CATONSVILLE, Md. — It's a great time of year to enjoy the outdoors in Catonsville, and thanks to one resident's generosity, the community has a new space to do just that.
Jane Willeboordse donated a portion of her property on Newburg Avenue, just south of Frederick Road, to create "Cape Newburg" — a public green space for the community to use.
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Willeboordse purchased her home, including the space, in 1995. Rather than develop on it, she envisioned something that would benefit everyone.
"Leaving this green, leaving more shade and allowing it to be a sponge for really heavy rains we have gotten, more so lately, is probably the only way that we felt we could invest in the future for everybody," said Willeboordse.
About ten years ago, Willeboordse worked with Baltimore County Neighborspace, a nonprofit land trust, to designate the area for public use.
"What makes NeighborSpace special is we have the social goals baked into our mission. We not only protect land, but we do it for people," said Phyllis Joris, Executive Director of NeighborSpace of Baltimore County, in an interview with WMAR-2 News.
The organization focuses on creating small, neighborhood parks tailored to community needs, either with property it owns, or via obtaining a conservation easement.
According to their site, 65% of homes within the county's urban-rural demarcation line don't have proper access to an open space within a five-minute walk.
"Our older suburbs are busy, there's a lot of traffic, there's a lot of housing, a lot of commercial sites. And so it just gives you a little bit of respite from everything that's going on around," said Joris.
Today, Cape Newburg features a bench to relax, space for children to play, and a 200-year-old white oak tree.
Joris welcomes emails from residents who might have spaces in mind for similar Neighborspace projects in their communities at info@neighborspacebaltimorecounty.org
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