One Year After Robert Eades Park Groundbreaking, Annapolis' Old 4th Ward Wants Progress, Not Broken Promises

 One year ago today, dozens of residents, community leaders and city officials gathered on Glenwood Street to celebrate what was presented as the beginning of an eight-month transformation of a waterfront park in Annapolis' historic Old 4th Ward.

Related: Video - Dated: July 11, 2026

The groundbreaking was intentionally held on August 21, 2025, what would have been the 69th birthday of the late Robert Eades, a beloved Annapolis resident and community advocate whose name and legacy the revitalized park was intended to carry forward.

A year later, the anticipated transformation of Robert Eades Memorial Park has yet to be completed, and the project's timeline has extended months beyond the completion date initially presented to the community.

At the time of the groundbreaking, construction was expected to begin in early September 2025, with completion estimated for April 2026, weather permitting. That projected completion date passed more than four months ago.

On August 14, 2026, just one week before the first anniversary of the groundbreaking, the City of Annapolis issued a new notification advising residents that construction at Robert Eades Park was scheduled to resume on or about Monday, August 17.

The timing of the announcement places a new construction schedule alongside the approaching anniversary of a project that was originally expected to have been completed months earlier.

According to the August 14 notification, "No Parking" signs would be posted in the work area before construction begins. Once work starts, parking will be prohibited in approximately five to 10 designated spaces from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Parking will remain permitted overnight and on weekends, even if the signs remain posted.

The City's latest timeline anticipates construction continuing through October 2026, approximately six months beyond the April 2026 completion date originally projected when the community gathered for the groundbreaking.

The City also advised residents that because crews will be managing multiple tasks, workers may not be present on a particular street every day. Unless an extended absence is anticipated, the "No Parking" signs are expected to remain in place for the duration of the project.

Periodic street or lane closures are also expected as construction proceeds, with traffic managed using flaggers, cones, barricades or signs. Emergency vehicle access will be maintained. Additionally, the sidewalk on the water side of the street will be closed for a portion of the project, with pedestrians directed to use the opposite sidewalk and exercise caution when crossing.

The original plans for Robert Eades Memorial Park called for an updated sidewalk along Glenwood Street, a brick pathway leading to a memorial circle with seating and a plaque honoring Mr. Eades, a path providing access to the water, bicycle racks and new landscaping.

The project design team identified at the time included Annapolis Landscape Architects, local artist Comacell Brown, McCrone as design engineer, Hillis-Carnes Engineering Associates as geotechnical engineer and Superior Facilities Management Services, LLC, for construction oversight.

The significance of the delay extends beyond construction schedules and projected completion dates because of the person whose legacy the park was created to honor.

Mr. Eades, who died in 2020, was remembered throughout Annapolis for decades of service to the community, including extensive volunteer work with the Light House Shelter and the Restoration Community Development Corporation. He championed the Clay Street community and supported Annapolis families experiencing housing insecurity.

Mr. Eades' service also extended well beyond formal community organizations.

Through the Neet 'n' Klean Taxi Co., Mr. Eades helped ensure transportation was not a barrier for community members trying to reach important destinations and milestones. The service was known for being reliable and dependable regardless of an individual's ability to pay.

Mr. Eades also founded the Neet 'n' Klean Boys and Girls Club, creating opportunities for young people in the area.

Those contributions made the August 2025 groundbreaking more than the ceremonial beginning of another municipal construction project. For many in the community, the park represented a lasting tribute to a man who spent years serving the neighborhood and helping Annapolis residents.

One year later, that tribute remains unfinished.

The City's August 14 announcement provides residents with a new construction timeline, with work now anticipated to continue through October. But the new schedule comes after the original April 2026 completion date has already passed and nearly one year after residents gathered to celebrate the project's groundbreaking.

For the Clay Street community, the anniversary is about more than construction schedules, fencing, parking restrictions and projected completion dates. It is about seeing tangible progress on an investment announced for one of Annapolis' historic communities and seeing the tribute to Mr. Eades brought to completion.

August 21, 2026, marks exactly one year since residents gathered at the Glenwood Street site expecting the beginning of an eight-month project. Instead of celebrating a completed Robert Eades Memorial Park, the community enters the project's second year with another construction schedule and another projected timeline.

One year after the groundbreaking, The Old 4th Ward is looking for more than another timeline. The community is looking for progress, accountability and completion of the park promised in Mr. Eades' name.