SOLD! North Point Government Center

The sale of the North Point Government Center has been approved by the Balto. Co. Concil

According to The Baltimore Sun, last evening the Baltimore County Council approved a new contract to sell the North Point Government Center to Vanguard, a shopping center developer.

The article states the price was raised from $2.1 million to $7.6 million and absolves Vanguard from having to build a new recreation center to replace the one the community is losing. This leaves the responsibility of building a new community center up to Baltimore County and I have to question when will work get started and will the new community center be comparable to the North Point Government Center? When Vanguard was to be responsible for building a new center, at least they were required to build something close to what the community has. Are new plans on the table now that the County is in charge?

Signs of protest made by residents pleading to save the North Point Government Center.

Also, according to the Baltimore Sun article, the vote was made with no public discussion from the council members. The residents of Dundalk already feel as though they’ve been kept out of the loop when it came to this sale and this vote with no public discussion is not helping their cause or making the council look any better. Karen Cruz, president of the Eastfield-Stanbrook Community Association states, “Again, there’s been no transparency. … There’s still too many unanswered questions…”

When it comes to decisions of this scale, I cannot emphasize enough that COMMUNITY INPUT should be a high priority along with providing the community with easily accessible, updated information. This community depended on the North Point Government Center (which also housed a police precinct) to provide a space for kids and families to gather, play, and learn. Now, these programs will have to find new homes that may not be as convenient to get to for the participants or wait for a new community center that may take some time to even get started.

It’s interesting for all of Baltimore County to note this issue unfolding in Dundalk because if it can happen in Dundalk, it can happen ANYWHERE in Baltimore County. As residents, it’s our responsibility to demand our representatives consider our input and make it a priority and we must demand updated information. On the other hand, it is the responsibility of our representatives to make us their first priority and provide that updated information to make sure we are making decisions that are best for our communities.

We can only hope that the new Baltimore County Council that is to be sworn in on December 1 will represent us better by providing easily accessible, updated information and making our input a priority.

Check out the Baltimore Sun article –> Balto. Co. Council OKs new deal for sale of Dundalk government center