Breaking ground in Park Heights, Mayor Brandon Scott, alongside city and state dignitaries, launched what's poised to be a transformative community project. According to a press release from the City of Baltimore Mayor's Office, the first new branch of the Enoch Pratt Free Library in over a decade is coming to Baltimore's Park Heights neighborhood, coupled with an ambitious expansion of C.C. Jackson Park. The combined $19.3 million project aims to reinvent the area and pump new life into a neighborhood that's witnessed neglect for far too long.
The Mayor expressed a personal connection to the initiative. "I remember the day the library closed, causing us to have to travel two miles to the closest library," Mayor Scott told the Mayor's Office. Declaring Park Heights "on the rise," he noted the significance of children and residents having a facility like this within walking distance. The park expansion, designed to place nearly every resident within a half-mile of open space, is part of the broader Park Heights Master Plan set in motion back in 2006, aimed at revamping the 1,500-acre neighborhood.
The new library is expected to house a collection of approximately 18,000 volumes, various reading and study spaces, a children's reading room, and public computer areas. "Breaking ground on the Park Heights Library is a moment of pride not just for the Pratt Library, but for the entire city," said Chad Helton, CEO of the Enoch Pratt Free Library. Construction, set to commence in September of this current year, boasts an accelerated timeline, with a completion date around September 2027. With a mindful eye towards savings and efficiency, the project is a co-effort between the Department of General Services (DGS) and Recreation and Parks.
Local leaders, including State Senator Dalya Attar and Delegates Malcolm Ruff and Sean Stinnett, emphasized the historical significance and the perseverance that has finally borne fruit after decades of advocating for these vital resources. Both the library and park images can be viewed through the links provided with the press release, showcasing the forthcoming community assets.
