Baltimore County will hold a community meeting on Oct. 15, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. to gather public input on plans for the Charles P. Crane property, an 85-acre site in Middle River that is being converted from a demolished coal plant into a public park protected from development. The county's Department of Recreation and Parks will host the session at Eastern Regional Park, located at 11723 Eastern Ave.
From Smokestacks to Shoreline
The gathering marks the latest step in a yearslong effort to transform the former Charles P. Crane generating station, a plant once known for its power plant and smokestacks in Bowleys Quarters, according to Councilman J.B. Jennings, as reported by the Dundalk Eagle. The 400-megawatt coal plant closed in 2018, and the current owner, Forsite Development, bought the property in 2021 before demolishing the plant a year later, according to Patch. The site sat vacant in 2024 before plans for the park took shape.
Councilman David Marks, writing about the upcoming meeting, said local and state partners supported acquiring the site and thanked Director Bryan Sheppard and the Department of Recreation and Parks for holding an initial meeting on the project. Marks also said County Executive Johnny Olszewski, Senator J.B. Jennings, Delegate Ryan Nawrocki, Delegate Kathy Szeliga, federal partners, and community leaders in Bowleys Quarters and Seneca Park all supported the project.
Trails, Fishing Access and a Future Connection
Jennings called the project a tremendous win for the Bowleys Quarters and Middle River communities, saying the future park will include trails, fishing access, open space and waterfront amenities, and that the site can be given back to the community and preserved for generations. The Baltimore County Council previously voted to approve the sale of 85 acres to the county for the park, according to The Baltimore Banner. That reporting also indicated the park is expected to eventually connect to Marshy Point Nature Center and Eastern Regional Park via a trail.
Forsite Development is retaining a portion of the broader property for other uses even as the park acreage moves toward public ownership. The Banner's reporting noted Forsite will keep about 38 acres for a battery storage project and about 13 acres on Carroll Island. Earlier coverage from WBAL-TV had noted the owner was at one point considering residential housing on the larger 157-acre site, a plan that diverged from the eventual park-focused proposal.
Funding and Remediation Still Underway
The project has drawn a mix of state and federal money. According to WMAR-2 News, the effort is supported by $10 million in Maryland's Program Open Space grant funds, along with a $1.6 million federal earmark and $1.25 million in state capital grants earmarked for improvements after the county takes ownership. The Banner's separate account described a $1.7 million federal contribution toward the acquisition and $3 million secured from the Maryland General Assembly for park improvements, differing figures that reflect separate reporting on the deal's financing.
Nawrocki said the funding is an important step toward revitalizing the site and creating a park that reflects community needs. Szeliga said state and local partner investments made the development possible and that the new public park will benefit Bowleys Quarters and surrounding areas for generations. She encouraged everyone to attend the community input meeting and provide feedback.
Environmental cleanup at the former plant site has been ongoing. Forsite has been actively conducting remediation in coordination with the Maryland Department of the Environment, per WMAR-2 News. The exact acreage figures cited across various reports have varied — some describing the park parcel as 84 or 85 acres and the broader former plant property as 153 or 157 acres — reflecting differences in how the full site versus the park-designated portion have been described over time.
What Comes Next
The Oct. 15 meeting will give residents a chance to hear the county's plans directly and weigh in before decisions on final design move forward, according to the Dundalk Eagle. Baltimore County officials have previously said they intend to hold public hearings with community members before settling on a final design and purpose for the park, according to WYPR. No park opening date or finalized design has been confirmed.
