From left, Ernest Davis and daughter Mya at Preston Place, Amy Reed and Frances O’Neal in the Darley Park garden, and youth leaders walking in Oliver - Photos by Chris Hartlove
Renewal In Darley Park
Darley Park resident Amy Reed remembers looking out her window two years ago and seeing a rare sight: two people walking down the street, knocking on doors and engaging neighbors in conversation. When she walked outside, there stood Lottie Sneed and Rob English, organizers from BUILD. As a result of such walks, Darley Park now has an active community group that meets on a monthly basis. Between 20 and 30 residents attend each meeting, as does Councilwoman Mary Pat Clarke and Bernard “Jack” Young.
The community, between Harford Road and St. Lo Drive just north of North Avenue, also has periodic community clean-up days where roll-off dumpsters are available to haul away debris. Neighbors work closely with the city’s code enforcement department to bring buildings up to code, and as a result, many owners and landlords have done home improvement. Amy says that several houses have been rehabbed and are now on the market, and families have moved into the neighborhood.
An empty building that posed a danger has been torn down to make way for a community garden, now a neighborhood centerpiece thanks to a partnership with Civic Works.
The community has also formed a relationship with neighboring South Clifton Park, standing together to rid the community of unsafe buildings, working with the Eastern District police for safe and responsive community policing, and continuing to form new allies to address blight.
Most important, new leadership and a determination to change the community have emerged. Neighbors worked with BUILD to ensure a $1.2 million state commitment to help build a new recreation center in Clifton Park was honored, and neighbors and the BUILD Youth Team are working on the design of the center with the Department of Parks and Recreation.
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In Northwest Baltimore’s Howard Park, New All Saints Church, Calvin Rodwell Elementary School and Howard Park residents have come together to realize their dream of an anchor supermarket.
Community leaders realized that their neighborhood needed fewer liquor stores and more food stores. Land has been cleared and property is being assembled for development. The proposed supermarket is within eyesight of New All Saints and across the street from Calvin Rodwell.