Inner Harbor 2.0 In 2012, recognizing that some of the Inner Harbor infrastructure had outlived its useful life, the City completed a State of Good Repair Study, while Waterfront Partnership, along with GBC and the City, initiated an updated Master Plan process, with the aim of building on the strong foundation forged over 40 years ago and expanding the use of the Harbor by our local residents. We also sought to meet the open space and recreational demand created by the dramatic growth along waterfront neighborhoods in the number of Millennials and young families buying homes and committing to raise their children in the city. To meet the needs of more locals, the Plan calls for the addition of free amenities and attractions at the Harbor, increased greenery, shade and Park space and cleaner water through the Healthy Harbor initiative. The resulting Inner Harbor 2.0 Plan provides a road map for a more sustainable, attractive and active Inner Harbor. 8 6 7 6 9 3 2 4 5 11 10 1 1.Rash Field 7-acre park improvement project to make park more accessible and enticing by adding and enhancing free amenities Status: Design complete, Construction to begin Fall 2017 2.West Shore Park Overview: building on the success of the Walter Sondheim Fountain, the Inner Harbor Carousel will relocate to West Shore Park adding another attraction for families and an outdoor café will open in the small brick building at the north end to serve Park visitors. Status: Construction to begin January 2017 3.Inner Harbor Light Fixtures Overview: New light fixtures with high quality wood poles reminiscent of our maritime heritage have been selected and will line the ring of the Harbor Status: Installation to begin Spring 2017 4.Finger Piers Overview: Reconstruction of the finger piers to support the larger ships and open the West Wall for views and visiting tall ships Status: TBD 5.Underground Electric Upgrades Overview: System upgrade required as result of State of Good Repair study released in 2013 Status: TBD, projected start date of FY18 6.HarborPlace Overview: private investment is also critical to Inner Harbor 2.0. Harborplace Pavilions are getting major upgrades and new tenants. Status: Construction to begin Fall 2016 7.Amphitheater Overview: Design and engineering plan to address ADA compliancy and flooding issues Status: TBD, projected design to being in FY18 with construction to follow in FY19 8.McKeldin Overview: Plan to remove the McKeldin fountain and connecting overhead walkways to be replaced by landscaping and open views from Light Street to Downtown Status: Interim design complete, Deconstruction currently underway 9.National Aquarium Overview: outdoor exhibits educating visitors about the Chesapeake Bay are planned for Pier 3 and in the water between Piers 3 &4 Status: Master Plan Design underway 10.Pier 6 Pavilion Overview: will be infused with new life as a new tent and site improvements are made. Status: Tenant to occupy in Spring 2017 11.Bridge Overview: the bridge from Rash Field to Pier 5 remains an aspiration to connect the North and South sides of the Harbor and provide unique views of the Inner and Outter Harbor creating a destination in an of itself Status: TBD 2
EXISTING CONDITIONS For too many decades Rash Field has been an unsightly and underutilized space. As the last remaining essentially vacant space in the Harbor, Rash Field has been a largely overlooked park space and is the primary reason why the south shore is the least pedestrian traveled section of the entire Inner Harbor promenade, to the detriment to the Maryland Science Center. Rash Field can and should become a unique and engaging attraction at the Inner Harbor. First built and used on July 4, 1976 as football fields for Southern High School, Rash Field lost its purpose several years later when Southern High built its own fields. Since then Rash Field has served little purpose until Baltimore Beach set up Ad Hoc volleyball nets and began attracting a growing number of young professionals, Federal Hill neighbors and families to play beach volleyball. The popularity of the beach volleyball, increased number of special events and citywide demand for youth soccer fields encouraged us to cite the redevelopment of Rash Field into Rash Field Park as the # 1 priority of Inner Harbor 2.0. 3
RASH FIELD PARK GOALS 1) To transform the currently unsightly Rash Field into an active and beautiful Waterfront Park featuring Chesapeake Bay plantings and shade trees. 2) To attract city wide families and area residents from all over the city, whether from West Baltimore or Canton, to visit and enjoy the Park. 3) To provide a central and safe space to play sports, learn in unique Children s Parks, exercise and get fit, or just relax while gazing at the incredible views of the Inner Harbor and downtown skyline. 4) To host citywide special events including walks & runs, Light City Baltimore, and Baltimore Book Festival as well as smaller events such as family reunions.
RASH FIELD PARK DESIGN 2 1 7 9 8 10 3 4 5 6 12 11 1: Childrens Nature Park 2: Childrens Kinetic Park 3: Skatepark 4: Pavilion Overlook 5: Beach Volleyball Courts 6: Lawn 7: Promenade Lawn - Shade Garden 8: Water Fountain 9: Promenade Lawn - Game Lawn 10: Pollinator Garden 11: Pride Memorial 12: Maryland Science Center Parking
Waterfront Partnership & Parks Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore, the City s primary steward of the Inner Harbor, is working closely with the City of Baltimore to design and build Rash Field Park. Already well recognized organizationally for its effective management of the public promenade and its work to create a Healthy Harbor, the Partnership has also crafted a unique niche in building and managing Parks. We built and manage the award winning Pierce s Park where original sculptures by local artists provide new and novel play spaces. We raised and invested over $300,000 in West Shore Park to pave the way for the installation of Walter Sondheim Fountain, added bright yellow umbrella tables to provide shaded seating and installed over two dozen trees. Additional investments are slated in 2017 to make West Shore Park even more attractive to families. We brought back the Inner Harbor Ice Rink after a 10 year absence to add a fun and family friendly winter time attraction. Each year it has entertained over 20,000 people young and old, couples and families. Many through our free ticket distribution to women and children shelters and neighborhood associations in lower income neighborhoods. And in 2015, the City turned over programming of the Inner Harbor Amphitheater to us to build a more active and entertaining Street Performer program. Active Park Management Rash Field Park is intended to be an active Park that will attract daily users seven days a week. The City and Waterfront Partnership recognize that to encourage activity and maintain the site for safe use by all ages requires dedicated management. Given our record of effective management, especially of Pierce s Park and West Shore Park, the City and the Partnership are crafting a Rash Field Park Management Agreement. The Agreement will provide the Partnership with the responsibility and funding to dedicate necessary on-site recreation, maintenance and safety resources, host and facilitate active recreation and wellness activities, and monitor and enforce rules to ensure safe and appropriate use of the Park. Rash Field Park Construction Funding This fundraising campaign is intended to raise funds from the existing Rash Field park users, the general public, foundations and area businesses. 100% 85% 15% 100% 87.5% 12.5% EXPENSES $20 MILLION: Expenses RASH FIELD CONSTRUCTION ESTIMATE $ 14 million: Rash AS OF JULY 2017 Field construction estimate as of October 2016 PLEASE HELP us AVAILABLE & REQUESTED FUNDING $10.5 MILLION Available COMMITTED & Requested BY CITY Funding OF BALTIMORE & INCLUDED IN ITS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT $ 9 million committed by City of PROGRAM (PROGRAMMED THROUGH 2022) Baltimore & included in its Capital Improvement Program {$5 M available $2 MILLION COMMITTED BY STATE OF MARYLAND. now, $4 M in FY 20 & FY 21} $1 MILLION FROM GOVERNOR O MALLEY $ 1 million IN HIS committed LAST YEAR by Governor OF OFFICE $1 O Malley MILLION in his IN last THE year FY 18 in office CAPITAL for BUDGET Rash Field improvements $5 MILLION $ 2 million TO BE RAISED requested THROUGH of Governor GRANTS, NAMING Hogan RIGHTS, to be AND included INCOME in his GENERATED FY 18 ON SITE Capital Budget Contribute now to Rash Field Park Fund at Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore Inc. FUNDING GAP $2.5 Funding MILLION Gap TO BE RAISED PRIVATELY $2 million to be raised privately For more information visit our Rash Field web page at www.rashfield.org, call 443-743-3307, or email laurie@waterfrontpartnership.org 16
RASH FIELD PARK NAMING OPPORTUNITIES $5 Million Park Naming $1 Million Park Pavilion Naming* $500,000 Skateboard Park*, Volleyball Courts, or Lawn $300,000 Nature Park*, Kinetic Park*, or Water Fountain $100,000 Promenade Lawns (Shade Garden or Game Lawn) $50,000 Each Rain Garden (3) or Pollinator Garden (1) $25,000 Park Benches (Corporate) $10,000 Park Benches or Largest Trees (Individuals) *Commitment Pending