This fall, Graystone Community Open Space, affectionately known as “The Lot” by neighbors, received exciting improvements funded by the Maryland Greenspace Equity Program, a new initiative designed to expand equitable access to parks and green spaces across the state. NeighborSpace is proud to be among the first organizations funded through this program, with the Graystone project serving as one of its inaugural success stories.

Thanks to the Greenspace Equity program, the 0.3-acre neighborhood park now includes boulder steps, two benches, and newly planted native trees and shrubs. These amenities make the space more inviting and accessible for all visitors, and provide shade, beauty, and valuable wildlife habitat. A Little Free Library will soon be installed, offering another way for neighbors to connect and enjoy the space.

These improvements build upon the success of last year’s pollinator garden, planted in fall 2024 through a Keep Maryland Beautiful grant from the Chesapeake Bay Trust. The garden, designed with native perennials such as spotted beebalm, blazing star, lyreleaf sage, elmleaf goldenrod, New England aster, and brown-eyed susan, now flourishes along the park’s slope, providing essential habitat for pollinators while adding color and beauty to the park’s entrance.

NeighborSpace has partnered with the Graystone Community Association since 2009, when it responded to the Association’s request to preserve and steward this green space in Woodlawn. Over the years, the park has become the neighborhood’s “living room,” hosting community meetings, crochet circles, movie nights, flea markets, and more.

With the addition of new seating, plantings, and an upcoming Little Free Library, Graystone Community Open Space continues to grow as a model for community-led stewardship, showing how investment in small, local parks can make a big impact on neighborhood well-being.

Thank you to the Graystone Community Association, Wildside Nursery, Live Green, Chesapeake Bay Trust, Maryland DNR, and the many volunteers who continue to make “the lot” a welcoming and thriving space for all.

As we look ahead to Giving Tuesday on December 2, we’re asking the NeighborSpace community to help us take the final step toward improving Graystone Community Open Space. With just $400 left to raise for a handrail, we can make the newly installed steps accessible to neighbors of all ages and abilities. Every contribution, large or small, brings us closer to ensuring this park is safe, welcoming, and fully usable for everyone.

If you’re able, please consider supporting NeighborSpace’s Giving Tuesday campaign. Donations can be made online at www.neighborspacebaltimorecounty.org/donate or by check to NeighborSpace of Baltimore County, P.O. Box 6715, Towson, MD 21285. Your support helps keep our community spaces open, accessible, and thriving.