The Harris Creek Watershed consists of two Parks,Clifton Park and Patterson Park as well as 16 Neighborhoods. These are as follows,
Darley Park
South Clifton Park
Four by Four
Oliver
Broadway East
Berea
Biddle Street
Middle East
Milton-Montford
Madison Eastend
McElderry Park
Patterson Place
Butchers Hill
Baltimore Linwood
Canton
Ellwood Park/Monument
These Neighborhoods will be visited by Phillip Stafford (Parks and People Foundation) and Ray Bahr (BHWA) in the month of January 2010. Input from the Survey Questionnaires will be obtained. 2-4 Stakeholders from these Neighborhoods will be asked to attend our First Workshop to be held Saturday February 13 9-12 at St.Casimir's Hall in Canton.
Ray Bahr BHWA
The Journey to the Harris Creek Watershed Plan
Creating Community by promoting Justice
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Completing the First Leg of the Harris Creek Watershed Project
The Strategy from the beginning for the Stormwater Project in the Harris Creek Watershed was to not only educate the residents about Trash and Pollution and the implementation of Best Management Practices,but also to deeply engage the residents by identifing Issues that were more of a concern to them.Many of these Issues had to do with Environmental Injustice. An example here is the pollution of a stormwater drain located at the Baltimore Recycling Plant. This Business recieves the demolition material from the houses being torn down North of Johns Hopkins to make way for new development. MDE was notified and after inspection,found the Plant to be in Violation and as a result now requires certain conditions to be carried out while undergoing periodic inspection. The Community Associations in the 17 Neighborhoods in the Harris Creek Watershed noticed this accomplishment. The more deeply the Project gets involved like this,the more chance we have of giving Sustainabilty to the Project.
The Masterplan continues.............We worked with the Environmental Justice Partnership at Johns Hoplkins to set up the Watershed Project at the Community Outreach Stand at the Northeast Market, both in November and December and were successful in obtaining more than 100 completed Questionnaires on the Harris Creek Watershed. Incidentally,this was the exact Questionnaire given out by the DPW at the recent educational conference at the Rowing Club. We are trying to see if we can add the DPW completed ones to our numbers. The next step is to present what we are doing in the Watershed Project to all of the 17 Community Asssociation Meetings in January. We plan to get more Community Input through handing out and completing the Watershed Questionnaire. At these meetings,we will try and identify Stakeholders that will come to our First Workshop scheduled for Saturday Feb.13,2010 at St.Casimir's in Canton. The Center for Watershed Protection will be responsible for setting up the Program Agenda for this Meeting. The Parks nd People Foundation will gather up all the Questionnaires (hopefully 600-800) and subject them to Analysis for Presentation at the Workshop. The Department of Public Works will be asked to participate as a Partner. This is being coordinated by the Batimore Harbor Watershed Association.
This Workshop,as well as several others to follow will enable us to write a Stormwater Plan for the Harris Creek Watershed and will thus complete the First Leg of the Journey to reduce significantly Trash and Pollution coming out of the Harris Creek Outflow Drain located on Boston Steet next to the Anchorage Towers. Presently,we are collecting 5 Tons of Trash each month. If we are successful here,we can take this Model around to the other 26 Outlets in the Baltimore Harbor and one day see a Healthy and Clean Harbor that is fishable and Swimmable.
We are proud that the BHWA is in sight of seeing the First Leg of the Harris Creek Watershed Stormwater Project completed. Thanks to Phillip Stafford from Parks and People Foundation and Donna Kirsh from the Baltimore Harbor Watershed Association for contributing so much to make this dream possible. Raymond D.Bahr MD Coordinator of the Harris Creek Watershed Project.
The Masterplan continues.............We worked with the Environmental Justice Partnership at Johns Hoplkins to set up the Watershed Project at the Community Outreach Stand at the Northeast Market, both in November and December and were successful in obtaining more than 100 completed Questionnaires on the Harris Creek Watershed. Incidentally,this was the exact Questionnaire given out by the DPW at the recent educational conference at the Rowing Club. We are trying to see if we can add the DPW completed ones to our numbers. The next step is to present what we are doing in the Watershed Project to all of the 17 Community Asssociation Meetings in January. We plan to get more Community Input through handing out and completing the Watershed Questionnaire. At these meetings,we will try and identify Stakeholders that will come to our First Workshop scheduled for Saturday Feb.13,2010 at St.Casimir's in Canton. The Center for Watershed Protection will be responsible for setting up the Program Agenda for this Meeting. The Parks nd People Foundation will gather up all the Questionnaires (hopefully 600-800) and subject them to Analysis for Presentation at the Workshop. The Department of Public Works will be asked to participate as a Partner. This is being coordinated by the Batimore Harbor Watershed Association.
This Workshop,as well as several others to follow will enable us to write a Stormwater Plan for the Harris Creek Watershed and will thus complete the First Leg of the Journey to reduce significantly Trash and Pollution coming out of the Harris Creek Outflow Drain located on Boston Steet next to the Anchorage Towers. Presently,we are collecting 5 Tons of Trash each month. If we are successful here,we can take this Model around to the other 26 Outlets in the Baltimore Harbor and one day see a Healthy and Clean Harbor that is fishable and Swimmable.
We are proud that the BHWA is in sight of seeing the First Leg of the Harris Creek Watershed Stormwater Project completed. Thanks to Phillip Stafford from Parks and People Foundation and Donna Kirsh from the Baltimore Harbor Watershed Association for contributing so much to make this dream possible. Raymond D.Bahr MD Coordinator of the Harris Creek Watershed Project.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Harris Creek Watershed Strategy
The initial Department of Public Works Grant to the Baltimore Harbor Watershed Association was to develop a Stormwater Management Plan for reducing Trash and Pollution in the Watershed. We had an advantage in that we had a Trash Interceptor at the Outflow which was collecting 5 tons of Trash each month. The Therapy for this problem was to implement BMPs or Best Management Practices ( success stories learned from the Watershed 263 Project) throughout the 17 neighborhoods and two Parks in Watershed 246 (Harris Creek Watershed). The initial Grant was to contract with Parks and People Foundation and do the "people phase" of the Project. We were to develop a way to identify Stakeholders from the neighborhoods,get input from the residents through a Survey Questionnaire,educate Community Associations about the Stormwater Problem and finally to get adequate representation from the 17 neighborhoods to engage in several Workshops that would allow for the development of a Stormwater Plan for the Harris Creek Watershe. The Workshops were part of the second phase and wre to be funded through a Grant from the Chesapeake Bay Trust Fund and the Service to be performed by the Center for Watershed Protection in collaboration with the Parks and Peolple Foundation,the Baltimore City Department of Public Works and coordinated through the efforts of the Baltimore Harbor Watershed Association.
The Survey Questionnaire has been perfected and has been completed by about 400 persons so far. We are anticipating 700-800 at the completion date (end of January 2010).At that time,we will begin our Workshops (second week in February) and these will lead to the development of a Stormwater Management Plan for the Harris Creek Watershed.
We have benefitted greatly during this Journey through the efforts of Donna Kirsh (BHWA) who has been able to obtain the second Grant as well as another small Grant for the Harris Creek Park. We have interacted with many Groups working within our Watershed and have benefitted fom theis advice as well as help. We realized right from the beginning that Education and Knowledge was not enough to change behavior of the citizens within the Watershed......and that which was needed was a "change in culture" and this was going to be a real challenge. We were helped a great deal from the symposiul on Humane Metropolis Baltimore....that Key Elements needed to be present to bring about a Culture Change.....and that Cities needed to become more GREEN;to protect and restore urban biodiversity and ecological services....more HEALTHY;to promote outdoor exercise and fitness,reduce respiratory threats....more SAFE;to reduce crime rates,lower risk of fire,floods and other hazards.....more EFFICIENT;to employ a better use of water,energy,materials etc.......more EQUITABLE; to embrace environmental and social justice,affordable housing,access to Jobs........more NEIGHBORLY; to foster Pride of Place and Community.
In addition to these six, Dr.Lenneal Henderson proposed that three additional characteristics of the New City develop.....these being CREATIVITY,COMMUNICATIVE and ARTISTIC for obvious reasons. The Goal of all of these was to Restore Nature within the Urban Regions. One could sum up this approach with the statement "Creating Community through Horticulture and Engaging Gathering Places. If we could get more people out more,engaging in community activities such as Community Gardens,get them talking to one another.......bringing out our Humanity,we could bring about Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods.......then problems such as Trash and Pollution could be addressed.
This is a step in the right direction that we have taken,but along the way we have encountered elements that need to be addressed.....some positive....some negative. The latter may include the distrust we have encountered that has as its basis the Environmental Injustice Practices in the Watershed over many years. These are real and we have to help in addressing and working to correct them if we want to change culture within the Watershed. On the other hand,we have come upon the emerging development of Hoop Agricultural Farming that potentially could provide a harvest of vegetables and fruits all year round that is locally and easily assessible....and could be placed at City Schools for School Children . This needs to be tested ,but has great potential. The Harris Creek Watershed is working with Civic Works to see if this can be accomplished in the Schools in the Harris Creek Watershed. As a result of our interest in Environmental Justice,we are forming a partnership with Environmental Justice Partnership.....and also trying to become a partner with Source for our Watershed Project at Johns Hopkins.
What is Important here is the Fact that this Project becomes more that just a Stormwater Project,but one of trying to Improve the Quality of Life for the residents in the Watershed and that can only come if we approach the Project as a "Work in Progress" and be open to discuss all Issues and put them all on the Table. We become better persons in the Process. We have more to do and more roads to travel.The Direction we now know is Clear.
Respectfully,Raymond D.Bahr MD Coordinator Harris Creek Watershed Project
Baltimore Harbor Watershed Association
The Survey Questionnaire has been perfected and has been completed by about 400 persons so far. We are anticipating 700-800 at the completion date (end of January 2010).At that time,we will begin our Workshops (second week in February) and these will lead to the development of a Stormwater Management Plan for the Harris Creek Watershed.
We have benefitted greatly during this Journey through the efforts of Donna Kirsh (BHWA) who has been able to obtain the second Grant as well as another small Grant for the Harris Creek Park. We have interacted with many Groups working within our Watershed and have benefitted fom theis advice as well as help. We realized right from the beginning that Education and Knowledge was not enough to change behavior of the citizens within the Watershed......and that which was needed was a "change in culture" and this was going to be a real challenge. We were helped a great deal from the symposiul on Humane Metropolis Baltimore....that Key Elements needed to be present to bring about a Culture Change.....and that Cities needed to become more GREEN;to protect and restore urban biodiversity and ecological services....more HEALTHY;to promote outdoor exercise and fitness,reduce respiratory threats....more SAFE;to reduce crime rates,lower risk of fire,floods and other hazards.....more EFFICIENT;to employ a better use of water,energy,materials etc.......more EQUITABLE; to embrace environmental and social justice,affordable housing,access to Jobs........more NEIGHBORLY; to foster Pride of Place and Community.
In addition to these six, Dr.Lenneal Henderson proposed that three additional characteristics of the New City develop.....these being CREATIVITY,COMMUNICATIVE and ARTISTIC for obvious reasons. The Goal of all of these was to Restore Nature within the Urban Regions. One could sum up this approach with the statement "Creating Community through Horticulture and Engaging Gathering Places. If we could get more people out more,engaging in community activities such as Community Gardens,get them talking to one another.......bringing out our Humanity,we could bring about Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods.......then problems such as Trash and Pollution could be addressed.
This is a step in the right direction that we have taken,but along the way we have encountered elements that need to be addressed.....some positive....some negative. The latter may include the distrust we have encountered that has as its basis the Environmental Injustice Practices in the Watershed over many years. These are real and we have to help in addressing and working to correct them if we want to change culture within the Watershed. On the other hand,we have come upon the emerging development of Hoop Agricultural Farming that potentially could provide a harvest of vegetables and fruits all year round that is locally and easily assessible....and could be placed at City Schools for School Children . This needs to be tested ,but has great potential. The Harris Creek Watershed is working with Civic Works to see if this can be accomplished in the Schools in the Harris Creek Watershed. As a result of our interest in Environmental Justice,we are forming a partnership with Environmental Justice Partnership.....and also trying to become a partner with Source for our Watershed Project at Johns Hopkins.
What is Important here is the Fact that this Project becomes more that just a Stormwater Project,but one of trying to Improve the Quality of Life for the residents in the Watershed and that can only come if we approach the Project as a "Work in Progress" and be open to discuss all Issues and put them all on the Table. We become better persons in the Process. We have more to do and more roads to travel.The Direction we now know is Clear.
Respectfully,Raymond D.Bahr MD Coordinator Harris Creek Watershed Project
Baltimore Harbor Watershed Association
Friday, November 27, 2009
Baltimore City Paper: CPTV: Hoop Dreams
Baltimore City Paper: CPTV: Hoop Dreams
This is part of the Harris Creek Watershed of the Baltimore Harbor Watershed and the Plan is to utilize this concept of Hoop Greenhouses throughout the Harris reek Watershed.
Ray Bahr Coordiator Harris Creek Watershed tormwater Project
This is part of the Harris Creek Watershed of the Baltimore Harbor Watershed and the Plan is to utilize this concept of Hoop Greenhouses throughout the Harris reek Watershed.
Ray Bahr Coordiator Harris Creek Watershed tormwater Project
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Thanksgiving Day as a time to Justice in the World
Thanksging is a warm Holiday of Remembrances as we fill our stomachs with a standard menu (not to be touched with),then sit back in soft armchairs and doze off to short periods of sleep as we watch endless football games of little significance.......but it is also a Time to reflect and think about those Not So Blessed.......those Struggling,many times through no fault of their own.......Poverty is a real issue in America today.....it is often said that for many Americans,they still live in a third world country........in some way or other,our Humaness needs to reach out to these fellow Americans and World People. How we do it and how often will depend on many factors and has to be individualized........but we need to do so for these needy people....not just for them.....but to restore our own Humanity.
Perhaps,another thought that needs to come to mind is that "bad things happen to poor people"....... and this is something that we do wrong and need to correct. This should not happen,and when it does we need to quickly speak up and speak out to the wrongful actions. I am talking here about Environmental Injustice. Affected communities are taken advantage of and lose TRUST and become suspicious when even good programs for their communities are presented. This is what we found when we tried to develop. a Watershed Stormwater Project to reduce Trash and Pollution flowing into the Baltimore Harbor.
Enough said,we concluded that before we could develop the Stormwater Project,we must first find out from the residents the true issues confronting them and work to improve these conditions as well. Strong neighborhoods and stakeholders are needed so when challenged will be a factor in restoring Baltimore. The Improvement in the Quality of Life for residents in these neighborhoods will then enable a successful Stormwater Project,such as the Harris Creek Watershed Plan ,to become a reality.
This is what we are finding in this "Work in Progress". What are your Thoughts?
Raymond D.Bahr MD Coordinator Harris Creek Watershed (246) Project BHWA
Perhaps,another thought that needs to come to mind is that "bad things happen to poor people"....... and this is something that we do wrong and need to correct. This should not happen,and when it does we need to quickly speak up and speak out to the wrongful actions. I am talking here about Environmental Injustice. Affected communities are taken advantage of and lose TRUST and become suspicious when even good programs for their communities are presented. This is what we found when we tried to develop. a Watershed Stormwater Project to reduce Trash and Pollution flowing into the Baltimore Harbor.
Enough said,we concluded that before we could develop the Stormwater Project,we must first find out from the residents the true issues confronting them and work to improve these conditions as well. Strong neighborhoods and stakeholders are needed so when challenged will be a factor in restoring Baltimore. The Improvement in the Quality of Life for residents in these neighborhoods will then enable a successful Stormwater Project,such as the Harris Creek Watershed Plan ,to become a reality.
This is what we are finding in this "Work in Progress". What are your Thoughts?
Raymond D.Bahr MD Coordinator Harris Creek Watershed (246) Project BHWA
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Recognition of Patterson Park Top 12 Great Parks in the United States
Congratulations to Tim Almaguer and the Friends of Patterson Park for getting on the Forbes List for the Top 12 Great Parks in the United States. What an Achievement! WOW! The amount of Time, Effort and Commitment over the last 10 years has been Phenomenal. Citizens of Baltimore need to take time to recognize this,stand and applaud.
The Harris Creek Watershed Association is Proud that Patterson Park lies within its Watershed. Not only is it in it,but in many days long ago,it had a more intimate relationship. It was at the Northern part of Harris Creek that William Patterson had a six acre farm. There were two large steams that met just North of the Park to form a Major Stream that gave way to the Harris Creek that eventually flowed into the Baltimore Harbor along Boston Street in Canton. Harris Creek in 1797 had two large Boat Yards and it was at the Stodder Boat Yard where the famous Frigate Constillation was built as well as many Clipper Ships that played havoc with the British in the War of 1812.
We are trying to clean up the Harris Creek Watershed these days with a Stormwater Project that aims to reduce Trash and Pollution from going into the Baltimore Harbor. We are Proud of our Heritage....Proud of Harris Creek.....and even more Proud of Patterson Park after getting this recognition. Thanks Tim and Friends of Patterson Park. We appreciate your Effort.
Best,Raymond D.Bahr MD Baltimore Harbor Watershed Association
The Harris Creek Watershed Association is Proud that Patterson Park lies within its Watershed. Not only is it in it,but in many days long ago,it had a more intimate relationship. It was at the Northern part of Harris Creek that William Patterson had a six acre farm. There were two large steams that met just North of the Park to form a Major Stream that gave way to the Harris Creek that eventually flowed into the Baltimore Harbor along Boston Street in Canton. Harris Creek in 1797 had two large Boat Yards and it was at the Stodder Boat Yard where the famous Frigate Constillation was built as well as many Clipper Ships that played havoc with the British in the War of 1812.
We are trying to clean up the Harris Creek Watershed these days with a Stormwater Project that aims to reduce Trash and Pollution from going into the Baltimore Harbor. We are Proud of our Heritage....Proud of Harris Creek.....and even more Proud of Patterson Park after getting this recognition. Thanks Tim and Friends of Patterson Park. We appreciate your Effort.
Best,Raymond D.Bahr MD Baltimore Harbor Watershed Association
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Moving ahead with the Harris Creek Watershed Project
The easiest part of doing this Project is to Educate about Trash and Implement Best Management Practices for dealing with excessive runoff from Stormwater. There are 17 neighborhoods in the Harris Creek Watershed that goes from Clifton Park to the Baltimore Harbor in Canton at the Outflow Drain located just across from the Safeway. However doing the Project this way only would wind up as a Failure. There are a lot of Issues in these neighborhoods that are more Important than Stormwater Management. These Issues need to part of the Equation in solving the Trash and Pollution Problem.
The medium earned Income is about $45,000 in the Canton area and this decreases to about $10,000 as one goes North. The Unemployment Rate is about 6% in the Canton area and rises to about 30% as one goes North. This translates to neighborhoods having Poverty Issues that results in an increase in the Illegal Drug Trading and the Violence and Homicide that goes with this trend. Humanity gets lost and there is a sense of Hopelessness. Homes become neglected and vacant. Dumping of trash in alleys and on vacant lots occur, setting the scene for rat infestation.
Residents become suspicious of outsiders,especially developers and urban planners. Trust is lost and becomes an obstacle preventing any meaningful discussion about a Stormwater Project.
Yet despite these shortcomings,all is not lost. Residents are still fellow human beings that seemingly have lost temporarily their humanity. Needed is a developing fellowship based on an understanding that Projects become sensitive in working to become more aware of the many issues confronting a neighborhood.
Yes,we will continue in the Watershed 246 Project or the Harris Creek Watershed Project,but we will tread lightly as we attempt to find ways to get back this Community Trust, so very much needed to engage deeply the Stakeholders that will help us in connecting Neighborhoods ......and use this as a Bridging Force to bring back a Live Baltimore.
Help us to understand what we have to do to unite and ignite the Neighborhoods in this Effort.
Respectfully,Raymond D.Bahr Baltimore Harbor Watershed Association
The medium earned Income is about $45,000 in the Canton area and this decreases to about $10,000 as one goes North. The Unemployment Rate is about 6% in the Canton area and rises to about 30% as one goes North. This translates to neighborhoods having Poverty Issues that results in an increase in the Illegal Drug Trading and the Violence and Homicide that goes with this trend. Humanity gets lost and there is a sense of Hopelessness. Homes become neglected and vacant. Dumping of trash in alleys and on vacant lots occur, setting the scene for rat infestation.
Residents become suspicious of outsiders,especially developers and urban planners. Trust is lost and becomes an obstacle preventing any meaningful discussion about a Stormwater Project.
Yet despite these shortcomings,all is not lost. Residents are still fellow human beings that seemingly have lost temporarily their humanity. Needed is a developing fellowship based on an understanding that Projects become sensitive in working to become more aware of the many issues confronting a neighborhood.
Yes,we will continue in the Watershed 246 Project or the Harris Creek Watershed Project,but we will tread lightly as we attempt to find ways to get back this Community Trust, so very much needed to engage deeply the Stakeholders that will help us in connecting Neighborhoods ......and use this as a Bridging Force to bring back a Live Baltimore.
Help us to understand what we have to do to unite and ignite the Neighborhoods in this Effort.
Respectfully,Raymond D.Bahr Baltimore Harbor Watershed Association
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