Neighborhood Notes: April 2022

Canton Canopy Spring Plantings

Canton Canopy, the volunteer group working with the CCA to increase the trees in Canton, returns for the season on Saturday, April 30. Join them from 9:00 am to noon to help plant new trees! (Location TBD.) They’ll have tools, gloves, coffee, and donuts… all they need is you! For details, visit https://www.facebook.com/CantonCanopy.

Mayor Scott’s Spring CleanUp / Canton CleanUp
The Mayor’s Spring Cleanup will take place on Saturday, April 30 from 9 am to 1 pm. Community associations, block leaders, and organizations throughout the City can call 311 to register their cleaning activities and volunteer or visit https://mayor.baltimorecity.gov/sign-form-day-service. In addition, during this citywide day of cleaning, individual residents are encouraged to clean where they live by cleaning up loose litter around their properties, alleyways, and curbsides. In Canton, you can join the Spring CleanUp at O’Donnell Square Park. Baltimore City Recreation and Parks will provide tools (rakes, trash bags and shovels). To sign up for the cleanup, email outreach@cantoncommunity.org or just stop by and ask how you can help. The start time is around 10 am and we’d love to meet you!! Thanks for Getting Neighborly!

Music on the Square Concert Series

Music on the Square Concert Series continues April 8 with Letitia VanSant. Letitia will be premiering new duets with many of her various collaborators here in Baltimore. You'll hear from Laura Wortman (The Honey Dewdrops), David McKindley-Ward (Letitia's longtime collaborator), Alex Lacquement on upright bass, and EJ Shaull-Thompson all in various sonic combinations. Visit www.facebook.com/musicotsquare for more information. The concert series is held every 2nd Tuesday of the month at Church on the Square located at 1025 S. Potomac Street.

New Restaurant

Please welcome King Fish on the Rocks, a new Black-owned restaurant featuring Southern Cuisine and seafood. Go say hi to Chef Mac and try his Colossal Crab Cake, Seafood Mac and Cheese, and more tasty plates at 623 S. Luzerne Ave. CCA’s own Torbin Green says you gotta try the brunch!

Easter Egg Hunt

Church on the Square hosts their annual Easter Egg Hunt on Sunday, April 17 at 11:30 am at O’Donnell Square Park. Kids are invited to search for treat-filled eggs. Parents are asked to wear masks and help maintain social distancing. COTS is located at 1025 S. Potomac St. For details, contact info@churchonthesquarebaltimore.org.

BNHA Creative Youth Competition

The Baltimore National Heritage Area (BNHA) invites Baltimore City youth to participate in their 3rd Annual History Through Arts Competition. The purpose of this contest is to engage City youth in an art exhibit showcasing their unique talents while also expressing their view of life in Baltimore City. The expectation is that the artwork will reflect Baltimore’s historic people, places, significant architecture, or represent a historical event. 

The contest is open to Baltimore youth ages 9-18. Submissions can take the form of photography and works on paper. The deadline for submissions is May 25, 2022. To enter https://bit.ly/3NdtyXR.

The Baltimore National Heritage Area (BNHA) works to promote, preserve, and enhance Baltimore's legacy through history, arts and culture. Find out more at explorebaltimore.org.

Go Fly A Kite Weekend

The BIG Baltimore Kite Fest is blowing back into Patterson Park on April 2 from noon to 4 pm. Gather near the Patterson Park Observatory to make your own friendly flier, listen to breezy music, watch kite demonstrations, and enjoy a day outside in our beautiful park! Bring a picnic blanket, bring a kite, bring your friends! Check out local restaurants for picnic specials, too! Presented by Creative Alliance & The Friends of Patterson Park. For more info https://www.facebook.com/events/478479603916115.

Friends of Canton Dog Park

Hey Dog Lovers, we have good news! We are reviving the Friends of Canton Dog Park Facebook group so we can bring you updates on the dog park as well as make it a source for fun and community.  

This year, we’re also going to focus on some projects to improve the grounds, appearance, and safety of the Dog Park. And we need your help! If you’ve got skills and are interested in helping beyond a Spring CleanUp, (organizing projects, researching costs, applying for grants, etc.), join our new Canton Dog Park Committee! To sign up, visit www.cantoncommunity.org/volunteer. (Make sure to include your dog(s) names and descriptions cause, of course, we recognize them first. 

O’Donnell Square Buy-A-Brick Program
Support the endowment to maintain O'Donnell Square Park with the purchase of a commemorative brick, only $70! Replica bricks with felt backing $35. Commemorative brick order deadlines for 2022 are April 15, July 15, and November 1.  For more details and to order online, visit www.cantoncommunity.org/buy-a-brick/purchase?rq=brick. 

CCA Walk and Talk

Plans are underway to restart the CAA Walk and Talks for 2022. We’re hopeful the first event will be in April. Details will be on our FB and IG pages soon. Stay tuned.

Reporting and Preventing Crime – Tip Line

The Baltimore City Police Department asks neighbors to report crimes via this TIP email: SEDtips@baltimorepolice.org. Security camera footage and photos should be included.

CCA NEWS

Block Captains
The CCA is looking for Block Captains to increase communication and help bring about more organization from the ground up. Block Captains also play an important role in the Get Lit Canton project and help create a safer, more connected Canton. If you are interested in representing your block, please email info@cantoncommunity.org and put Block Captain in the subject line.

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 of O’Donnell Square, and partners with Canton Canopy and the I Wonder Garden. We are also looking to form a new Sustainability Committee. New members are welcomed to all committees. Details can be found on our website at https://www.cantoncommunity.org/committees. 

Canton Anti-Racism Alliance
The Alliance hosts a virtual meeting on the 4th Tuesday of every month to discuss and affect change to help Canton become a more welcoming, diverse, and inclusive neighborhood. Currently, we are discussing the possibility of hosting a Juneteenth event. If you are a person of color in our community, The Alliance would love your input on your vision for such an event. We invite all members of our community to join us for our monthly meetings. To learn more visit www.cantoncommunity.org and put Anti-Racism in the search function or email President@CantonCommunity.org. 

CCA Social Media - Follow us!
For the latest information about our neighborhood and other helpful community/city news, please follow our CCA pages on social media. Instagram @CCA_Baltimore and www.facebook.com/CantonCommunityAssociation.

 SAVE THE DATES

CCA Virtual Public Meetings 2022
May 17, September 13, and November 15

CCA Free Community Dumpster Days
June 4, September 10, November 5

CCA Buy-A-Brick Program Deadlines
Order by April 15, July 15, and November 1

Canton Canopy Spring Planting #2
May 7