Park Spotlight!
A series dedicated to walking through some of our favorite completed projects.
The Darley Gateway Park Story
First, you may remember our groundbreaking announcement for Darley Gateway Park?
Presently, we’re happy to announce the project went beautifully!
As you know, each park has a story and an important impact in the neighborhoods they now belong in. The Darley Gateway Park story is an inspiring journey that took blood, sweat, and tears. In other words, getting the area from a dumping ground, to a mud pile, and eventually a custom high end park!
For 15 years as you entered the Darley Park neighborhood on the main road, a giant pile of wreckage and trash would greet you. First, the city tore down the abandoned houses on the 2300 block of Harford Rd. Consequently, the spot became a dumping ground for years. However, residents like the visionary Ms. Pauline Charles lamented at the mess and waste of space. Instead, she envisioned a colorful, warm, inviting place to tell the people of Baltimore, “Welcome to Darley Park.” Specifically, she and her fellow Darley Park residents agreed they wanted a playground for the children and grandchildren to play.
Senator Cory McCray to the Call
Similarly, Darley Park native and State Senator Cory McCray agreed with his neighbors. Thus, Senator McCray approached us at Parks & People to take the reigns for this crucial transformation. When the Parks and People team asked him “why doesn’t Darley Park deserve a world class park?” From there McCray said “It clicked. I was all in.” At times, all it takes is asking “why not here?” to open the doors of imagination and resolve. In short, why not invest in this neighborhood with the highest quality playground, thoughtful landscape design, and a custom mural? Everyone deserves a park and the park should be built to last.
Previously at Darley Park
The neighborhood and partner organizations such as the 6th Branch had already done a great job transforming the area. They pulled community efforts to landscape, paint, and create an amazing functional park. Parks & People stepped in and called on our partners to help make this DIY dream into a professional, high end park. Exactly what the neighborhood wanted.
The Darley Gateway Park transformation would not have been possible without the hard work of:
- Reginald Moore, Baltimore Rec and Park provided
- Provided program Open Space money for the park
- Former Councilwoman District 14 Mary Pat Clarke
- Secured lighting and other resources
- The State Department of Housing and Community Development Department
- Acquired the land and consolidating the properties.
- The 6th Branch
- Provides tireless maintenance and beautification.
- Neighborhood Design Center
- BUILD
Uniting Baltimore through parks, with the best people.
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