The request was simple enough when the Powhatan Farms Improvement Association reached out to NeighborSpace in 2007. They wanted NeighborSpace to subdivide and purchase a 1.6-acre parcel of land for “a park with … flowers, and an area that would allow our community to have cookouts and possibly hold our monthly community meetings during the […]
In their book, The Abundant Community: Awakening the Power of Families and Neighborhoods, authors, John McKnight and Peter Block, note that healthy or “competent” communities have three characteristics: First, they focus on the gifts of their members, their unique skills and abilities; Second, they foster and value cooperation; and Third, they offer hospitality and nurture. […]
I want to ask you to imagine that you are asleep in bed on a warm, spring night with a gentle breeze blowing through your bedroom window. Your peaceful slumber is interrupted, however, when the air becomes heavy with smoke. Once you come to your senses, you launch out of bed to look outside, where […]
[Editor’s Note: This is the first in what we hope will be a regular series of articles featuring research that is driving how we improve and manage the 100+ acres under our care.] Last year, a report came out providing concrete numbers for how to increase park usage. The report detailed the National Study of […]
Have you engaged in online forums, read news articles, or gotten a blast on social media letting you know how Covid-19 will affect you? Likely you’ve been on a computer in the past two months and have gone to specific websites to find out what you need to know in order to operate your *normal* […]
Turner Station is a hidden gem of Baltimore County with a history of pride and residents quick to promote its strengths. On March 9th, NeighborSpace acquired a 0.58-acre piece of triangular land on the northern border of the neighborhood. Having had the pleasure of speaking with two longtime residents and activists in the community, I […]
In a civilized society, people shouldn’t have to steal or grovel in order to have enough to eat. The social compact between the governed and their government should take care of that. But when that compact is strained … others must step up. In the 1930’s, a rather unusual court case came to pass in […]
I’ve done many things in my life, but none have made me feel more a part of a community than my work with NeighborSpace. By that, I mean, that getting to know and work side-by-side on common goals with so many of you – our supporters and partners in government, community associations, and other nonprofits […]
A failure to plan is a plan to fail. ~ Winston Churchill A year ago, I wrote an article in this publication recounting the findings of the 2019 Spending Affordability Report authored by a committee of the same name and chaired by first-district councilman, Tom Quirk. The report detailed a history in our County of […]
I had no clue what I would find at the 2020 Future Harvest Conference. Barbara felt my attendance would be valuable and we’ve been talking about the issue of Urban Farming for some time. I went to the conference with an open mind considering this to be a very broad, open-ended subject. Urban Farming can […]