When ground is broken at Radebaugh Park on August 28, 2018, the Green Towson Alliance will celebrate the new neighborhood park and the collaborative partnership that made it happen. Radebaugh Park will give families and neighbors a green, natural environment where they may enjoy trees, nature and a peaceful setting. At the groundbreaking ceremony, GTA volunteers, the Radebaugh family, community members and Baltimore County officials will celebrate the commencement of construction that will bring this park to fruition.
The Groundbreaking ceremony will take place at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, August 28, at the entrance to Radebaugh Park located at 11 Maryland Avenue, Towson, Maryland. Radebaugh Park, which will be enjoyed by the Aigburth Manor, Knollwood/Donnybrook, Burkleigh Square, and Towson Manor Village communities, is scheduled to open to the public in 2019.
“The proposal to create this park and the founding of Green Towson Alliance came around the same time in the spring of 2015. Neighborhood parks and green space are a huge part of what GTA is all about,” states Beth Miller, an original member of GTA.
“So many people were involved in making this new park a reality,” Miller continues. “The Radebaugh family, who offered the property rather than selling it to a developer; our state legislators, Delegate Steve Lafferty and Senator Jim Brochin, who secured bond money from the state to finance the demolition and grading; Councilman David Marks, who championed the park with the administration; Baltimore County, which bought the land; and all of the community members who shared their ideas and dreams of a park that everyone could enjoy all played key roles.”
“Under the direction of our late County Executive Kevin Kamenetz, Baltimore County applied for and received state Open Space funding to help buy the land,” says Dr. Carol Newill, another GTA co-founder. “We worked closely with the county on how it could purchase the property, and its plans to grade the land.”
“As a result, Radebaugh Park will not be bulldozed into a flat area, but instead will be sculpted into curves and will include a bioswale for rainwater to drain into the western branch of the Herring Run, which is near the property,” adds Newill. “We are grateful that Baltimore County, current County Executive Don Mohler, and our legislators have gone the extra mile to work with us to create a peaceful and beautiful place for neighbors to gather and enjoy nature.”
Radebaugh Park was the site of greenhouses run by the Radebaugh family, which still operates its decades-old nursery and florist business in this Towson neighborhood. The Radebaughs got to know the families who were their neighbors, and after relocating their greenhouses decided to sell this surplus property to Baltimore County to be used as a neighborhood park.
GTA and Councilman Marks co-sponsored the Community Input meeting about the park in December, 2016. Barry Williams, Director of Baltimore County Department of Recreation and Parks, also attended. At that meeting, neighbors said they wanted the park to have large shade trees, walking paths, and flowers in honor of the Radebaugh family. Working in conjunction with its partners, GTA doggedly pursued the park to make it happen.
Radebaugh Park will be accessible for individuals who have physical challenges. Neighbors may walk or bike to the park to enjoy time there.