Patterson Park Master Plan Baltimore, Maryland Patterson Park is the oldest public park in the City of Baltimore, a 137-acre active and passive recreation destination for city and neighborhood residents. The Patterson Park Master Plan process responded to the increase in demand and use of park resources including social and ecological systems that have been observed since the last master plan in 1998. The civic effort created an inclusive and forward-thinking vision for Patterson Park that can position it as a premier urban landscape. MRA led the planning effort and collaborated with the Patterson Park Steering Committee and Working Group – managing a complex group of stakeholders that included community groups, non-government organizations, and City officials and agencies.

Using a mix of digital and analog tools, such as public charrettes and site visits, as well as, a project website that includes user surveys and mapping platforms, MRA harnessed stakeholder energy to establish an updated and accurate understanding of current issues and future opportunities. The data and enthusiasm generated throughout the process enabled MRA to make informed recommendations that resonated with project stakeholders and ensured the Patterson Park Master Plan accommodated the diverse needs and demands of one of Baltimore’s great civic landscapes.

MRA made recommendations concerning the following aspects of Patterson Park:

• Capital and infrastructure improvements
• Governance and maintenance
• Financing
• Ecological performance and natural resource protection
• Historic and cultural resource preservation
• Public-private partnerships

2016 Analysis and Planning Merit Award, Maryland ASLA