Where What When

SNAP

SNAP (Strategic Neighborhood Action Plan) is a joint effort created three years ago by CHAI (Comprehensive Housing Assistance, Inc.), the Northwest Community Presidents Forum, representing the five community associations: Glen, Fallstaff, Cross Country, Cheswolde and Mt. Washington, and Baltimore City. The highly active SNAP Recreation and Green Space committee is committed to preserving, enhancing, and increasing access to existing open space and neighborhood recreational areas. As facilitator of this committee, CHAI recognizes the recreational needs of the Jewish community and the importance of revitalizing neighborhood parks for the enjoyment of local children and families and for the use of the entire community.

Under the auspices of SNAP, two large town meetings were held. Residents at those meetings indicated that a greenway trail along the Western Run stream was needed. This path system will link the five neighborhoods with important community assets such as schools, parks, commercial districts, and the Mt. Washington light rail. The city contributed $100,000 to hire a consultant, who met with each community association and held area-wide, community-based input meetings. Based on these meetings, the consultant came up with three options that residents are to select: improving existing conditions of the sidewalk along the south side of Cross Country Blvd and Kelly Avenue from Fallstaff Road to Mt. Washington Village; creating a six-foot sidewalk on the streamside between Cross Country Blvd. and the Western Run streambed, from Labyrinth Road to Pimlico Road; or laying an eight-foot paved bike path along Cross Country Blvd. and Kelly Avenue, from Pimlico Road to Mt. Washington Elementary School.

Residents of the five community associations can now voice their opinions on what option they think is the best by attending the third town meeting on January 16th at 7:00 p.m. at Cross Country Elementary School. Barry Kaminetz, CHAI’s Community Organizer says, “The subcommittee is very interested in hearing from the community members. We want to work with them to create a green space that everyone can enjoy. It’s important for residents who live in the area invest their time to ensuring the future of their neighborhoods.”

Based on the renewed interest in the Western Run Stream, CHAI and SNAP volunteers formed a new partnership with the Jones Fall Watershed Association with the purpose of monitoring the water quality of the stream and to form a volunteer group that would perform regular stream cleanups as well as other community building projects throughout the year.

This same SNAP subcommittee, along with CHAI and Friends of Luckman Park, are working on measures to help the entire community become involved in keeping Luckman Park (opposite the Glen Avenue firehouse) in good condition. Through increased advertising and programming, including Sunday activities so the Orthodox community can participate, the Committee expects to educate more residents about the resources that the park has to offer.

Another SNAP initiative is the Fallstaff Green Schoolyard Project at Fallstaff Elementary School, presenting a perfect opportunity to link repairs to a damaged schoolyard with environmental education and community involvement, and opening the area to unrestricted community use. CHAI is designing a landscape concept plan that includes the removal of almost one-acre of asphalt to be replaced with bay-friendly gardens with rain barrels, sundials, student art, reading circles, and a bio-retention rain garden, while leaving green open space for unstructured children’s play. In addition to these green space projects, a new schoolyard was just completed at Cross Country Elementary School, which is also open to the public.

To learn more about CHAI and SNAP and how you can get involved, log onto www.chaibaltimore.org or call 410-466-1990.

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Article List - January 2007