CCA Update: A Better Tomorrow
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A message from CCA President, Mark Edelson
There is no way to sugarcoat it, 2020 was a brutal year. Many families in our community, my own included, suffered devastating losses. Many others faced employment and food insecurity, struggling to create a semblance of the holiday spirit for their families. But there were silver linings; moments of true community, selflessness, caring for one’s neighbors, and acts of sheer empathy that reverberated throughout southeast Baltimore and beyond. My inbox was regularly overloaded with messages from neighbors seeking opportunities to help their fellow Baltimoreans, despite the inherent health risks. Those messages gave me strength and hope and they reaffirmed my belief in the resiliency of our City and our neighborhood. I choose to focus on those moments and on the tireless work of the board members and countless volunteers of the Canton Community Association helping to make sure everyone made it through to 2021 and that no one felt forgotten. That is the spirit and sense of community that I will carry into 2021. My New Year’s resolution is to keep that spirit in my heart, each and every day. There are additional reasons to be optimistic about 2021, but I will leave those to the public health experts to explain. Rather, I’d like to take this opportunity to shine a light on some of the incredible accomplishments that the CCA board members and volunteers achieved amidst the most trying of circumstances, as well as look ahead to what we are hoping, with your help of course, to tackle in 2021.
Mark Edelson, President
2020 Accomplishments
- Honored to facilitate and help assemble the newly formed Canton Anti-Racism Alliance, a cross-community coalition focused on breaking down the historical barriers holding Canton back from achieving its full potential as a welcoming, inclusive, and diverse community
- Organized and hosted a Mayoral Candidate Forum attended by hundreds of community members (pre-pandemic)
- Worked with Safeway to get holiday decorations donated for O’Donnell Square Park
- Co-sponsored several neighborhood-friendly (and safe) events like Community Dumpster, Shred-it, and Waterfront Recycling Days
2021 Goals
- Connect with more community members, particularly folks who are not accessible via digital/social media
- Help to create a more welcoming and inclusive neighborhood
- See the Dypski Park improvements concluded
Amanda Bourgeois, Vice President
2020 Accomplishments
- Organized and hosted our first virtual CCA Public Meeting
- Worked to organize and host the Mayoral Forum
2021 Goals
- Amend CCA bylaws
- Re-launch CCA Social Committee
Torbin Green, Outreach/Friends O’Donnell Square Park/Rec & Parks Liaison
2020 Accomplishments
- Installed Decorative lighting in O’Donnell Square Park after the electrical was upgraded
- Managed volunteers to clean and tend to the flowers in O’Donnell Square Park
- Envisioned and installed CANTON 21224 Welcome Planters
2021 Goal
- Develop an entertainment group for Canton events for businesses
Doug Kaufman, Economic Development
2020 Accomplishments
- Mediated MOU with Lee's Pint and Shell for new Balcony Seating
- Led community effort to thwart new City Council Billboard Bill
2021 Goal
- Continue to liaise and track communications between our community, builders, and government
James Hamilton, Board Member and Pastor at Church on the Square
2020 Accomplishments
- Assisted in the creation of the Baltimore Neighbors Network providing regular check-in calls to senior residents and offers connection to free therapy services
- Worked to ensure that families had enough food for the holidays and gifts for children in need
2021 Goals
-Continue working to provide for local families in need
-Continue creating community in creative and innovative ways
Joe Kohler, Public Safety
2020 Accomplishments
- Increased Block Captains to 104/74 blocks - total blocks in need for coverage 300
- Launched Get Lit Canton campaign to improve outdoor lighting at homes and businesses
2021 Goals
- Grow community engagement and block captains to 200/150 blocks
- Continue to partner with SE Public Safety Task Force (led by the office of Councilman Cohen)
Photo taken in January 2020.
Chris Broughton and Elliott Plack, Transportation
2020 Accomplishments
- Focused on working with SE neighborhood leaders to temporarily transition road surfaces to use for pedestrians and restaurants in the area
- Worked with Councilman Zeke Cohen on an O’Donnell Street Speed Study (results tbd)
- Continued to push for complete streets
2021 Goals
- Focus on problem intersections within Canton to improve safety and reduce car accidents
- In conjunction with the other waterfront community associations we’ll focus on improving water taxi service and push for it to become commuter-focused
Thank you to Elliott Plack for his years of service and welcome to Chris Broughton as the new chair.
Julie Kichline, Newsletter/Marketing
2020 Accomplishments
- Informed and engaged community via monthly newsletter and grew social media platforms
- Planned the Canton Day of Giving including the Donation Station in O’Donnell Square Park
2021 Goals
- Engage community and support Canton businesses/organizations with informative content
- Work with Membership Committee to increase community awareness and participation
- Design and offer more CCA merchandise online
The CCA Marketing Committee would like to give a big shout out to Sarah Quackenbush and Valerie Kent for volunteering their time and expertise for the past several years. Your leadership helped the team accomplish so much and we thank you!
Dorothy Allen & Megan Kelley-Worman, Membership
2020 Accomplishments
- Distributed welcome packages to new members
- Represented the CCA at the Canton Day of Giving
2021 Goals
- Engage with the community and increase membership
- Update website and use social media to share how the CCA helps our community
Ian Toman, Treasurer
2020 Accomplishments
- Ensured all bills were paid in a timely manner
- Filed yearly and quarterly taxes
2021 Goal
- The CCA is looking for a new Treasurer for 2021. (501c3 experience a plus.) Please email info@CantonCommunity.org if you are interested. Thank you to Ian for doing a great job!
Adrienne Ekas-Mueting, Education
2020 Accomplishment
- Shared information from Hampstead Hill Academy
2021 Goal
- Increase communication with schools
Lauren Mallon Davino, O’Donnell Square Park Buy-A-Brick Program
2020 Accomplishments
- Sold 138 bricks to fundraise for the upkeep of O’Donnell Square Park (only 12 available spots remain)
- Fixed error with brick ordering system in June
2021 Goals
- Create more commemorative brick locations inside O’Donnell Square Park
- Designate more commemorative opportunities throughout the neighborhood
Jayne Miller, Canton Dog Park
2020 Accomplishments
- As the Dog Park saw a significant increase in use, volunteers worked to ensure safety protocols were followed
- Fixed a water leak just outside the park
2021 Goals
- Engage more volunteers
- Continue to try to mitigate the pooling of water after heavy rains
Michael Woollen, Canton Tree Canopy
2020 Accomplishments
- Planted 50 trees along Fait Avenue
- Planted 50 trees along Foster Avenue
2021 Goal
- Plant 120 trees on Fait Ave east of Lakewood Avenue
CCA Committees
CCA committees include Arts, Economic Development, Education, Marketing, Public Safety, Transportation, Social, Membership and Volunteer. The CCA also oversees the Friends of Canton Dog Park and Friends O’Donnell Square, and partners with Canton Canopy. New members are welcomed. Details can be found on our website at https://www.cantoncommunity.org/committees.