Neighborhood News Summer 2010 Summer Ruxton-Riderwood-Lake Roland Area Improvement Association springs. As the Flynn family drove to one of Jack’s Toad Haul lacrosse games, Kevin described their experience via car phone, with Jack chiming in from the back seat. INSIDE by Bliss McCord It seems that each spring hundreds, perhaps One rainy night this Three Ways to thousands, of toads make spring, as I was Help the Bay winding my way home their annual migration from down the Bellona Towson Run to Lake Roland, Page 3 looking for true love. They Avenue hill, my heart Election sank. Down at the used to swim through the Information bottom were the culvert where Towson Run is telltale signs of a car piped under Bellona. For at Page 4 accident: flashing least 15 years now, however, Home Sales hazard lights, orangey- siltation has forced the red highway cones, toads to go overland across Page 6 men with flashlights. the road. The resultant Judging by the amount carnage gave birth to a new Blakehurst Hosts of activity, I worried volunteer movement, what Board Meeting & that the accident might we are calling The Toad Legislative be serious. Brigade. Woe to the toad Wrap Up who tries crossing without As I was waved around its help. Toad escorting Page 8 the cones by someone is not unique to Towson. Winner of Azalea who looked like The In Philadelphia, parts of House Award Fisherman from the Port Royal Avenue and Eva Gorton’s ads, my eyes Street are closed annually so Page 9 darted to the right, that local toads can make Stream drawn by more lights their way from the hills of Clean Up 2010 well off the road. the Schuylkill Center for “Oh, no”, I thought, Jack Flynn, a member of the Toad Relay System. Environmental Education to Page 10 “someone has gone Photo by Kevin Flynn the Roxborough Reservoir in History of Hunt’s off the road and into hopes of finding a mate. Towson Run.” I slowed my car as my passenger Church Kevin described an evening of toad hauling like this. rolled down her window. “What’s going on?” she Page 15 inquired of Mr. Gorton. Just then, there was action First, there is no set date. Only Mother Nature knows on the road. Hop. Hop. Hop. A toad flopped his way when volunteers will get THE CALL, but it comes on Rider House across my headlights. “We’re just helping the toads the first rainy night following the first warm spell in Gardens spring. That day there is frantic texting, emailing, across the street,” he answered. “Oops, there goes Page 16 one. It’s the annual migration to Lake Roland.” and phone calling to volunteers. They know where to meet—along the stream, at dark. They know Towson Fourth of With the driver behind me growing impatient, I what to wear—rain slickers and boots. They know July Parade to Be had to move on and it wasn’t until recently that what equipment to bring—flashlights and buckets. Held July 3rd I gave that night a second thought. An email to The only unknown is how many amphibians will go Executive Director Peggy Squitieri brought that a-courting that night. Page 18 event back into focus. A new RRLRAIA resident had heard some stories about area residents transporting Volunteers park their cars along Rolandvue and Donate, Don’t frogs across Bellona and wanted to know if this was head to the stream. The TRS (Toad Relay System) is Dump carefully explained to novitiates. First, catch all the a local tradition or just folklore. A little checking Page 18 around netted Kevin Flynn and his son, Jack, who have participated in the annual event the last two Continued on page 19 Ruxton-Riderwood- Lake Roland President’s Letter Neighborhood NEWS Dear Members, I have known Ruxton all of my life, but the past three years with RRLRAIA have greatly After many months of committee work I am Summer 2010 enhanced my knowledge of our community. pleased to inform you that our Community I am more committed, and have gotten to Plan Update is ready for unveiling! We know the residents and their issues in greater Table of Contents have scheduled a public depth and detail, than I ever 1 Toad Haul presentation on Wednesday, could have imagined. As a 2 President’s Letter July 14. The Plan identifies result, I have developed a 3 Three Ways to Help the Bay areas in need of improvement 4 Election Information deeper appreciation of the and locations in need of 5 Greater Ruxton Area Foundation people and the beauty of our preservation. The wide Summer Update community. I hope that the 5 Sleep Tight and Don’t Let the variety of topics include Bed Bugs Bite! revised Community Plan will traffic, schools, public safety, 6 Home Sales continue Ruxton’s role as a development, open space, 7 East Ruxton #1 Dream premier community in the Retirement Area bike and pedestrian routes Baltimore area. 8 Blakehurst Hosts Board Meeting/ and much more. Legislative Wrap Up Thank you to all who have 9 2010 Winner of Towson’s ‘Azalea Our timing for this project House’ Award volunteered with me this could not have been 10 Project Clean Stream 2010 year. I look forward to better. This past year has 12 Trustees, Not Owners, of Historic continuing to serve our Treasures been relatively quiet for community in a variety of 13 A Trio of Trees to Consider the Association, with few RRLRAIA President Kathleen ways and welcome your 14 Old Maps Illustrate Community controversial issues, no legal Frederick Palencar History thoughts. Thank you for this cases, and little in the way of 15 History of Hunt’s Church chance to be of service. 16 Rider House Gardens new development or requests for variances. 17 Eagle Scout Project to Benefit Our Board has had time to focus on the long- Best, Essex Farm Park range planning involved in the Community 17 Park Advisory Board Kathy Plan Update. It has been a pleasure to serve 18 Towson Fourth of July Parade 18 Donate, Don’t Dump with such forward-thinking and positive 19 Nature Stories at Cylburn representatives of your community. Board of Governors President – Kathy Palencar 1st Vice President – Kathy Mountcastle 2nd Vice President – Scott Murphy Treasurer – Keith Murray Community Plan Update Secretary – Bliss McCord Steven A. Allen Public Input Meeting Jeffrey Budnitz Deborah Burker Julie D’Ambrogi Barbara Guarnieri Jamie Heffron Wednesday, July 14 Frederick Hudson 7:30 p.m. Elyse E. Jacob David Meese Blakehurst Tracy Miller Helga Morrow 1055 W. Joppa Road Rob Nelson Jessica Paffenbarger (between Meadowridge Road and Chestnut Avenue) Beth Purvis Marsha Ramsay Nettie Washburn Tom Weadock Please carpool if possible. Once your enter the Blakehurst parking lot, follow signs to Justin Wiggs “Event Parking” (employees’ parking lot). Ande Williams Executive Director, Peggy Squitieri Neighborhood NEWS is published quarterly by the Ruxton-Riderwood-Lake Roland Area Nancy Worden Horst – Editor Newsletter Committee: Bliss McCord Improvement Association, Inc., P.O. Box 204, Riderwood, MD 21139, Tel: (410) 494-7757. Julie D’Ambrogi – Advertising Barbara Guarnieri – Chair Kathy Mountcastle Deadlines for copy, including announcements and calendar items, are February 1st for Spring issue, Graphic Production – Candice Dalrymple Jessica Paffenbarger May 1st for Summer issue, August 1st for Fall issue, and November 1st for Winter issue. Advertisers DesignConcept Mary Sue McCarthy Nettie Washburn contact: [email protected]. 2 Three ways to Help the Bay Disconnect your Downspouts – Install a Rain Barrel – Plant a Rain Garden The Jones Falls and Herring Run Watershed Associations are working together on programs to reduce nutrients and pollutants flowing into the Chesapeake Bay. Several of these projects are available to our members. Downspout disconnection diverts rainwater from roofs, gutters and downspouts onto lawns and gardens rather than into the Bio-retention areas, or rain gardens, can capture hundreds of gallons of storm drain system and then into our local streams and the Bay. rainwater. In many of our neighborhoods, water from roofs is piped directly You can also help the Bay by reducing impervious cover: to the road and storm sewer causing stream bank erosion, n replace pavement with pervious pavers flooding and water pollution. Approximately 29,000 gallons of water drain from a 1,350 square foot roof each year. A Bay- n replace turf with low maintenance landscaping friendly and more natural way to manage roof runoff, diverting n plant native trees, shrubs and ground cover roof water away from your home’s foundation and out to the yard n install a green roof or garden, allows the water to soak into the ground, slowing If you are interested in having your downspout disconnected, or water flow and allowing plants and soils to filter pollutants. in purchasing a rain barrel or building a rain garden, contact: Dana Puzey (410) 746-4170, [email protected]. For more information, visit: http://jonesfalls.org/programs/ Downspout Disconnection: Free Rain Barrel Installation: Free Purchase Rain Barrel & Rain Garden: Discount/Rebate RRLRAIA has On the left, a downspout connected to the storm water system. On the right, worked closely a ‘disconnected’ downspout diverts rainwater away from the foundation with the State onto the lawn and garden. Graphic courtesy Mid-America Regional Council Highway Administration Rain barrels are rainwater throughout collection systems that store the design and rooftop runoff to be used construction later for activities such as phases of the Charles Street watering your lawn and garden Interchange or washing your car. Since projects. In residential watering can addition to rou- account for 40% of domestic tine updates water consumption in a given mailed to our area, using a rain barrel may residents, SHA also has save the average homeowner updates avail- up to 1,300 gallons of water able on its during peak summer months.