Open Letter: Friends of Maryland’s Olmsted Parks & Landscapes supports the designation of the Olmsted Parkways (December, 2014)

We are pleased to share this open letter in support of the designation of The Alameda, 33rd Street, and Gwynns Falls Parkway as local landmarks by the Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation.

December 19, 2014

Mr. Tom Liebel, Chairman
Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation

417 E. Fayette St, 8th Floor

Baltimore, MD 21202

Dear Mr. Liebel:
The Board of the Friends of Maryland’s Olmsted Parks & Landscapes affirms its strong support for Baltimore City Council Bill 14-0453 to designate the Olmsted Parkways—The Alameda, 33rd Street, and Gwynns Falls Parkway—as City Landmarks. Baltimore’s principal east-west parkways represent a 100-year-old heritage, fulfilling the vision of the Olmsteds and the city’s planners and civic leaders to provide a green corridor connecting parks, afford green spaces for neighborhoods along the route, and contribute immeasurably to the quality of life for Baltimore’s citizens. These are not simply tree-lined roadways, but important linkages in Baltimore’s comprehensive park and parkway system. The accompanying statement provides commentary on the role of the Olmsteds in the planning of Baltimore’s parkways and the subsequent history of the parkways over the succeeding century. As an organization committed to recognition of the substantial contribution of the Olmsteds in the planning Baltimore’s landscape, in which the parkways were a key element, the Friends of Maryland’s Olmsteds Parks & Landscapes believe enactment of this bill is imperative to assure that the Olmsted Parkways receive the acknowledgment, protection, and enhancement that they deserve.

Sincerely yours,

Ed Orser
President, Friends of Maryland’s Olmsted Parks & Landscapes