BALTIMORE CITY URBAN
PARK RANGERS
As part of the Department of Recreation and Parks' ongoing effort to serve the public and to provide citizens with clean, safe and usable parks, the Department applied for and received a grant from the Baltimore Police Department to pilot a force of Urban Park Rangers in the City's five major parks; Druid Hill, Gwynns Falls/Leakin, Carroll, Patterson, and Clifton/Herring Run Park.
The program will begin Memorial Day Weekend of 2003 and continue through the summer months. Because the program is a pilot, and is only funded for this year, it is critically iimportant it be a success, in order to more easily raise funds for its continuation.
The Baltimore City Urban Park Rangers will serve as uniformed goodwill ambassadors to our City¹s parks and encourage appreciation and proper usage of our urban green space by:
* educating the public about the park system's environmental and historical significance providing an orientation to each individual park enforcing park rules and regulations
The Urban Park Rangers will initially focus on the enforcing park rules and providing visitor services in the City¹s five major parks. They will be responsible for general visitor services, emergency services, crowd and traffic control, and providing "eyes and ears" into park activities.
Rangers and the community groups surrounding the parks will need to work together as the groups and individual park users know more about their park than anyone. Successful communication will play a vital role in the successful implementation of this program.
The Rangers will receive a neighborhood orientation as a part of their training, and we would ask that everyone assist the Office of Neighborhoods by communicating the particular idiosyncrasies and issues facing their park.
Questions, comments, ideas:
Elizabeth Weiblen, Mayor's Office of Neighborhoods
Elizabeth.Weiblen@baltimorecity.gov or
call 443-984-1083.
IInterested in applying for a position as a ranger?
Contact Mike Strawbridge, Department of Recreation & Parks 410-396-0440