I was not born in the small city of Havre de Grace, Maryland, but I have lived here for the past seven years. It is a small historic city featuring about 13,000 people and access to the Chesapeake Bay. There has been significant improvements to the community, since I first moved to the area, in late 2009. A new and improved library, high school football field, and dog park have been introduced to the community in the past eight years. Due to the small city’s proximity to the bay, the town is very focused on sustainability and preserving the local ecology. Despite these wonderful, features my personal favorite part of Havre de Grace is Tydings Park.
Tydings Park is situated on the southern part of the city, over looking the Chesapeake Bay. It is within walking distance of the Havre de Grace Elementary, Middle School, and the downtown area. The park includes a large playground, boardwalk, two local museums, a historic lighthouse and large open spaces. The Promenade Grill is the park’s local outdoor eatery featuring fresh food such as local seafood, burgers, and ice cream. I love being able to find a seat on the boardwalk and be able to read, watch the local wildlife, boats driving past, or people walking by. It also plays host to local shows and fairs such as art shows, seafood festivals, the fourth of July Fair, and the decoy festival (which Havre de Grace is the world’s capital of).
If these traits don’t charm you, it charmed General Lafayette who visited the city several times in his life. It also charmed the editors of the Smithsonian Magazine, who in 2014, named Havre de Grace number 12 in”The 20 Best Small Towns to Visit”.
(source) http://www.havredegracemd.com/community/
(source) http://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/20-best-small-towns-to-visit-in-2014-180950173/?no-ist
Improving Public Spaces 