(This article originally appeared in the April 2025 issue of the South Baltimore Peninsula Post.)
Groundbreaking for the much-anticipated second phase of the Rash Field Park renovation is set for April 10. With a slightly modified design plan, construction of the 5-plus-acre site on the Inner Harbor is expected to be completed by mid-summer 2026.
This section of the park – twice the size of the redeveloped portion next to the Maryland Science Center that opened in November 2021 – will feature gardens, trails, beach volleyball, an expansive open lawn, plaza, and pickleball courts. In a change from the design released two years ago, the park will include the Pride of Baltimore Memorial, unchanged, in its current location, said Laurie Schwartz, president of Waterfront Partnership, in an interview last month.
The goal for this new area is to broaden the appeal of Rash Field Park, Schwartz said. “This phase is going to provide a broader diversity of uses for all different ages. While Phase 1 is mostly oriented to children and youth, Phase 2 will be focused on serving families and adults as well as more youth.”
Phase 2 construction will create five areas in the park. The Gardens will be a newly landscaped hill rising gradually from the park up to street level along Key Highway, replacing the terraced wooden bleachers. In addition to pathways through native plants and trees, this area will feature a rock garden, birdhouses, and potentially a “dye garden” with plants once commonly used for dyeing fabric. There will be educational opportunities developed around these features, Schwartz said, including an extension of the current Rash Field “Wildlife Gardening” workshops held in the summer months.
Adjacent to the Gardens will be a wooded area along the Key Highway side of the park with a Fitness Course. “Unlike many parks that have various pieces of stationary equipment, this will be a ninja-type obstacle course,” Schwartz explained.
Between the Garden and the waterfront promenade will be the Lawn area. Originally conceived as primarily an athletic field with space for two youth soccer fields, the Lawn will start off as a free-form, multipurpose grass field, Schwartz said. “People can use it to play flag football or throw frisbees around, or families can bring a blanket and lay out on the grass with the kids and have a picnic. Or we could host special events there. We want to leave it open for a period of time to see how people want to use that space.”
The Beach will feature six sand volleyball courts and a lounge area for anyone who just wants to relax in the sand. While volleyball adult league play is expected to return to Rash Field once Phase 2 is completed (with an operator not yet selected), Schwartz anticipates there will be new opportunities for youth and families to play as well. “Waterfront Partnership and City Rec and Parks are really interested in seeing a broader population participate in beach volleyball here,” she said. Tucked into a portion of the Beach’s sandy landscape will be an area for lounging in the shade on chairs or beach towels.
The Plaza area will feature covered tables and chairs and, possibly, outdoor game tables, according to Schwartz. No additional concessions or restrooms are planned for this area; visitors will be encouraged to use the existing facilities in the park’s BGE Pavilion.
The Phase 2 park development will also feature two dedicated pickleball courts. There will be a new pathway with improved lighting to the Pride of Baltimore Memorial at its present location. And just outside the park proper, along the water’s edge at the marina, a new public kayak launch will be built this spring or summer, Schwartz said. The launch is part of the planned Baltimore Blueway system to create a network of access points and water trails through the Inner Harbor and around the SoBo peninsula (see Peninsula Post, October 2023).
As this major step becomes a reality, Schwartz is clearly looking forward to the reimagined Rash Field Park, years in the making. “I’m so excited to see the entire Rash Field Park filled with families and children and kids playing. The Inner Harbor coming to life on its south shore is going to be a whole new experience for people.” – Steve Cole
South Baltimore Peninsula Post 