Cecil Community Park

Schoolyard Renovations

Dec 28

Written By Gabriel Carter

Address: 2000 Cecil Avenue
Neighborhood: East Baltimore Midway

Transforming a community schoolyard into a vibrant learning space

The development of Cecil Elementary has transformed the school and its surrounding green spaces through a $3.6 million multi-year investment combining public and private funding. Phase 1 saw the creation of an outdoor classroom with trees, vegetation, and raised beds to teach students about fresh produce and food security. In Phase 2, we completed a full renovation of the park and playground spaces, creating a vibrant community amenity for the school, Cecil-Kirk Recreation Center, and East Baltimore Midway residents.

Parks & People’s Role

Parks and People collaborated with the Central Baltimore Partnership to create a new park in East Baltimore Midway, featuring a playground, exercise equipment, and a playing field. This project focused on direct community engagement to ensure that the park met the needs of local families and neighbors around Cecil Elementary School.

Partners

Baltimore City Public Schools

Cecil Elementary School
Central Baltimore Partnership
Greater Greenmount Coordinating Committee
Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks
Sparks at Play
Hord Coplan Macht
Plano Coudon
Mayor’s Office of Recovery Programs

Supporters

The development of this park was made possible through the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) Project CORE, which invested $153k into the initiative. This project serves as a model for leveraging public funds to create impactful green spaces in urban settings.