Your leadership has greatly impacted Baltimore ’ s waterfront , particularly in community engagement . Can you share how initiatives like the Rash Field Skate Park and the Baltimore Blueway have strengthened the connection between the waterfront and the local community ?
One of the most rewarding parts of our work has been how much of it stems directly from listening to the community . For instance , the Rash Field Skate Park wasn ’ t originally part of our plans , but when the community spoke up about wanting a skate park , we embraced the idea . Now , it ’ s one of the most popular features at the waterfront , especially among young people who otherwise might not have visited . As for the Baltimore Blueway , that really emerged from the success we ’ ve had cleaning up the harbor . Our team monitors the water quality levels and researched what worked for kayak trails in other cities . Once the water became clean enough for recreational use , we heard a lot of excitement from the community around kayaking and paddleboarding , and that led to the creation of the Blueway . It truly speaks to what we can achieve when we work handin-hand with the community to shape these spaces .
Baltimore ’ s waterfront has played a major role in attracting visitors . How is your team working to engage travelers through projects and programming ?
Travelers today want to be where locals are and want unique experiences , just like locals do . That ’ s why when we design amenities and programs , we think about both locals and visitors . Rash Field is a great example — while we designed it for Baltimoreans , about 30 % of the visitors are from outside Maryland , which tells us we ’ re creating something that resonates with everyone . We ’ ve also seen a real boost from
our ‘ Winter on the Waterfront ’ initiative , which packages events like the ice skating rink , the Christmas Village and activities at the Aquarium and Science Center . Bringing all these elements together has drawn more visitors during the winter months than we ’ ve seen in the past . It ’ s all about creating an environment where visitors feel like they ’ re part of the community .
The recent Harbor Splash event was a major milestone in the Swimmable Harbor 2024 initiative . Speak to the success of that event , and what does the vision for a swimmable harbor look like beyond 2024 ?
Oh , Harbor Splash was just incredible ! It sold out in 10 minutes , and you could feel the excitement in the air as 150 people jumped into the harbor — something that hadn ’ t happened in an organized way in over 40 years ! We monitored the water quality rigorously , and everything was perfect . Beyond 2024 , we ’ re committed to continuing our work on the harbor ’ s health . This event was a great way to communicate how much we care about the health of our citizens and residents , along with how much progress we ’ ve made to ensure Baltimore ’ s harbor remains a symbol of a cleaner , healthier city .
The Baltimore-by-Baltimore concert series has brought local culture and talent to the forefront of the Inner Harbor experience . How does this initiative engage the community , and what plans do you have for expanding programming on the waterfront ?
From the start , Baltimore-by-Baltimore has been about showcasing local talent and bringing the richness of Baltimore ’ s culture to the forefront . What ’ s really special about this series is how each event draws different parts
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