TGR: Historic West Baltimore TOWN HALL Meeting Set for Tonight at Sharon
By Doni Glover, www.bmorenews.com
(BALTIMORE – April 28, 2009) – Are you concerned about the proliferation of gang activity in Historic West Baltimore? Do you fear for your child and what he or she might have to endure during a day at a school like William Hugo Lemmel Middle School?
Let me pose this: Are the vacant and dilapidated edifices in your community more than an eyesore? Do you ever wonder why so many houses are empty in West Baltimore, yet other neighborhoods in the city seem to have it going on?
And what of the businesses? After all, Historic West Baltimore’s Pennsylvania Avenue used to be the mecca and quintessential model of what black business once accomplished back in the 1940’s and 50’s.
Since then, it’s as if the community has taken a hiatus and is seemingly void of any constructive activities. The past half-century has seen monumental urban flight where we, as a black people, have found solace in Woodlawn, Randallstown, and Owings Mills. Today, there are now generations of blacks with roots in Baltimore County.
And who wouldn’t rather live out off Owings Mills Boulevard as opposed to North Avenue? Where North Avenue is tainted with rats and drug vials and neglect, Owings Mills is instead characterized by foxes, deer and rabbits grazing in suburban sprawl.
However, a few weary but brave souls remain in Historic West Baltimore, including in Sandtown-Winchester, Druid Heights – the new modern-day example of excellence in urban transformation, Greater and Southern Mondawmin, Upton, and Penn-North. Unmoved by the attraction of the county, they choose instead to rehab houses, clean-up dirty alleys, plant gardens, and call the man on drug dealers on their corner.
Call it a situation of class if you want. Many of the city’s Westside residents could, however, live anywhere they so choose. Yet, for any number of reasons, they choose to live in the vicinity of Pennsylvania Avenue, West Franklin Street, Warwick Avenue, Reisterstown Road and North Avenue. And they tend to believe that it’s not where one lives, but how one lives. For some odd reason, some tend to have the audacity to think that there is still some beauty – beauty worth investing in – right here in the heart of the ‘hood.
Tonight, we’ll talk about these and other issues at the TOWN HALL Meeting at Sharon Baptist Church, 1373 North Stricker Street in Historic West Baltimore from 6 to 8 pm. Representatives of various Baltimore City agencies will be present.
FMI, call Doni Glover at 443.858.2684.
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