Together with the Turner Station Conservation Teams, Inc., NeighborSpace presented a case for support of a new half-acre park in the Dundalk neighborhood of Turner Station as part of a #GivingTuesday Campaign. You more than stepped up, donating over $4,500 for the cause - THANK YOU SO MUCH! The project is important because of:

(1) A LONG HISTORY OF RACIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICE

• In a 2019  Sun  article, Jonathan Pitts described the community as being "born in an out-of the-way spot ... as a direct consequence of racial prejudice." Why? Discrimination kept African-Americans who migrated to the area for jobs at Sparrows Point from living anywhere else.
• The Environmental Integrity Project has written that "Turner Station's experience with ... pollution is unique because of its close proximity to Sparrows Point. For decades, inadequate ... oversight at the ... Steel Mill meant that pollution ... was visibly deposited on ... residents' cars, roofs, and clothes hung out to dry."
• In addition, the Md. Dept. of Natural Resources' Park Equity Mapper shows all of Turner Station to be in medium-high to high need of additional parks.

(2) STRONG VISION & LEADERSHIP IN THE COMMUNITY

• In the wake of a 2003 Planning Department Survey that revealed many challenges in Turner Station, the community rallied around a conservation plan for addressing them.
• The Turner Station Conservation Teams, Inc. (TSCT) was born and since that time has racked up a string of successes under the leadership of President, Gloria Nelson, shown at left. Among its achievements are developing the Sollers Point Multipurpose Center, attracting private and public investment to renovate mid-century housing, and bringing much overdo attention to improving Fleming Park.

(3) A CHANCE TO DELIVER ON THE VISION

• Last year, the TSCT approached NeighborSpace about acquiring a half-acre, triangular parcel on Dundalk Avenue just north of Chestnut Street in a section of the community known as "Old Turners."  The Conservation Plan calls for providing additional recreational opportunities for residents and this site could fulfil that purpose.
• With your support, NeighborSpace acquired the site in March and worked with the TSCT all summer and fall to clean it up, sometimes starting as early as 6 AM to beat the heat! The TSCT is an unbeatable partner!
• Now, with funds in hand to hire a student designer from Morgan State University's Graduate Program in Landscape Architecture and purchase initial plantings, TSCT and NeighborSpace can get down to the work of design and construction! THANK YOU!