Waterfront park in works for Middle Branch

A new waterfront park is in the works on South Baltimore's Middle Branch. The National Aquarium unveiled the artist's rendering above at a ceremonial seeding of the park Monday. Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and other dignitaries donned gardening gloves and tossed handfulls of grass seed onto the bare riverbank.

They did that instead of the traditional ground-breaking no doubt because the 7-acre site is to be "greened up" instead of built upon. But sticking shovels in the ground also would have disturbed the layer of clean dirt that contractors have spread after removing 7,500 tons of contaminated soil and debris.The park is part of a 20-acre tract the city once used as a vehicle garage and yard, which left the soil tainted with heavy metals, polyaromatic hydrocarbons and other contaminants. The riverbank was built up with debris from the construction of Interstate 95 and other building projects.

When the park is finished next spring, it will feature trails, a pier and overlooks to take in the waterfront views. It's another step in the slow revitalization of this long-neglected area of South Baltimore. Farther west by the Westport light-rail stop, a new mixed-use development is in the early stages of development.

Assuming all goes as planned, in a few years, many more people will be living and recreating along the Middle Branch. Maybe the water will get a makeover, too, as it's still fouled with trash, sewage overflows and storm-water runoff washing pet waste, oil and other pollutants from city streets and parking lots.

(Baltimore Sun photo by Karl Merton Ferron)

Waterfront park in works for Middle Branch

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