Overnight on Carroll Creek

George Wenschhof

Last weekend, I had the opportunity to tag along with a private security team hired to watch over the artisan tents and the wares of the participants in The City of Frederick “Festival of the Arts”.

I thought this would be a great opportunity to witness firsthand what takes place overnight in an area which has not been lacking of complaints ranging from rowdy behavior to occasional incidents of shots being fired thrown in the disturbing mix of reports.

The tents were closed up with no artisan in sight, when I arrived at 8:00 PM.  The security team’s job was to make sure no one opened any tent and helped themselves to the many wonderful creations.

For much of the first night, the security team and I were about the only ones crazy enough to venture out anywhere in town, or for the matter, most of the state of Maryland as numerous tornadoes were busy touching down at various locations around the state.

Fortunately, we were spared a funnel touching down on us, but not from the high winds and torrential rains.  Totally soaked within the first hour or so on location, I discovered how chilling this would become as by 3:00 AM; the temperature had plunged to 50 degrees, making it feel like 30 degrees.

As I strolled down the creek during one of the downpours, I went under one of the bridges and encountered a group of co-ed homeless folks trying to keep dry.  They had taken several of the folding tables which were there and positioned them sideways to keep the driving rain from coming into their place of refuge.

I welcomed the dry area as well and told them their fortification was brilliant, but that in the case of a tornado, being under a bridge with a few folding tables was not a safe spot to be.  I mentioned it would probably be a good idea to put the tables back where they found them when the rain stopped and I moved on.

Hours later, with the rain finished, during another stroll through this area with a faint smell of marijuana in the air, I found all the tables neatly back in their original spaces.

In the wee hours of the morning I ran into Frederick Police Sergeant Earl Rocca, who was making his rounds.  The rain had quieted the evening and even the closing of the nearby late night establishments at 1:30 AM did not bring any noticeable disturbances.

The only visitors for the hours which followed were a few talkative birds who were probably the natural inhabitants who most likely rightfully viewed me as the visitor.  By 4:30 AM the first of a handful of artisans, who had postponed putting up their tents and displaying their wares due to the weather, arrived.

From Richmond, Virginia, a man who made metal sculpture worked feverishly for hours, completing an impressive display.

The tents were almost identical, obviously the result of a demand for this type of use.  It was interesting to observe them being put up with pole support and the various sections of the tent held together by what appeared to be a Velcro strip, making it easier to assemble.

The sun was strong by 8:00 AM so it appeared the upcoming day would be a good one for the many artisans assembled along the creek.  As, my eyelids had become heavy, it was home to dry clothes and bed.

Saturday evening, I arrived dressed slightly more appropriate for the cold weather to come, thankful for a forecast of clear skies.  I say slightly, as it was still cold during the early morning hours, but dry this time.

With the more pleasant weather came more hubbub along the creek than the night before. 

The outdoor dining of the restaurants who lined the creek was full of customers and a steady stream of folks strolled along the creek.

I often found myself standing in the middle of one of several walking bridges connecting the two sides of the creek, looking out at the luxury condos and commercial establishments in awe, as I recalled as a youth, my walking barefoot through Carroll Creek, catching crayfish and an occasional turtle for fun.

A handful of teenagers appearing to range in age 13-18 would hang out near Market Street and roaming up to where the commercial development stopped.  It was humorous to watch two young teenage girls; an african-american and a white, walk a “loop” together from Market Street to the Bridge and back to N. Market, walking awkwardly in their high arched platform shoes. After about an hour of struggling to walk, the girls were walking barefoot, their shoes in their hands.

The teenagers would break up by 11 PM, reminding me of when teenagers would “hang out” at shopping centers in my youth.  My Dad, who managed the Peoples Drug Store at the 7th Street Shopping Center was not well liked by those who would “hang out”, as he would disperse and move them along.

The security team made sure they were respectful of the artisan tents.

In the early morning hour, I noticed a couple of older, but not too old, men hanging out across from the Library, busy on their laptops.  Having my laptop in my car trunk parked nearby, I went up and started a conversation.  Many water-proofed electrical outlets had been installed along the creek and public unsecured wi-fi was available.

One of the men admitted to me he was homeless and actually would sleep right there, relating to me a story of a resident of a nearby condo taking a cell phone photo of him who gave it to the city mayor and who complained of his sleeping there. 

A counselor from the Community Action Agency found him and told him of the story and is now trying to help him in his predicament.  The man knew there was no law prohibiting him from sleeping there and he shared with me he liked it there better than where his tent was set up as the tent was on private land where he could be chased off and it was hard for him to get to and from.

He was wearing shorts, his legs sunburned from working the day holding one of those “liquidation signs” you often see waved as you drive by shopping center and mall locations.

As we talked, another man, who knew who I was talking to, rode up on a bicycle, excited about his trip to the “Convoy of Hope” which had taken place at the Fairgrounds earlier in the day.  He had benefited from free food, a haircut and some clothes.  The other man said he had missed it because he was waving signs to make money.

Interestingly, another group of homeless, this one co-ed, had their overnight spot further east of the Library and also along the creek.

All of the homeless would all pack up and stroll out of the creek area, one woman with a foot brace, before 6:00 AM.  While, I wondered why the time of departure, I was hesitant to ask why. 

While, I did not observe any rowdy behavior from any of the homeless, one of the security team informed me he had to chase a few away from where the food vendors had set up as it appeared they were trying to steal some potatoes which had been left out.

As, I am not a security person, my thoughts were if they were hungry enough to try to steal a few potatoes, I would have let them have them.

On one wee hour stroll back from the food vendor location, I encountered a man who was intoxicated to the point his walking made me dizzy.  As, I approached him, I noticed he was a war veteran I recognized from my younger “happy hour” days.  He did not know where he was, so I sat him down on a park bench to ask him where he was headed. 

When he informed me he was just trying to get home and the nearby location, I walked with him to help him get his bearings. Somewhere along the way, he looked up at me and said repeatedly “I know you and thank you!”  I just smiled to myself and helped him along his journey home.

A Frederick policeman on a bike would ride through mid morning, stopping to chat with me, saying things appeared quiet on the creek.

I left Sunday morning and headed home for much needed sleep, finding more thoughts running through my brain, including “only by the grace of God go I”, than I ever expected from this experience.

It is likely and appropriate, The City of Frederick mayor and aldermen will pass a ban on sleeping overnight in Carroll Creek Linear Park.  While, this will probably satisfy nearby condo and business owners, the homeless problem will continue.

Fortunately, The City of Frederick Police Department, under the direction of Chief Kim Dine, has implemented a mental health task force to address the homeless issue which was touted in a Washington Post article. 
 
In regard to teenagers, the mayor and board may wish to consider a curfew of say 10:00 PM for teenagers under the age of 18.  But, as I pointed out earlier, this type of activity is probably going to occur among a small percentage of teenagers, for a multitude of reasons, no matter what you do.

However, Chief Dine informed me via an email they have taken multiple approaches to the issue of youth hanging out. The efforts include:

·        High visibility by police on foot, bike, segway

·        Enforcement by police

·        Working with private entities to provide camera coverage

·        Working with Police Activities Board to create an alternative place for kids to legally skateboard

·        Increased camera coverage by the City as well

·        Addition of a liquor inspector-this is not a youth issue but does relate to potential disorder due to possible over serving

·        Had lighting redone on Citizen’s Way

·        Worked with City Hall to create new law to address skateboarding and illegal biking on the creek (regular bike riding is allowed)

·        Officers frequently talk with youth about any issues of disorder-the same officers we have working around the schools also cover the Creek so they do get to know these kids and talk with them about their behavior

·        Creation of a brochure to hand out to provide to folks on the Creek to provide them with the rules

Fortunately, I did not witness any violence in my two overnights on the creek.

The development of the Carroll Creek Linear Park has resulted in a beautiful finished venue and with it has come the expected increase in the number of visitors. Future challenges in addition to homeless people, the hanging out of youth and some criminal incidents are also surely to arise. 

City residents and visitors should feel confident Chief Dine and the Frederick Police Department will continue the comprehensive and effective manner in which they conduct their community policing of the area.

All, in all, I came away from this overnight experience impressed with the magnificent changes resulting from the Carroll Creek Linear Park development. 

From the restaurants, the professional offices, upscale condos and superb architectural design throughout, to the use of the area for the “Festival of The Arts”, I am looking forward to the development of the next phase.

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