As one of the hotbeds of Baltimore’s St. Patrick’s Day weekend partying scene, O’Donnell Square in Canton was preparing today for the annual influx of green-clad revelers.

City police had closed off several streets surrounding the square and had set up their “mobile command center” outside of St. Casimir Catholic School, which appeared to be closed for the day. (“Teacher meetings,” someone at the church told us when we called to ask.)

Dustin Ritter, who lives just off the square, says he gets ready for the festivities by getting his whole family out of town for the weekend.

“Last year was one of the worst for the bar crawl,” said Ritter, who has owned his home on the 1100 block of South Curley Street for 10 years. “Lines were into the street blocking traffic. People were urinating in the streets and alleys.”

While walking around the square last year with his two-year-old daughter, Ritter said, they were “verbally assaulted by many of the drunk crawlers” and he was “called various expletives” for bringing his daughter to the square.

Ritter no doubt held his own.

As the founder of the website, yougotcaughtpissing.com, he has confronted, videoed and outed many a Canton bar patron relieving him-or-herself on cars, walls and alleys. And he has a ready answer for those who ask what he expected, buying a house just off the square.

“I have no problem with events in the square but would like the businesses to commit to protecting the image and well-being of our neighborhood,” he said.

Fights, girls being carried out of a bar on stretchers, are among the unsavory images he has in mind.

Prepared for Partiers Citywide

Police and community leaders said they are well-prepared for whatever challenges revelers in Canton, Federal Hill or elsewhere throw their way.

Asked how many officers are detailed to police the bars tonight, Maj. William Marcus replied, “Enough.”

At police headquarters today, Marcus issued some warnings for partiers including “keep purses and wallets well-secured” and “have a designated driver.”

“Open container alcoholic beverages are not allowed in public spaces,” he pointed out. “Public intoxication will not be tolerated.”
_______________________________________
FED HILL FESTIVITIES
At tomorrow’s Irish Stroll between 12 noon and 9 p.m. in Federal Hill, Baltimore Police will deploy 24 officers and 4-8 auxiliary police to handle the crowds. The cost of overtime will be covered by the Federal Hill Hospitality Association. FHHA will sell tickets to 6,000 revelers, down from the number in past years. There will be 16 porta-potties located on the unit block of East Cross Street and 1100 block of South Charles. FHHA says it will fund Sunday morning’s clean-up.
________________________________________

Canton Community Association President Sean Patrick Flanagan, saying his group has been discussing St. Patrick’s Day with police and other officials since December, offered some words of confidence, and a few more specifics.

“I think it is well managed. We are in the best position we could be in,” Flanagan said, noting that 18 to 20 officers are assigned to the square and surrounding blocks. “One of my board members was out today on the square putting out 40 trash cans and recycling containers in the area.”

Each participating business, he said, signs an MOU with CCA, Canton Square Homeowners Association and Councilman Jim Kraft’s office that outlines expectations for music, street closures, security, prices, parking, etc. “On Curley Street, for instance, residents get resident-only parking tags,” he said.

Ritter agrees that some bars are responsible and applauds them for having good security at past events. El Bufalo Tequila Barand Kitchen got got good marks from Ritter.

“From reviewing the security cameras,” he said, “it looks like El Bufalo did a good job patrolling our block and the alley, with their security guard preventing what appears to be 40-plus visitors from urinating in and around our block.”