Reimagine Middle Branch
Parks, projects & programs to connect communities in South Baltimore

Frequently Asked Questions

Learn more about Reimagine Middle Branch

The Reimagine Middle Branch Pop-up cart staffed by two team members, sharing information about the project at a community event in Spring of 2022.

1. What is Reimagine Middle Branch?

Reimagine Middle Branch is a community-driven initiative, focused on the transformation of the Middle Branch of the Patapsco River into Baltimore’s next great waterfront, 11+ miles of shoreline, parks, and trails connecting South Baltimore neighborhoods to the water and to one another. This will provide safe and healthy activities for community members and projects and programs that address the historic injustices that have divided South Baltimore residents from their waterfront.

Reimagine Middle Branch is implementing projects in South Baltimore while generating a long-term vision for the area that focuses on ensuring the existing local community is prioritized for future benefits, plays a leadership role in programming and projects, and is protected from the forces that lead to displacement.

The Reimagine Middle Branch Plan (“The Plan”) will guide this transformation which is grounded in four equity frameworks: Protect the Shoreline, Transform Barriers into Connections, Active And Inclusive Parks, Equitable Development. Together these frameworks will fully integrate the new park system with South Baltimore neighborhoods and catalyze local economic growth.


2. Who is involved in the planning and implementation effort?

Reimagine Middle Branch is being led by the City of Baltimore and the South Baltimore Gateway Partnership (SBGP), working in collaboration with Parks & People, SB7 Coalition, State agencies, and a variety of other local organizations. The Reimagine Middle Branch Plan is being created by a multi-disciplinary design team led by James Corner Field Operations that includes experts in landscape architecture, urban design, ecology, transportation, racial equity, and economic development. In addition, roughly 150 local residents and technical experts are serving on advisory committees that helped guide the Plan and will support the implementation process, and over 500 community members have given input via surveys and public input sessions.


3. What is the current status of the Reimagine Middle Branch Plan?

Efforts are already underway. A Project Brief establishing the goals for the Plan was completed in May 2021. Preliminary frameworks for design and planning principles were shared with stakeholder groups and the public at virtual meetings in September 2021 and February 2022. Plan updates guided with this feedback were shared with the public at a Public Meeting and Ice Cream Social in June 2022 and again in December 2022 ahead of the formal adoption process. The  Plan was adopted by Baltimore City’s Planning Commission on February 9, 2023. The vote signaled a commitment by Baltimore City and its partners to deliver parks, projects, and programs that unite 19 neighborhoods in South Baltimore by reconnecting them to one another and to the Middle Branch waterfront. Next steps for the Plan include continuing engagement with community residents, stakeholder groups, and technical experts in the development of individual projects and initiatives.


4. How long will this Plan take to be finished?

This is a long-term Plan, spanning steps to completion over 20 years, but many parts have already been started and completed.


5. Are any elements of the Plan being implemented now?

Yes. Several major projects are completed or under construction.


6. How is this project being paid for?

Funding for this work comes from a mix of sources: Casino local impact grant funds, managed by the City of Baltimore and by South Baltimore Gateway Partnership, are paying for the plan, as is a Maryland state capital grant. Casino impact grants also contribute to the $25 million total construction cost of the Fitness and Wellness Center and adjacent sports field complex. A mix of federal, state, and local grants of over $48 million has been secured for wetland construction and trail projects.

Additional sources of funding are continually being sought out and acquired as project steps are completed.


7. How does Reimagine Middle Branch address racial equity and environmental justice?

Equity and environmental justice are the heart of the Reimagine Middle Branch initiative, which is committed to delivering an environmental justice project with capital (constructed) elements, rather than a capital project that includes environmental justice elements. The team includes local and national justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (“JEDI”) experts, as well as a JEDI Committee of community members, who together shaped the Plan to include the following actions and activities:


8. How does the Reimagine Middle Branch Plan protect local residents from displacement associated with gentrification?

Avoiding displacement has been a central focus of the planning process with emphasis on wealth generation for local communities. Equity-based economic development strategies include:

These are goals Reimagine Middle Branch is moving towards through the implementation process with continued engagement with community members, stakeholders, and advisory committees.


9. How does the Reimagine Middle Branch Plan address water quality?

Reimagine Middle Branch seeks to make the Middle Branch safe for swimming and fishing in twenty years. The team is working closely with scientific experts in water quality, ecological, and climate resiliency fields to ensure the best course of action when moving forward with plans and designs. To do this, the Plan recommends a four-pronged approach:

  • Constructed wetlands and green stormwater treatments in surrounding parks and street corridors, and around critical infrastructure;

  • Improvements to conventional stormwater management including rebuilt drainage structures and additional trash wheel inceptors in key locations where stormwater empties into the watershed;

  • Fostering community stewardship grounded in environmental education and outdoor recreation programming, in partnership with existing local programs and organizations; and

  • Supporting policy changes and investments upstream along the Gwynns Falls and in other watersheds feeding into the Middle Branch.


10. How can community residents give input and feedback?

A complete vision for the Middle Branch is only possible with the continued creativity and expertise of its neighbors. With this in mind, the team created a robust community engagement process to inform and steer the Plan and will continue strong engagement during the implementation process. Members of the Middle Branch community, including residents and stakeholders, can learn about the project and give input in these ways: sign up for regular email updates on the project website, attend our public meetings and outreach events, complete public surveys, and follow Reimagine Middle Branch on social media.


11. How can I keep up with the latest news about this project?

Sign-up for our mailing list and follow us on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn @ReimagineMiddleBranch.