Greetings,

This is my first message to the community as president of the OCA, so I should probably introduce myself. You may have seen me (a man with a long ponytail) loitering around the Natural History Society lot on farmer’s market days bouncing from vendor to vendor. I am a longtime (22 years) Overlea resident with a love for volunteering. I have worked for many years as a Scout leader, have served on the board of a few arts organizations, love a good stream cleanup, and was an early champion of Cherry Heights Woodland Garden. My day job is working for an electrical contractor based in Timonium.

It’s an exciting time. Your community association is funding a new sign at Northern Pkwy. and Walther Ave., keeping the bus turnaround cleaned up, planting and maintaining flower pots along Belair Rd., and working with our representatives to clean up and repair our neighborhood streets. Stay tuned for information about grant funding that may be available for local businesses, and updates about MDOTs projected changes and improvements along Belair Rd.

If you see something that you think needs to be addressed, or would like to lend a hand to help, we have a committed group of volunteers actively working on your behalf and are always happy to meet more like-minded people who want the best for our neighborhood.

Martin Nibali (president@overleaonline.org)

The Overlea Waiting Station was built in 1917 at the turnaround of the Number 15 Belair Road streetcar line. The Station served passengers and crews through the end of the streetcar era, and continued on as a bus turnaround after the streetcars were eliminated from Baltimore life. Waiting Stations were found on nearly all suburban streetcar lines but most are gone.

Because of its poor condition, the Overlea Waiting Station was demolished in 1998. The design of the present-day building is based on the original station.

Listening to the concerns of Overlea residents, Senator Katherine Klausmiere spearheaded the multi-million dollar project. She worked very hard to have the station rebuilt to fit with the history and charm of the Overlea community.

The Overlea Community Association monitors and reports issues at the Turnaround, and has for years. The Association rents the small room there from MDOT for event storage. MDOT has a contract with BARC that provides trash pick up on a regular basis. But it is never enough. Graffiti reports, damage and trash concerns are taking longer to be addressed. The lighting does not work and the sidewalks and area under cover are disgusting. MDOT has been asked to address both concerns. Recently the OCA was able to get the burned bench replaced and damaged areas repainted.

The time has come for the formation of a committee to advocate to our elected officials and to MDOT for the improvements and monitoring needed. Residents are needed to take a more active and direct hands-on role. The newly formed Friends of the Overlea Turnaround will be meeting the first week in September. If you want to be a part of ensuring this neighborhood icon is taken care of, email Doris Poling at dfpoling18@yahoo.com

The Overlea Community has endured almost three years of looking at the burnt out building on the corner of Belair Road and E. Elm Ave.

The Overlea Community Association leadership has worked tirelessly for all this time to get the building torn down or renovated. Multiple code enforcement complaints were submitted, hearings were attended and complaints were voiced to our elected officials. We are sad to report the office of Building Inspections has done a very poor job of communicating with the Association- if at all. It truly has felt like no one cares despite the efforts of the OCA.

The derelict owner finally took down the chimney because it was about to fall off the roof and took down the fire escape because it was collapsing. This property has received multiple fines and liens.

Graffiti and boarded up windows are an eyesore and demoralizing to a community. Thousands and thousands of people driving through our community every day and look at this building. And what must they think? That no one in the community cares? Our local government doesn’t or our elected officials?

The last time we asked for an update via our councilperson, a response provided to him on May 31st, indicated permits should be filed in a few weeks. No information was provided on what the permits are for. And no information since. Unfortunately we have come to expect this.

The OCA leadership will continue working on this for as long as it takes. And with the county permitting and building inspection offices, apparently that’s a longtime. If you are as concerned as the leadership is, contact the County Executive’s Office of Community Engagement to voice your concerns. D6Outreach@baltimorecountymd.gov

The Overlea Community Association was able to secure funding from a Maryland State Safety Grant to replace the community sign at East Northern Parkway and Walther Avenue. Over the years, the previous (south facing) sign had badly deteriorated. We worked with Chris McDermott at Signs 2 Day on Harford Road to design a new one. The bright green and gold dimensional sign features a graphic of the old #15 Streetcar which made Overlea an accessible and in-demand neighborhood in the 1940’s and 1950’s. The new sign faces both west and south, welcoming visitors or potential future neighbors, to our charming little corner of the world. We hope you’ll drive by and take a look!

If you’d like to be more involved in helping to keep Overlea beautiful, we have work to do. The OCA has a knack for finding funding to support projects along our major arteries of Belair Road and Northern Parkway. But we are always in need of more helping hands. Setting up, cleaning up, patrolling, breaking down events, welcoming new neighbors, distributing newsletters…the list goes on. If you’d like to lend a hand, please contact YOUR community association to get involved.

Growing up in a three- generation family of nine, Muriel Cruickshank’s family would have struggled with food insecurity if it were not for the bounty from her mother’s garden.

Living in Carroll County, where young people were often tempted with easy access to drugs and alcohol, Muriel’s parents, Catherine and Stephen, created a home that was a safe haven for young people in the community. Kids knew Catherine’s home was safe, loving, accepting, accessible, and food was abundant.

These early experiences are what drives Muriel to create and nurture the same at her Grateful Elm Homestead in Overlea. Muriel and her husband Patrick moved to Overlea in 2019. They wanted enough land to farm, growing food that would not just feed her family, but the community as well. They were drawn to Overlea because they wanted to live and raise a family in an older community that was diverse, had soul, character and history. The home they chose, a very large 1913 house with a half-acre of land was just what Muriel was looking for. Muriel, who considers herself an Urban Farmer now, has a stall at the Overlea Farmers Market, fulfilling a 15-year dream. Providing accessible organically grown produce, feeding her community and those who may be experiencing food insecurity. Of particular importance, the market enables Muriel to receive SNAP, EBT, and Breadcoin. Fulfilling her dream while the market fulfills its vision of lessening food insecurity as well.

This milestone step for Muriel is the pathway to her vision of one day, creating her homestead into the same welcoming environment as Catherine did. Muriel sees her future homestead now as a retreat, for people needing respite, connecting to food, its joy and to each other. Follow Muriel’s journey about daily life, homesteading and her 1913 Folk Victorian home renovations on Instagram @ thegratefulelm. Follow Muriel and her garden, information about harvests for the market and CSA shares @the.grateful.garden

Visit Muriel at the Overlea Farmers Market, where she will talk with you about her produce, her love of the great foods she grows and if needed, how to prepare a great meal using her produce.

We’re Back!