Statement from Mary Bradford, Director of Montgomery County Department of Parks
“We are deeply saddened by last night’s tragic accident in Rock Creek Park Stream Valley #2 claiming the life of a young boy riding his bicycle in the park. Our thoughts and sympathy go out to his family and friends. Our park police officers are continuing to work closely with the county police to investigate this very sad incident.”
About The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission Montgomery Parks
Montgomery Parks manages more than 35,000 acres of parkland, consisting of 418 parks. Montgomery Parks is a department of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), a bi-county agency established in 1927 to steward public land. The M-NCPPC has been nationally recognized for its high quality parks and recreation services and is regarded as a national model by other parks systems. www.montgomeryparks.org
Meetings will take place June 24 and 25, 2013, 7 – 9 p.m. in Gaithersburg and Silver Spring (respectively); Public input sought on new “Loops and Links” framework.
SILVER SPRING, MD—Montgomery Parks, part of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission is seeking public input at two upcoming meetings about updates to the Countywide Park Trails Plan (CWPTP) scheduled at the following dates, times and locations:
June 24, 7 – 9pm
M-NCPPC Montgomery Parks Shady Grove Training Room 16641 Crabbs Branch Way Gaithersburg, MD 20855 June 25, 7 – 9 p.m. M-NCPPC Montgomery Regional Office Auditorium 8787 Georgia Avenue Silver Spring, MD 20910
The Countywide Park Trails Plans was originally approved in 1998 by the Montgomery County Planning Board to provide a vision for paved and natural surface trails in parks throughout the county. Montgomery Parks is collaborating with a trails working group to update the plan to better address the needs of county residents.
Preliminary plan recommendations will be presented at the meeting. Staff will be seeking feedback on the new plan framework and ways to make the plan simpler while also meeting the needs of trail users. The plan amendment will also identify strategies to add trails to more populated areas in the county.
Background on CWPTP Amendment:
For the past 18 months, Montgomery Parks’ planners have been collaborating with a “Trails Working Group” to improve the plan and help target future trail funding where it is most needed and will be most effective. The group has analyzed potential obstacles and determined criteria for prioritizing trail work, as well as creating more loop experiences and striking the right balance between destination trail experiences with ones that are closer to where people live and work.
The new plan framework presents a more realistic approach compared to older plans which identified a broader universe of possibilities.
About the Trails Working Group:
The Trails Working Group is composed of Montgomery Parks staff, representatives from major trail user groups, a park stewardship advocate and a sustainable trails advocate. The group has met monthly since October 2011 to advise Montgomery Parks on the plan amendment and work through the plan objectives.
For more information visit our website at www.MontgomeryTrails.org or contact the project manager, Chuck Kines, at Charles.Kines@montgomeryparks.org or 301-495-2184
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-Agency is vying for its sixth medal –the most of any agency in the history of the Gold Medal Awards-
SILVER SPRING, MD—The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) has been named as a finalist for the prestigious 2013 National Gold Medal Award for excellence in Parks and Recreation management. The Gold Medal is one of the highest professional recognition awards available to parks and recreation agencies throughout the country and involves a stringent qualification and judging process. The Gold Medal Award is presented annually by the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration (AAPRA) in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA).
M-NCPPC has a long history of Gold Medal successes, bringing home the prize in 1973, 1977, 1984 and 2003. In addition, M-NCPPC won a fifth Gold Medal in 1983 for leadership in special recreation and outstanding community achievement in serving people with disabilities. A win this year would be the agency’s sixth Gold Medal. No other agency in the country has won six.
Founded in 1965, the Gold Medal Awards program honors communities in the U.S. that demonstrate excellence in parks and recreation through long-range planning, resource management, volunteerism, environmental stewardship, program and professional development, and agency recognition. Gold Medal Award winners are selected from finalists in five population classes. Finalists will compete for Grand Plaque honors this summer, and Grand Plaque recipients will be announced during NRPA’s Annual Congress & Exposition in October. Besides M-NCPPC, 2013 Class I (communities with 250,000+ population) finalists include the Parks and Recreation Departments for Henderson, Nevada; Long Beach, California; and Plano, Texas.
“The selection of the Commission for this honor is truly a testament to the high standards of excellence we strive for in preserving and maintaining park land and providing top-notch recreation programs, facilities, and services for the citizens of Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties,” said M-NCPPC Chairman Elizabeth M. Hewlett. “It is truly an exceptional achievement to be recognized throughout the United States as tops in our field.”
“This prestigious national recognition also reflects the true dedication of our talented, skilled and creative staff, as well as thousands of selfless community volunteers who support our outstanding programs and facilities,” added Montgomery Department of Parks Director Mary Bradford.
Established in 1927 by State law to acquire, develop and maintain park land and open space, and to plan for the orderly development of Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties, M-NCPPC has grown and evolved to keep pace with the growth and diversity of the bi-county area it serves. Under direction of its Montgomery County Department of Parks and Prince George’s County Department of Parks and Recreation, the Commission today maintains more than 57,000 acres of parkland and open space, operates more than 200 recreational facilities, and attracts more than 25 million visitors each year.
For more information on M-NCPPC programs and services, log on to www.mncppc.org, For more information on the Gold Medal Awards, visit www.nrpa.org/awards or www.aapra.org.
SILVER SPRING, MD—Montgomery Parks, part of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission and Montgomery County Recreation announce the kickoff event for the County’s new “Be Active Montgomery!” initiative. The initiative is aimed at promoting overall health and wellness, and launches with a special health and fitness festival featuring activities for all ages, on Saturday, June 8 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at South Germantown Recreational Park.
The free event will include the United Way Fun, Fly and Fit obstacle course; fitness walks; and interactive demonstrations, such as Quick Start tennis, Zumba and golf clinics. Attendees who complete the fitness challenge will receive free admission to the Germantown Indoor Swim Center and Montgomery Parks Splash Playground and Mini-Golf at South Germantown Recreational Park.
Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett, Director of Montgomery County Department of Parks Mary Bradford and County Council Vice president Craig Rice will be on hand at the event for a brief speaking program starting at noon.
“I am delighted that Montgomery Parks is part of the inaugural “Be Active Montgomery!” kick-off,” said Bradford. “South Germantown Recreational Park is a perfect place to be active, with great recreational opportunities for everyone to enjoy, including tennis, trails, swimming, archery, sports fields, mini-golf and more. We are pleased to be working with the Department of Recreation in supporting Montgomery County’s campaign to encourage healthy, active lifestyles.”
“Montgomery County offers hundreds of recreation and leisure programs and facilities that provide more than ample opportunities for residents to participate in activities that contribute to their improved health and well-being,” said Leggett. “I encourage all our residents to join me in kicking off the “Be Active Montgomery!” campaign and in making a commitment to be active and stay active.”
“Being active is a core tenet of the Healthy Montgomery initiative that we rolled out here in the County four years ago,” said Rice. “I hope our community will support the idea that being healthy and active is imperative, especially in our priority areas like the fight against obesity in young adults and children.”
Montgomery County Recreation has worked collaboratively with community agencies that are dedicated to promoting health and wellness in the County. In addition to Montgomery Parks and MCPS, partners include United Way of the National Capital Area, Maryland Soccer Foundation and Montgomery Tennisplex.
For more information about the Be Active Montgomery! campaign call 240-777-6821 or visit the “Be Active Montgomery!” website.
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From tennis to skate boarding to fishing to learning what park rangers do, Montgomery Parks has it all!
Week in the Park camp
SILVER SPRING, MD—Montgomery Parks, part of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission is offering camps galore this summer, featuring affordable programs spanning diverse interests, including sports, nature, ice skating, tennis, gardening, fishing and more.
Camps and summer programs are available for tots to teens (and some for parents and grandparents to participate) at all skill levels and at locations across the county. Details about all Montgomery Parks camps are available online at www.MontgomeryParks.org/Camps where visitors can search offerings by age, location, camp type and weeks.
A sampling of Montgomery Parks summer camps are listed below. To register, visit www.ParkPASS.org where camp searches may be filtered by age, location and key words.
Beginning and Advanced and Fishing Camps: For ages 11 – 15 years old, and 12 – 17 years old respectively. Beginners learn the basics of how, where and when to catch fresh water fish, and the latest techniques related to tackle, live bait, artificial lure selection and more. Campers in the advanced program build upon these skills and gain a better understanding of fish behavior and fishing strategies. Both camps are based at Black Hill Regional Park. More details on Beginning camp here and the advanced camp here.
Park Police Junior Ranger Camps: For ages 8 – 12 years old. Learn what it’s like to be a park ranger by exploring the outdoors at Little Bennett Regional Park. Campers will hike nature trails, interact with live animals, go on a scavenger hunt and more. More details here.
River Adventures Kayak Camp: For ages 12 – 17 years old. This beginning kayak camp taught by certified instructors teaches proper equipment use, safety, basic strokes, boat control, water rescues and more. Participants kayak Little Seneca Lake as well as local rivers including the Potomac and Monocacy. Camp is based at Black Hill Regional Park. More details here.
Summer Fun Ice Skating Camps: For ages 6 – 12 years old, all skill levels. Learn the ins and outs of ice skating at Cabin John Ice Rink. Days consist of a daily 30-minute lesson with a professional coach, open skate time to practice, arts and crafts projects, outdoor activities and more. More details here.
Summer Skateboard Camps: For ages 6 – 13 years old. Learn or improve skating skills and have some extreme fun at Olney Manor Skate Park. Professional instructors from American Inline Skating teach beginner through advanced skaters to push, ride, tack turn, olly, kick flip, grind, stall, drop in and get air. More details here.
Tennis and Ice Skating Camps: For ages 8 – 13 years old, all skill levels. Master the fundamentals of two great sports in one week with direction from professional coaches and through interactive games and lessons at Cabin John Regional Park. More details here.
Tennis and So Much More Camps: For ages 6 – 12 years old, all skill levels. This camp at Wheaton Indoor Tennis has something for everyone including tennis and ice skating instruction from professional coaches, a trip to the South Germantown Splash Park and Miniature Golf course and outdoor games. More details here.
Week in the Park Camps: For ages 6 – 12 years old. Our most popular camp based out of Wheaton Ice Arena features a diverse line-up of activities and outings including tennis, ice skating, a field trip to South Germantown Splash Park and Mini Golf, nature walks, a ride on the miniature train and carousel and more. More details here.
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Meeting will take place Wednesday, June 12, 2013, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. in Rockville
SILVER SPRING, MD—Montgomery Parks, part of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission and Montgomery County Department of General Services will address accessibility at recreational facilities and parks throughout the County at a public meeting on Wednesday, June 12 at 6:30 p.m. Montgomery County’s Commission on People with Disabilities and the County-Wide Recreation Advisory Board are serving as the meeting sponsors. Residents and community groups are encouraged to attend and provide input towards a multi-year plan to improve accessibility. The meeting will be held in the ExecutiveOfficeBuilding, Lobby Level Auditorium, 101 Monroe St., Rockville.
The U.S. Department of Justice issued revised Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations for state and local governments that went into effect in March 2012. These regulations will impact parks, playgrounds, ball fields, picnic areas and other amenities operated by M-NCPPC Montgomery Parks as well as swimming pools, recreation centers, whirlpools, saunas and exercise rooms operated by the Recreation Department.
The public meeting will be facilitated by John McGovern, a nationally-recognized ADA expert specializing in recreational programs and facilities. Topics to be presented include an overview of the new accessibility standards and other requirements, an update on the accessibility improvements that have been completed to date by both agencies, and information on opportunities for public involvement. The public will also be invited to provide input and questions. More details about the public meeting are available at www.MontgomeryParks.org/ada which will be updated regularly with information on the multi-year plan to improve accessibility at recreational and park facilitie
American Sign Language interpreter services will be provided. The meeting room is accessible and equipped with an assistive listening system. Anyone needing other auxiliary aids and services to participate in this event should contact the County’s ADA Compliance Office at least three business days in advance of the meeting. Call 240-777-6197, or TTY 240-777-6196 or email adacompliance@montgomerycountymd.gov.
For more information about the public meeting or about ADA compliance issues, contact Nancy Greene in the County’s Department of General Services at adacompliance@montgomerycountymd.gov or by phone at 240-777-6197 or Bob Green, ADA Compliance Project Manager for M-NCPPC Montgomery Parks at Bob.Green@montgomeryparks.org or by phone at 301-495-2751.
Montgomery County Recreation and the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) Montgomery Parks are distinct agencies and manage different aspects of recreation and leisure services, facilities, parks, and stewardship of natural and cultural resources, however the core mission of both agencies is consistent in providing inclusive quality recreation facilities and resources.
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About Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission Montgomery Parks
Montgomery Parks manages more than 35,000 acres of parkland, consisting of 418 parks. Montgomery Parks is a department of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), a bi-county agency established in 1927 to steward public land. The M-NCPPC has been nationally recognized for its high quality parks and recreation services and is regarded as a national model by other parks systems. www.montgomeryparks.org
Vote online daily for the Darby Store now through May 10.
SILVER SPRING, MD —The Darby Store, a Montgomery Parks historic site, is vying for a portion of $1 million in grant funding against 23 other historic sites in the Washington D.C. metro region as part of a Partners in Preservation (PiP) community-based initiative sponsored by American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The campaign relies on votes from the public to determine which sites will be awarded how much of the grant money.
Vote for the Darby Store once a day through May 10 at https://www.preservedmv.com/competitors/darby-store.
The Darby Store is one of 117 historic structures in Montgomery Parks and is an important piece of Montgomery County’s history dating back to 1910. The site, located at the heart of historic Beallsville represents simpler times when general stores served as community hubs for purchasing goods, meeting friends and sharing news of the town.
The Darby Store was purchased by Montgomery Parks in 2004 and efforts have been ongoing to restore it. The building has been moved from the roadside, the roof and porch have been replaced and the exterior is now in excellent shape.
“This funding is needed to restore the interior of the Darby Store. The store’s wood floors, varnished counters, full-wall shelving for goods, and decorative metal ceiling still need to be put back so the store can become a county gathering place once more,” said Julie Mueller, Cultural Resource Project Manager for Montgomery Parks.
Vote, Share and Tweet to help the Darby Store
Now through May 10, the community is invited to visit www.PartnersinPreservation.com to help the Darby Store earn points by voting online and via mobile once a day, every day, sharing with friends via Twitter, checking in on Foursquare and taking photos on Instagram. The site that receives the highest number of points is guaranteed to receive grant funding. At the end of the program, a Partners in Preservation advisory committee comprised of Washington-area civic and preservation leaders will recommend how the remainder of the preservation grants will be awarded. Full details on voting terms and how to earn points for sites can be found at www.PartnersinPreservation.com
Join us Sunday May 5, 2013 at the Darby Store Open House
Montgomery Parks will host a special open house event at the Darby Store on Sunday, May 5 from 1 – 4 p.m. where people can learn more about the store and its role in the County’s history. The event will feature live music from the Darby Store Jug Band; attendees can join the band as well as participate in games and activities at the store. Open house attendees will also have an opportunity to vote for the Darby Store while onsite. These votes will generate points in the PiP campaign for the store to win much needed funding for its restoration.
Darby Store Open House Sunday, May 5, 1PM – 4PM 19801 Darnestown Road Beallsville, MD 20839For more information please visit www.votedarby.org.
About Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning – Montgomery Parks
Montgomery Parks manages more than 35,000 acres of parkland, consisting of 418 parks. Montgomery Parks is a department of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), a bi-county agency established in 1927 to steward public land. The M-NCPPC has been nationally recognized for its high quality parks and recreation services and is regarded as a national model by other parks systems. www.montgomeryparks.org.
About Partners in Preservation
Launched in 2006, Partners in Preservation is a program in which American Express, in partnership with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, awards preservation grants to historic places across the country. American Express has committed more than $15 million to Partners in Preservation, helping historic sites in seven cities to date, including San Francisco, Chicago, New Orleans, Boston, Seattle, Saint Paul/Minneapolis and New York, and has engaged more than a million people.
Through this partnership, American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation seek to increase the public’s awareness of the importance of historic preservation and to preserve America’s historic and cultural places. The program also hopes to inspire long-term support from local citizens for the historic places at the heart of their communities. For more information, visit PartnersinPreservation.com or Facebook.com/PartnersinPreservation, or follow us on Twitter at Twitter.com/PartnersinPres.
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SILVER SPRING – Have an opinion about a plan that would bring rapid transit to Montgomery County? If so, mark your calendar for a May 16 public hearing scheduled by the Montgomery County Planning Board.
The public hearing is to invite input on the draft Countywide Transit Corridors Plan, which recommends a system to place high-quality buses in the county’s most congested areas – inside-the-Beltway communities, suburban activity centers and highly traveled commuter corridors. The draft plan recommends 10 transit corridors spanning 79 miles.
Along with forecast population increases, Montgomery County is expected to add more than 200,000 jobs over the next 30 years without the ability to expand roadway capacity. For the last two decades, policy-makers and planners have encouraged alternative modes of travel to reduce congestion.
BRT provides a flexible, cost-effective alternative to congested roadways, planners say, by offering reliable, fast connections in areas where development and density is not high enough to warrant rail. Planners focused on creating transit connections to Metro’s Red Line, the planned Purple Line and MARC.
The plan also makes recommendations to improve accessibility for bicycles, pedestrians, and train riders, such as designating bicycle-pedestrian priority areas around major stations and adding a third track on part of the MARC train’s Brunswick Line.
The Planning Board will begin a detailed review of the plan in the weeks following the public hearing, before revising and finalizing a new version for transmittal to the County Council in the summer.
Sign up to speak at the public hearing at www.montgomeryapps.org/planning_board/testify.asp; at date prompt, scroll to May 16.
The Countywide Transit Corridors Functional Master Plan will amend the Master Plan of Highways, which will be renamed the Master Plan of Highways and Transitways.
Who:
Montgomery County Planning Board
What:
Countywide Transit Corridors Functional Master Plan public hearing
When:
6 p.m. Thursday, May 16
Where:Park and Planning Headquarters auditorium
8787 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring
Learn more:http://tinyurl.com/3ce9rlh
SILVER SPRING – Following months of deliberation on revisions to the Montgomery County Zoning Code, the Planning Board has begun considering the implementation of the proposed changes. Their primary focus: to present the rationale for zone conversions, review how the new zones will actually be applied on the ground, and highlight the most significant changes to uses and development standards.
The Board scheduled numerous sessions in the last month and in the next few weeks to evaluate implementation strategies for the proposed Zoning Code. A public hearing on the preliminary Planning Board draft will be held from 5-7 p.m. Tuesday. In May, the Board will send the revised Zoning Code and implementation approach to the County Council for consideration.
Starting last fall, the Board held dozens of worksessions and public hearings on revisions to the text of the Zoning Code, a multi-year effort to modernize an ordinance that has not been redrafted in a comprehensive way since the 1970s.
The process to revise the code began in 2009, starting with a thorough analysis of the existing code followed by drafting a revised code, section by section. Each draft was reviewed and revised with input from a Planning Board-appointed Zoning Advisory Panel as well as residents and stakeholders who interacted with staff at more than 80 public meetings. The resulting draft contains new and existing zones, a consolidated table of uses – some of which have been modernized and/or consolidated with similar uses – updated development standards, and clearer rules for development review.
The implementation work covers the county zoning map and how it would change under the new Zoning Code. Anyone interested in the proposed changes to the code and how they will be implemented is welcome to attend upcoming Planning Board meetings and to offer comments before the draft is finalized and transmitted to the Council for consideration.
Learn more about the the Planning Board schedule.
Who: Montgomery County Planning Board
What: Zoning Revision public hearing
When: 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 23
Where:
Park and Planning Headquarters auditorium
8787 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring
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