Robert E Lee Park Reopening

Robert E Lee Park is reopening on October 14, 2011, and a big day full of activities is planned for Saturday, October 15.

One of the new big draws will be the new Dog Park, called “Paw Point at Robert E. Lee Park” which will have memberships available to dogs (through their owners, of course). Right now, you can apply for a membership for $35 for a year of Paw Point, which includes two dog tags, unlimited daytime use of the facilities, and water access. Here is a link to the pre-registration application.

The official ceremony for the opening of the park is Friday, October 14, 2011 at 11:30am.

On Saturday, October 15, 2011 from 11-3, the Robert E. Lee Park Nature Council will be holding a celebration with nature walks, hiking, tours, bike and canoe tours.  You’ll have to sign up around 11am. There will be fun activities for kids, local school bands will be playing, and local vendors will be selling food and drink.

There will be free parking at the Falls Road Light Rail lot, where you enter the park on its’ new boardwalk, and there is a new Lakeside Drive lot at the Falls Road entrance as well. See the Ruxton-Riderwood-Lake Roland Improvement Association’s website for more details.

Rain date is Sunday, October 16.

So come on out to Baltimore County for nature, food, and fun for the family!

Sheppard Pratt House in Ruxton

As of April 28, 2011, Sheppard Pratt now owns the house at 1506 LaBelle Avenue, according to a letter sent to the Ruxton-Riderwood-Lake Roland Area Improvement Association by Bonnie B. Katz, Vice President Business Development and Support Operations at Sheppard Pratt Health System.

The sale of this house to the institution has created a lot of backlash and speculation because of Sheppard Pratt’s intended use of the property.

The intended use for the house, according to a letter from Sheppard Pratt to the RRLRAIA is to:

provide living arrangements for individuals who are transitioning from their treatment stays at The Retreat at Sheppard Pratt (a concierge level of care program for people seeking voluntary, privately funded treatment for mental health problems), and who wish to stay in the area to extend their outpatient treatment with the Retreat. Both the Retreat and this community residence are/will be occupied by affluent individuals who chose to receive services in elegantly appointed surroundings.

The RRLRAIA takes issue with the fact that due to the nature of the center, it will apparently not have to go through traditional Baltimore County Zoning Laws (for example, current Baltimore County zoning law prevents more than three unrelated people from living together in a non-commercially zoned house or condo, but would not apply in this situation because it will be licensed as a small group home through the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene).

Kathy Frederick Palencar, Zoning Committee Chair for the RRLRAIA neighborhood association wrote an editorial to the Baltimore Sun in response to the concern:

We believe that this sale is nothing more than another commercial transaction which should be subject to the traditional zoning process. For Sheppard Pratt to hide behind the protections of federal disability laws is disingenuous. Patients benefitting {sic} from this particular treatment program pay out-of-pocket $2,000 a day; it is a “retreat” in every sense of the word. This high-end program is not a treatment program supported by insurers or Medicare, it is a for-profit business.

We do not dispute the need for such a program, but we do dispute the characterization of this facility as anything other than a for-profit business that more appropriately belongs on the Sheppard Pratt campus. As such we are working with our legislative representatives to seek a solution.

On April 20, 2011, Sheppard Pratt held a public meeting, where Delegate Bill Frank, Nancy Surosky from County Executive Kevin Kamenetz’s office, and County Council representatives, Vicki Almond and David Marks were in attendance, and were addressed by Ms. Palencar in a prepared statement.

There is a website and a facebook page devoted to stopping “The Retreat” in Ruxton, created by neighbors vehemently opposed to the planned use of the house.

Dumpster Day at Riderwood Elementary School

The Ruxton-Riderwood-Lake Roland Area Improvement Association (RRLRAIA) has their annual Dumpster Day this Saturday, April 30, 2011 from 8am-noon at Riderwood Elementary School.

Not only will there be a Dumpster, but The Loading Dock will be there to accept building materials like cabinetry, lighting fixtures, and flooring materials for reuse instead of dumping.

Goodwill will also be there to accept donations!!!!

So if you live in the area, clean out your closets, your garage, your shed, your attic, and make it to Riderwood Elementary on Saturday morning, and donate and dump to clean out your Towson house!

Ruxton-Riderwood-Lake Roland Area Improvement Association Holiday Party In The WoodsDecember 18, 2010

The Ruxton-Riderwood-Lake Roland Area Improvement Association (RRLRAIA) has its’ annual Holiday Party In the Woods scheduled for Saturday, December 18, 2010 from 4-6 pm.

If you live in Towson in the neighborhoods in the Association, you are invited to join in! Last year’s Holiday in the Woods party was snowed out with our first two foot accumulating storm on December 19, 2009.

Hopefully this year will happen & all can come enjoy!

There will be a visit from Santa, caroling, and good times with neighbors.

The party is located at the Olde Rugby Field in Ruxton between Robert E. Lee Park & the Light Rail (make sure to park on L’Hirondelle Club Road).

Make sure to wear boots, dress warmly, and leave your pets at home! Bring a flashlight — it will be dark!!!!

Ruxton-Riderwood-Lake Roland Improvement Association 2010 Annual Meeting

The Ruxton-Riderwood-Lake Roland Improvement Association has its’ annual meeting and election of the Board of Directors on Thursday, September 23, 2010 at 7 pm at the new West Towson Elementary School.

Tours of the new West Towson Elementary School will be given to members prior to the meeting at 6:30 pm.

Also, principal Susan Hershfeld will share news of what students will be experiencing this year at the new school.

The annual meeting should have discussion on the 2020 Ruxton Area Community Plan that was presented at Blakehurst on the 13th, and will have the election of the new Board of Directors for the upcoming year.

So come learn about the RRLRIA and what it can and has done for our Towson neighborhoods!

Ruxton-Riderwood-Lake Roland Area Community Plan

The Ruxton-Riderwood-Lake Roland Area Community Plan for 2010 is underway, and now the committee is asking for feedback on the proposed plan.

The Community Plan input meeting is to be held September 13, 2010 at 7 pm at Blakehurst Retirement Community in Towson, 1055 West Joppa Road.

This Ruxton area community plan is due to be adopted by the Baltimore County Master Plan 2020.

Much of the new Ruxton-Riderwood-Lake Roland area plan involves the continuation of the expansion of Bare Hills on Falls Rd with park space, more buildings, and mixed-use capacity, plus large sidewalks to make a walkable-moveable friendly area where you don’t need a car to get around, and people should be able to avoid being struck by vehicles due to safety precautions.

The Jones Falls Valley Trail is in the plans to be expanded with more biking and hiking trails to people to enjoy.

Historic Preservation of areas such as the Scott Settlement area are addressed, as are Commercial areas for better access in & out for consumers’ use.

If you have ideas or thoughts on the Ruxton-Riderwood-Lake Roland Area Community Plan, make sure you are there on Monday, September 13, 2010 at 7 pm. A lot of hard work has been put into this, but they are looking for suggestions for improvement!

Help make our Towson neighborhoods even better places to live!

Ruxton Riderwood Lake Roland Community Plan Meeting

The Ruxton Riderwood Lake Roland community is having an input and community plan meeting on Wednesday, July 14, 2010.

The meeting will be held at 7:30 pm at Blakehurst Retirement Community.

Blakehurst is located at 1055 West Joppa Road, Towson, MD 21204.

From the RRLAIA Neighborhood News:

The Plan identifies areas in need of improvement and locations in need of preservation. The wide variety of topics include traffic, schools, public safety, development, open space, bike and pedestrian routes and much more.

I look forward to seeing and hearing more of the Ruxton Riderwood Lake Roland Community Plan to even better our wonderful Towson neighborhoods.

Architectural Walking Tour of Sheppard Pratt in Towson

Wednesday, July 7, 2010 at 9:30 am, there will be an architectural walking tour of Sheppard Pratt in Towson.

Carol Allen, the President of Historic Towson, Inc. will lead the tour around the historic property.

Historic Towson, Inc. is a non-profit organization that is

“dedicated to preserving the architectural heritage of the community. It works with individuals, neighborhood associations and business to foster an awareness of historic preservation and to find methods to make it possible.”

Historic Towson, Inc. almost shuttered a few months ago.

This is being held in conjunction with the Ruxton-Riderwood-Lake-Roland-Improvement-Association and is one of the many things both organizations have to offer Towson residents.

Join in on Wednesday morning and find out about historic Towson and the old buildings that make up Sheppard Pratt’s rich background.

Thornton Road Construction in Towson

If you drive by the area of Thornton Road and West Joppa Rd, you most likely have noticed (or been stuck in traffic) because of the Thornton Road Construction in Towson.

Searching the Baltimore County Government site, I wasn’t able to come up with much information, “Thornton Road Construction” sends me to this page, where I see information about the Thornton Mill Bridge overpass by Western Run which is in Cockeysville.

I also found an old article from the Towson Times by Lori Ingraham from 2003, when that major construction on West Joppa bridge crossing over 695 was happening. In the article, she states:

The project will also provide a continuous sidewalk on Thornton Road, and landscaped stormwater management facilities in the area. And the bridges will be more “aesthetically pleasing,” according to SHA.

I do not believe that happened yet, so I wonder if this is the continuation/end of this project. New sidewalks have been installed across the street from the Royal Farm. I also found from the Ruxton Riderwood Lake Roland Area Improvement Association information about a possible bike path (action 5.2a) on Thornton Road from Timonium Rd to Joppa Rd.

It has been causing delays as people come south on Thornton to go to West Joppa Rd, as many times there are sign people and one lane open at a time. If I get more information, I will share this with you!

East Ruxton and West Towson Neighborhood Walk April 14

The Ruxton-Riderwood-Lake Roland Area Improvement Association announced the East Ruxton and West Towson Neighborhood walk on Wednesday April 14, 2010 from 9:30-11 am.

Participants will meet at the Baltimore County Board of Education located at 6901 North Charles Street, Towson, MD 21204. The entrance and parking lot is off Greenwood Road, which runs from West Joppa Rd to North Charles St.

The West Towson neighborhood tour will include areas known as Kalmia Park, Greenwood Meadows, Gunners Range, and Chestnut Hills.

The tour will highlight “historic properties from the 18th century Gott family land grant as well as many handsome 19th century estates owned by Towson’s first wealthy industrialists”, according to the RRLRAIA Spring Newsletter.

Dogs are welcomed if they are leashed.

Enjoy the spring weather and learn more about this great West Towson neighborhood!

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