Fall
2005
Parks of the Gwynns Falls Trail
Every city dweller occasionally needs some time to take in the natural environment. With the Gwynns Falls Trail, you can traverse a 15 mile greenway that seamlessly weaves together the best parts of the city and the natural environment.
This summer, approximately 300 people gathered to celebrate the opening on the Gwynns Falls Trail. The day got off to a trailblazing start with Congressman Ben Cardin leading a bike tour along the new trail. Mayor Martin O’Malley joined in the celebration later along with several other notable Baltimore dignitaries.
The trail now includes a set of colorful informational panels that tell the history of the Gwynns Fall Region: a fascinating story of stream crossings used by the Susquehannocks, the development of early industries supported by the falls, the progress of the railroad system in the area, the recreation the area provided early city residents and the plans for the park system made by the Olmstead Brothers in the early 1900s. Parks & People created the panels with help from the National Park Service and the Chesapeake Bay Network.
Parks along the trail have something for everyone. Starting at the northwestern end of the trail, you can stroll—or ride—through the Franklintown Historical district. Along the trail, be sure to take note of the cultural attractions like the Russian style Crimea estate, located in Leakin Park. Leakin Park is also home to upland Piedmont forests of tulip polar, red oak, sycamore and beech trees.
Traveling further along the trail, you can visit a historic mill site or proceed through the pleasant shade provided by Piedmont forests. Enjoy the playground at Leon Day Park, which includes sports fields and picnic areas. Leon Day Park was named to honor Leon Day, west Baltimore resident and Negro League player elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. South of Leon Day Park on the trail you will find benches in shaded areas along the river to rest and enjoy Baltimore’s “ Niagara Falls” in Gwynns Falls Park. In this area, you can enjoy the shade provided by sweet gum, red maple and hickory trees.
Next along the trail is Carroll Park, home to Mount Clare Mansion and ample recreational facilities, including a golf course, skate park, sports courts, ball fields and picnicking areas. After Carroll Park along the trail, you can proceed north to the Inner Harbor, taking you through Solo Gibbs Park and Federal Hill Park. Visit area attractions in the Inner Harbor, pick up a trail guide from the Baltimore Visitors Center and climb to the top of Federal Hill for a great view of the harbor. You can also travel south and east along the trail to Middle Branch and Cherry Hill parks. On this leg of the trail, you can observe the estuary wildlife from the observation boardwalk or watch the rowers practice from the Baltimore Rowing Club.
The Gwynns Falls Trail is truly a little piece of paradise in the city; it is a trail that all city residents can be proud of. If you haven’t been out to Gwynns Falls yet, set aside a Saturday or Sunday to see the trail. Be sure to contact us before you go out and we can send you a map and guide or visit www.gwynnsfallstrail.org! Also, check out the New York Times article about the trail!
Success with SuperKids!
SuperKids Camp is like no other summer camp in the city. This summer over 1,000 Baltimore City public school students attended SuperKids camp sites located throughout Baltimore. With an affordable, effective program that focuses on the crucial summer months—a time period when many children’s academic abilities decline—this summer’s SuperKids camp gave students the enthusiasm for learning and the guidance they need to thrive.
The camp’s high quality literature and enrichment programming ran daily from late June through early August during regular school hours, and provided children with a healthful breakfast and lunch. For every 10 campers, there was one qualified staff person there to supervise them, assuring that each child received the attention she or he deserves.
Everyday, kids participated in fun, educational activities and programs. Students were encouraged to read vociferously through the 100 Book Challenge, which rewards them for delving into the world of books. As part of the challenge, c ampers read for thousands of hours this summer!
Our goal is to provide children with experiences that linked directly to their reading. By making direct connections to each reading theme, we hoped to make reading interesting and applicable to each child’s life, thereby intrinsically motivating them to read. By linking enrichment activities to literary experiences, we improve individual reading levels in order to mold confident, capable readers who read for personal enjoyment.
Campers participated in numerous enrichment activities all over Baltimore City, exposing them—many for the first time—to all the wonderful natural, historical and cultural assets of the city. On a sunny summer afternoon, city kids sailed the harbor with the help of Downtown Sailing Center and SuperKids sailing sponsor, UBS Financial. Another afternoon, the children jumped in the water at the YMCA Central Maryland. Parks & People forestry staff pitched in by teaching the campers about pollution, water quality, Chesapeake Bay animals and other environmental topics. Campers were encouraged to explore their artistic talents with the help of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Maryland Institute College of Art and Center Stage. These activities also included visits to the Maryland Science Center, Port Discovery, the Maryland Zoo and the USS Constellation.
The Jean and Sidney Silber Foundation, Inc. generously donated funds so that SuperKids camp could provide every camper with the book Get Ready for Second Grade at the end of the summer. The book features fun games to teach kids math, phonics, grammar, writing and reading. This book was handed out at the culminating event of the camp: a graduation ceremony in the Baltimore City Zoo. Students displayed their talents on stage to a crowd of peers, parents, staff, teachers, school system officials and friends of the camp.
Get Your Trees and Garden Ready for the Winter
Follow these fall tips to nurture all the important plants and trees in your life!
- As the weather gets cooler, now is a good time to get outdoors with your neighbors and plant trees in your local park or street tree pits. Every tree makes your neighborhood a healthier place to live!
- Mulch existing trees. Two to 4 inches of wood chips spread evenly around the base helps your tree retain moisture, enrich the soil and keep weeds away. Remember to give your trees a little breathing room by creating a well around the trunk so the mulch doesn’t touch.
- Remove the stakes and wires from trees that were planted last fall. After using the support of stakes and wires for a year, trees are ready to stand on their own.
- Since trees lose their leaves in the winter and it becomes more difficult to distinguish living trees from dead trees, now is a good time to help out with Baltimore City’s developing tree inventory project. Take note of the addresses of dead trees. This inventory will help the city take better care of our trees, and it’s a fun way to learn about the kinds of trees in your neighborhood. Contact us at info@parksandpeople.org for more information about how you can help create a tree inventory for Baltimore.
- Weed your garden one last time. As winter approaches, it will become more difficult to tell the weeds from your plants.
- As you weed your garden, pull up dead plants and place them in your compost pile. Don’t have a compost pile? Check out our next Connections newsletter for more info.
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