What if green space was just as close to home as fried chicken, beer and cigarettes?
The Corner Store. We all have a mental image of one. If you've ever lived near one, you went there because you had a need that demanded quick and convenient fulfillment - cigarettes (God forbid), a six-pack (ditto), bread, milk, coffee, an ATM or just some of that world famous Royal Farms Chicken and Western Fries.
What about the corner "green?" Chances are that you are among the 70% of residents living inside the URDL that lack sufficient access to open space within a quarter mile (about a 5-minute) walk from your home. Suffice to say, you can probably walk to fried chicken, beer and cigarettes inside the URDL faster than you can walk to anything that's truly green.
But think about how nice it would be to have a park within a short walk, especially one on a corner that was on a route to other things. Would this inspire more walking? (And, conversely, less fried chicken, beer and cigarettes?) A corner green can supply us with access to open space, trees and respite, things we all need in our daily lives, and I'm pleased tell you we are considering the acquisition of such a place in Catonsville on Newburg Ave. in the neighborhood that lies south of Atwaters on Frederick Road. The owners of the parcel, whose home lies adjacent to it, do not want to see it developed. Rather, they are seeking to making a donation of it to NeighborSpace for the benefit of the surrounding community - to be used as passive open space , a community garden, and/or a place for community gatherings. If we are able to complete the transaction, the property will be protected as public open space forever.
NeighborSpace and the current owners are seeking the support of the surrounding community to make the project a reality. In particular, we are asking that residents of the neighborhood consider joining NeighborSpace as annual members, as our cost of taking on the property is about $1,300 per year, owing to various requirements related to insurance and planning for the property's protection in perpetuity. As our acreage has more than doubled
in the last four years, we find ourselves needing to be better at asking the public for support before we take on projects so that we are able to fulfill our obligations to all of the communities where we currently protect land for public open space inside Baltimore County's URDL. Memberships for seniors and individuals start at $18 and $24 respectively and you can join easily online. If you'd like more information about the project or about membership in Neighborspace, please contact Barbara Hopkins, Executive Director, at barbara@neighborspacebaltimorecounty.org, or at 443-377-3760.
Live Music and Ribbon Cutting at Graystone 7/28/26 | Will Kaselow, Community Conservation Manager
7/28/26 | Will Kaselow, Community Conservation Manager Thank you to everyone who came out to NeighborSpace’s final concert of the summer! After the original date was cancelled due to wildfire-related air pollution, we were able to quickly reschedule and ended up lucking into one of the most beautiful nights of the summer so far. We […]
7/29/2026 | Phyllis Joris, Executive Director Like many nonprofits, NeighborSpace operates on a fiscal year that runs July through June. This month, NeighborSpace staff and board members took stock of progress made in the past year and drafted a work plan for the coming year. More details will be provided in NeighborSpace’s Annual Report, which […]
Thanks to donations from generous supporters like you, NeighborSpace was able to hire three interns this summer. We want to help young conservationists gain fieldwork and behind-the-scenes experience, and staff is grateful for the extra hands and minds! We introduced you to our stewardship interns last month.Now read on to meet our communications intern, Mykiah. […]
Barbara Waters While I grew up in Massachusetts and then spent 6 years in Northern Maine, I have now lived in Maryland for nearly 32 years. I had been involved in many things in the community, but that involvement really ramped up once the pandemic started. To combat isolation, I started walking daily, and have […]
Thanks to donations from generous supporters like you, NeighborSpace was able to hire three interns this summer. We want to help young conservationists gain fieldwork and behind-the-scenes experience, and staff is grateful for the extra hands and minds! Read on to meet our two stewardship interns, Ashley and Katie. Hi! I am Ashley Metzbower. I […]
6/29/26 | Will Kaselow, Community Conservation Manager This month we welcomed the summer with song, hosting live music events at two of our sites! First, Patrick Alban and his Buena Vista Social Club joined us at Ridgely Manor Park in Towson on one of the hottest nights of the year so far. Despite the heat, […]
6/29/26 | Conor Harrington, Land Steward This spring, NeighborSpace installed its first microforest/Miyawaki plantings at Tollgate Wyndham Preserve in Owings Mills. With the help of some very dedicated volunteer groups from BGE and Stanley Black & Decker, we planted about 150 trees and shrubs in three contained locations of the preserve. The area covered by […]
6/29/2026 | Phyllis Joris, Executive Director NeighborSpace recently added a new site to its portfolio! With the addition of Stonegate, a beautiful 16-acre property in Catonsville, NeighborSpace now protects 116 acres across 22 sites for current and future residents of urban Baltimore County. This property is co-held with Maryland Environmental Trust (MET), the state’s land […]
This month we would like to thank Christie Bianco for her time and dedication as a NeighborSpace volunteer! Christie has lived in the Dunmore community for 21 years and first connected with Levickas Woods through her children, who would play in the woods and catch crayfish in the stream. She considers the woods to be […]
