By Megan Sayles
AFRO Staff Writer
msayles@afro.com
Associated Black Charities (ABC) convened residents of Turner Station, a historic neighborhood in Baltimore County, in its latest “Community Convo” on June 24. The discussion invited community members to share the challenges they face and the resources they still need— particularly after the March 2024 collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
A predominantly Black community located near the Key Bridge, Turner Station was thrust into the spotlight after the bridge’s collapse. It became a symbol of how infrastructure failures can disproportionately affect underserved neighborhoods and exacerbate long-standing challenges.
Even before the catastrophe, the neighborhood was already grappling with economic disinvestment and population decline.
“We want to make sure we shine a light on the conversation around the aftermath of the Key Bridge’s fall on this specific community and, if there is to be repair, what should it look like?” said Chrissy Thornton, president and CEO of ABC. “What do you need it to look like, and how can we, as an organization, and those with influence in this room amplify your voices so that what needs to happen here happens? We can’t guarantee it will all happen, but we can guarantee that we’ll stand shoulder-to-shoulder with you to make sure your voices are heard.”
Many of the community members who spoke up during the meeting raised concerns about Turner Station’s persistent flooding problems. The issue has not only disrupted daily life— damaging homes and vehicles— but also underscored the critical need for long-promised environmental investment.
The loss of the Key Bridge has intensified Turner Station’s flooding challenges, with increased truck traffic and road strain further burdening its draining systems. Residents expressed frustration with Baltimore County’s lack of urgency in addressing the community’s chronic flooding.
“Every meeting that you go to and talk to Baltimore County, the first thing they say is, ‘We don’t have the money,’” said Derrick Lyons, resident of Turner Station. “It’s been 80 years of this flooding— not eight weeks or eight months.”
Lyons pointed to what he sees as a disparity in how Baltimore County allocates resources. He noted that while the county recently built a new fishing pier and added 400 feet of asphalt to Fleming Park—property it owns—Turner Station continues to go without investment.
“Where did they get money for all of that?” said Lyons. “They get money for their property, but nothing for Turner Station.”
Danielle Gonzalez, a Turner Station resident, operates community gardens that provide free food to people in the area. She described her experience with the floodwaters, noting that the flooding has damaged community gardens in Turner Station—vital spaces residents have created to combat the neighborhood’s ongoing struggle with food insecurity.
“Sometimes I’ve had to take my SUV, which is a pretty large car, and turn it around the other way. The water comes all the way up to my steps,” said Gonzalez.
“I’ve had to chase my plants down the street,” she said.
Gloria Nelson, president of Turner Station Conservation Teams, acknowledged her community’s deep frustration over the flooding. She said that while residents have raised concerns repeatedly, obtaining meaningful support from the county is a slow, ongoing process.
“It’s frustrating because we are one of many communities who are below sea level. Flooding is happening more and more at a level that’s never happened before,” Nelson said. “We have dealt with it for so long, and we have raised a lot of concern with the county. Unfortunately, it’s a process.”
Nelson said that her organization was awarded a $500,000 grant from National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Coastal Resilience fund to support climate agility. But the money was only able to be used for a study on flooding in the area. The focus now is to raise additional funds to actually implement flood mitigation strategies.
She shared that GreenVest, a partner of Turner Station Conservation Teams, recently entered into an agreement with Baltimore County to have access to the bank of Bear Creek, a waterway near the community. She explained that they will be looking to acquire grant money for a project that would address erosion and mitigate flooding.
“They are a very aggressive company that believes in putting projects in the ground. They are very interested in partnering with this community and the residents,” said Nelson. “There is a lot more to come, and we hope that by the end of the year they will actually be able to obtain a grant.”
