‘Hotbed for dumping,’ parks director cries after nearly two dozen vehicles found in popular greenspace as cleanups held
SEVERAL stolen cars have been abandoned in a heavily wooded but secluded portion of a city park.
The site looked like "a post-apocalyptic landscape" to some.
Baltimore, Maryland's Lower Herring Run Park became a dumpsite for abandoned - and often stolen cars - and illegally discarded personal items, according to the Baltimore Banner.
Nestled in a heavily wooded area with the only sign of a manmade entrance being the removal of a section of guardrail along the main trail, authorities scratched their heads trying to figure out how thieves moved cars to the area.
One of the suspected ways the cars make it to the site is through one of the neighborhoods that are close to the park, like Armistead Gardens.
The neighborhood borders the lower part of the park and used to house factory workers during the Second World War.
Several residents have reported hearing gunshots and the engines of dirt bikes and ATVs during the night.
Several cars were found in the park, including Bedellia Burnham's red Nissan 350Z that belonged to her deceased brother.
"It was the last little possession I had of him … like a little keepsake," said Burnham.
Her Nissan was stolen shortly after Thanksgiving day and was recovered after a serendipitous event.
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The dumping ground was discovered by someone walking who'd discovered a vehicle title belonging to Burnham, and a certificate of death scattered along the main trail.
Following the paper trail, Burnham's red Nissan was picked almost completely clean of parts.
The wheels and tires were missing along with the hood, and much of the interior.
The Banner cited data from 2010 indicating that the city had received over 100 complaints of abandoned vehicles and trash in the park.
In December 2023, 10 cars were reportedly dumped in the area.
Some showed signs of being burned, while others showed their age with layers of body rust.
After the dumping site was discovered, several residents and non-profit organizations called to have the area cleaned, though the process has proven to be difficult.
Gathering the abandoned vehicles would require several organizations to work in tandem, like the Baltimore City Recreation and Parks as well as the Department of Public Works.
For towing, the Department of Transportation would need to be involved.
A former employee with the Friends of Herring Run Parks, a non-profit that seeks to preserve green and open spaces in the community, coined the space "a post-apocalyptic landscape" in an email to the mayor's office.
The Department of Public Works, Recreation and Parks, and City Council were included in the email to bring attention to the site in 2021.
Anita Bryant said that the site can be cleaned and the park redeemed with more effort from the community and the surrounding authorities.
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"This location could be a positive destination for the city," Bryant said.
"Healthy communities could help with potential crime. It doesn’t take much investment."