice addition to the community.  I wonder how this will affect some of the other proposed open/green space and view corridors along Key highway.  Another piece of land along Key Highway - at the bottom of Lawrence Street, roughly across from the Royal Farms - had been proposed as waterfront open space.  So I doubt there will end up being two parks located that close.   So this news will certainly shake up some of the existing plans along Key.

Baltimore Sun article

Came across a blog post on the Baltimore Sun about the website of former Baltimore Parks director Chris Delaporte.  It covers the issues relating to the city parks.  Check it out - ParkAdvocate.org.