Adelaide Bentley, Morgan LA Program, Don Outen and Stanley Black & Decker are recognized at June 21 Ribbon-Cutting in Towson

The mood was light at Adelaide Bentley Park in Towson on the evening of June 21, in spite of a brief downpour. Over 70 people were on hand to recognize and honor those who contributed to the park's development.  Owing to the generosity of the Baltimore County Department of Recreation and Parks having supplied a tent for the occasion, most attendees stayed dry.

NeighborSpace President Klaus Philipsen spoke to the importance of retrofitting open space into communities inside the URDL and to the ensuing social, economic and environmental benefits of places like Adelaide Bentley Park. NeighborSpace Vice President Marsha McLaughlin recognized the students and faculty of the Morgan State University Graduate Program in Landscape Architecture who were so instrumental in the park's design. They included Paul Voos (program chair), Jack Leonard (faculty), Sarah Trautvetter (adjunct faculty), Ashley Jones (student) and Abby Leonard (student).

Marsha also recognized Adelaide Bentley with a NeighborSpace "green jacket" for her commitment to protecting open space in her community.

Tony Baysmore, Special Assistant to Kevin Kamenetz offered a citation honoring Adelaide Bentley, for whom the park is named.  Mrs. Bentley is president of the Northeast Towson Improvement Association and a long-time community activist who is credited with keeping the residential community around the park intact.

Fifth District Councilman David Marks recognized the students and faculty of the Morgan State University Graduate Program in Landscape Architecture for their role in designing the park. The Councilman also recognized Don Outen for his contributions to sustainable forestry and lending his name to the Donald C. Outen Urban Tree Society, a new NeighborSpace effort to protect tree canopy on its properties.

In addition, Councilman Marks recognized Stanley Black and Decker and its representative that evening, Vice President Ralph Doran, for their role in screening the length of its fence that runs along the park and for making a financial pledge to the park's ongoing stewardship.

Delegate Steve Lafferty offered citations to Mrs. Bentley for her community leadership and to Don Outen for his leadership on forest sustainability matters and the new Outen Urban Tree Society.  Delegate Lafferty, a former NeighborSpace board member, also recognized NeighborSpace with a citation for its dedication to acquiring and protecting land for the enjoyment of future generations.

Kathy Martin closed the program, recognizing and thanking Don for lending his name to the new Donald C. Outen Urban Tree Society dedicated to preserving the tree canopy on properties owned by NeighborSpace inside the URDL. Kathy invited those present to preserve one of the many trees in the park that had been mapped on a handout distributed to participants.

More photos from the event are available by clicking on this link: NS-Bentley Ribbon-Cutting.  NeighborSpace wishes to thank the committee that worked with the Morgan students on designing the park. The members included Nancy Goldring, Floriene Fields, Cleo Cole, Margaret Cook and Carleton Epps.  NeighborSpace also wants to recognize and thank Juanita Sergent and Bethany Warner for their dedicated assistance in preparing for and staffing the event and Jon Christofersen for his excellent photography.