Media Center

Silver Spring Transit Center Item Postponed From Thursday’s Montgomery County Planning Board Agenda

SILVER SPRING, MD – The discussion on the proposed Silver Spring Transit Center originally scheduled for tomorrow’s Montgomery County Planning Board meeting has been postponed to a future agenda, likely in late June or July.

Last Thursday, the Board began considering an application for the three-level transit center in front of the entrance to the existing Silver Spring Metro station at Colesville Road and Wayne Avenue as part of a mandatory referral hearing. The mandatory referral provides the Board with an opportunity to review public works projects and provide recommendations on functionality, design, circulation and other aspects. The project is proposed by the county Department of Public Works and Transportation (DPWT) and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA).

Urban Planning Expert to Highlight How to Revitalize Mature Communities With Montgomery Planning Board

SILVER SPRING, MD – At a 7 p.m. Thursday, June 14 presentation to the Montgomery County Planning Board, a national planning expert will describe how he has helped communities successfully redevelop their older downtowns and regional retail centers.

The presentation by Michael Freedman, principal and founder of a San Francisco city design and town planning firm, will help inform the Planning Board as it grapples with how to shape the future growth of the county, much of which is comprised of older, established communities. Freedman, the latest expert in the Board’s Growth Management Speaker Series, and his firm have worked with communities such as Phoenix, Reno and cities throughout California and the Pacific Northwest to establish strategies to both boost the local economy and create pleasing, well-designed communities.

With a focus on urban design, Freedman has specialized in infill development – or growth within mature communities – and redevelopment of unattractive, auto-oriented, highly traveled roads. His topic on Thursday will be: “A Strategy of Superior Infill: Guiding Growth and Change with Effective Regulatory and Capital Improvement Tools.”

 

WHO:

Michael Freedman, principal and founder, Freedman Tung & Bottomley, San Francisco urban design firm

WHAT:

Presentation on Growth Management Strategies – A Strategy of Superior Infill: Guiding Growth and Change with Effective Regulatory and Capital Improvement Tools

WHEN:

Thursday, June 14, 2007 – 7 p.m.

WHERE:

Park and Planning Headquarters

8787 Georgia Avenue

Silver Spring, MD

Schooooool’s Out for Summer! County Parks Camps and Programs Fill the Void

SILVER SPRING, MD—The last bell rings Thursday, June 14 on the 2006-2007 school year for Montgomery County public school kids, but for parents still looking for summer camp options for their children time’s not up yet. The Montgomery County Department of Parks is still accepting registrations for its slate of 2007 summer camps and programs in the parks.

“We have a variety of camp and program options this summer to suit just about any age, any skill level and any interest,” said Montgomery County Department of Parks Manager of Camps and Special Programs Rob Elmore. “Our signature summer camp, Week in the Park, also accommodates just about any parent’s busy schedule.”

Week in the Park is the department’s day camp run out of Wheaton Regional Park, 2000 Shorefield Road. Week in the Park runs the entire summer, from the last day of school through the Friday before the first day of school, June 18 through August 24, 2007. Parents can register their children for any week(s) of camp throughout the summer without being bound to registering for consecutive weeks of camp. With the Week in the Park day camp, parents also have the option of choosing mornings or afternoons only and extended care, with drop off as early as 8:00 am and pick up as late as 6:00 pm. Week in the Park provides campers with a sampling of everything the department’s parks system has to offer: tennis, ice skating, nature, miniature train rides and more.

The Department of Parks also has some of the following unique options for pre-teens and teens this summer:

•  Gifts From Nature, Tuesday – Friday, July 10 – July 13, 2007, 1:30 – 4:00 pm, Brookside Nature Center, cost $100, ages 10 -14. Basketry and weaving, leaf printing, pottery (using clay and homemade doughs) and soapmaking. ParkPASS #29473.

•  American Girls On The Road, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, July 2 – July 6, 2007, 9:30 am – 2:30 pm, Brookside Nature Center, cost $175, ages 11 - 14. Daily field trips to experience life like the American Girls-swing time with Kit and Molly; discover Kaya's world, Felicity's horse adventure, Addy's underground railroad and more. ParkPASS #29475.

•  Rockin’ Geology, Tuesday – Friday, July 17 – 20, 2007, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm, Brookside Nature Center, cost $170, ages 11 – 14. Experience hands-on geology with activities and experiments and field trips for rock and fossil collecting. ParkPASS #29474.

•  River Adventures Kayak Camp, Wednesday – Friday, July 18 – July 20, 2007, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm, Black Hill Visitor’s Center, cost $125, ages 12 – 17. Beginner paddlers learn the prerequisites for successful kayaking on flatwater and in gentle river waters. Equipment, safety considerations, basic strokes, entries, exits (wet and dry), boat control, self-rescue, reading the water, river hazards, transport of kayaks safely, knots and hitches, kayak characteristics and associated equipment and their use will also be covered. Kayaks, personal flotation devices and all necessary equipment provided. Participants must be swimmers. ParkPass #29101. (A second River Adventures Kayak Camp is available, Wednesday – Friday, August 15 – 17, 2007, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm, ParkPASS #29102).

Last year, more than 2,000 campers enjoyed summer in the parks through the department’s summer camps and programs. Registration for county parks camps is open now through www.ParkPASS.org also view from this site a complete listing of the more than 50 different summer camp and program options available through the Department of Parks this year.

# # #

Contact:

Kelli Holsendolph

Media Relations Manager

Montgomery County Department of Parks

301-650-2866

Department of Parks Presents Concept Plan for Northwest Branch Recreational Park Llewellyn Fields Sports Complex, Public Meeting June 13

SILVER SPRING, MD—The Montgomery County Department of Parks is presenting a concept plan for the new Llewellyn Fields Sports Complex—on Norbeck Road, east of the intersection with Layhill Road—and answering questions about the project during a public meeting tomorrow, Wednesday, June 13 at 7:00 pm.

The Llewellyn Fields Sports Complex is a community stewardship project for the Intercounty Connector (ICC), which includes new ballfields and amenities to address the replacement of the existing ballfields projected to be lost during the construction of the ICC. The proposed plan for the new Llewellyn Fields Sports Complex includes 5 lighted and irrigated ballfields: one full sized baseball field, three soccer fields and one footfall field. Other plans include one large playground, approximately two miles of looped perimeter hiker-biker trails, one picnic shelter, picnic areas with an open play area, one restroom facility, reforestation areas and an interpretive area/kiosk for the adjacent Rachel Carson Greenway trail.

This is a joint development project between the Department of Parks and the Maryland State Highway Administration.

WHO:    
Montgomery County Department of Parks

WHAT:   
Public Meeting on the Concept Plan for the New Llewellyn Fields Sports Complex

WHEN: 
Wednesday, June 13, 2007 at 7:00 pm

WHERE:
James Hubert Blake High School Cafeteria
300 Norwood Road, Silver Spring, MD 20905

For more information, contact Department of Parks Project Manager Rick D’Arienzo at rick.darienzo@mncppc-mc.org or 301-495-2568.

# # #

Contact:   
Kelli Holsendolph
Media Relations Manager
Montgomery County Department of Parks
301-650-2866

Wheaton Ice Arena Closed Until Monday, June 18; Customer Appreciation Day Rescheduled for Sunday, June 24

WHEATON, MD—Saturday, June 9 the Wheaton Ice Arena, 11717 Orebaugh Avenue, was forced to close due to a compressor failure resulting from Friday night’s storms.

The “Customer Appreciation Day” for Wheaton Ice Arena patrons planned for Sunday, June 10 has been re-scheduled to Sunday, June 24 due to these repairs.

“We appreciate our patrons patience and hope to see many of them on Sunday, June 24 to thank them in person,” said Wheaton Ice Arena Manager Cathy Laws.

Repairs to the compressor, which keeps the ice frozen, are expected to be complete by Monday, June 18, when the facility will reopen at its regular time. The malfunctioning compressor caused the ice at the arena to melt, which forced rink managers to close the facility early Saturday morning. The compressor has been repaired and a new ice sheet is in the process of being laid.

Wheaton Ice Arena’s “Customer Appreciation Day”—now Sunday, June 24 from 2:30 - 4:30 pm—will feature free ice skating and skate rental and 10 percent off purchases of $50 or more at the Pro Shop. 

For more information on “Customer Appreciation Day,” call the Wheaton Ice Arena at 301-649-3640 or visit www.wheatonicearena.com.

# # #

INTERESTED MEDIA: To see the process of laying the new sheet of ice, please contact the Wheaton Ice Arena or Media Relations Manger Kelli Holsendolph.

Contact:
Kelli Holsendolph
Media Relations Manager
Montgomery County Department of Parks
301-650-2866

Department of Parks, Montgomery County Leaders and Community celebrate the all new Lake Needwood boathouse

ROCKVILLE, MD-County leaders and community members joined the Montgomery County
Department of Parks Saturday to celebrate the brand new Lake Needwood Boathouse
at Rock Creek Regional Park in Rockville. 

"I know I speak for all our residents when I say how grateful I am that the park
has bounced back after the unprecedented flooding that occurred last year," said
County Executive Isiah Leggett, who was regrettably unable to attend Saturday's
festivities. "Lake Needwood has been a popular spot for boating and fishing
enthusiasts for many years. With the opening of the new boathouse and the
repairs to the dam, this beloved park will once again be a popular leisure time
destination for our residents." 

Montgomery County Council President Marilyn Praisner, Montgomery County Planning
Board Chair Royce Hanson and Mid-County Recreation Advisory Board Chair Joe
Fritsch joined Saturday's celebration. The event also featured Meadowside Nature
Center park naturalist-led pontoon boat tours of the 75-acre Lake Needwood, 50
percent off boat rentals, giveaways and an update on the Lake Needwood Dam
repairs. 

Department of Parks Project Manager Andy Frank provided Saturday's update on the
dam repairs, which are progressing well. Frank talked about the grout curtain
being installed below the Lake Needwood Dam to reduce seepage through the dam's
rock foundation. Frank added that this work is supporting the department's
theories about how water is migrating through the fractured rock below the dam.
Fractures identified within the dam's foundation are being injected with large
amounts of grout, particularly on the left side of the dam where the leak
occurred last summer. The first phase of the dam repair project-the installation
of the grout curtain-is expected to take about two more months to complete and
the second phase is expected to begin later this summer. Hiking or crossing over
the dam is prohibited temporarily due to the dam repairs, but public access to
the park and the new Lake Needwood Boathouse is available by using the main park
entrances on Needwood or Avery roads. 

"Last summer's devastating storms dealt us lemons," said Department of Parks
Director Mary Bradford, "but we've made lemonade getting a fully repaired dam at
Lake Needwood and this brand new, modernized boathouse."  

Montgomery County Planning Board Chairman Royce Hanson commended the parks
department for their hard work to get the boathouse back in business and on
making the critical dam repairs. "Last summer's flood was an unprecedented
demonstration of intergovernmental cooperation-between County Police, Fire and
Rescue, Public Works and Transportation, the State Highway Administration,
FEMA-and it brought together more than 100 parks staff and Park Police working
together tirelessly and under tremendous pressure to protect public safety,"
said Chairman Hanson. 

The Lake Needwood Boathouse was completely destroyed after last summer's deluge.
The boathouse, which houses the department's boat rental operations at Lake
Needwood, closed June 28 last year and reopened this year on May 5 completely
renovated with a larger snack bar, brand new central heating and air
conditioning and a new flood resistant basement. The total costs of the
renovations were more than $300,000.  Boat rental season at Lake Needwood is
open now, Wednesday through Sunday, through Labor Day weekend.  

For more on renting boats at the Lake Needwood Boathouse visit
www.lakeneedwoodboats.com. 
 
# # #

PHOTOS FROM THE GRAND OPENING AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. 

Pine Lake to Close, Departments OF Parks and Environmental Protection Host Public Meeting June 19 on Rehab Project

WHEATON, MD-This fall, the Montgomery County Department of Parks, part of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) and the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection (MCDEP) will conduct a major rehabilitation of Pine Lake in Wheaton Regional Park, which will require closing public access to the lake until spring 2008. Pine Lake was constructed in the early 1960s and provides significant recreational opportunities to park users and water quality benefits to the tributary stream of the Northwest Branch. The rehabilitation project is to improve dam safety at the lake, water quality, aquatic habitat and stormwater management control.

Both agencies-the Department of Parks and MCDEP-have worked together to develop a rehabilitation program for Pine Lake to improve stormwater management performance and dredge significant quantities of sediment accumulated within the lake. The construction will be completed by MCDEP under a park permit issued by M-NCPPC. This public information session will inform residents and park users about the proposed project.

WHO:   
Montgomery County Department of Parks
Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection

WHAT:   
Informational Meeting on Pine Lake Rehabilitation Project

WHEN:  
Tuesday, June 19, 2007 at 7:00 pm

WHERE:
Brookside Gardens
Visitor’s Center Auditorium
1800 Glenallan Avenue
Wheaton, Maryland 20902
 
For more on this project, contact the Wheaton Maintenance Facility at 301-680-3803.

New Paul Sarbanes Silver Spring Transit Center Should Be Friendly to Pedestrians, Says Montgomery County Planning Board

Silver Spring, MD – The proposed Paul S. Sarbanes Silver Spring Transit Center should include well-designed entryways and pedestrian-friendly streetscapes, the Montgomery Planning Board today told the county Department of Public Works and Transportation (DPWT), which proposes to build the three-level transit hub at the current Silver Spring Metro station.

Located at Colesville Road and Wayne Avenue, the proposed transit center will put a new face on the Silver Spring Metro with a structure that will integrate Metrorail and bus service with MARC rail, intercity buses, taxi and hiker/biker trails. In a future phase, the project will include retail stores and a hotel.

“This is an active transit center honoring a truly fine public servant of this state, and we really want it to be worthy of the name that’s on it,” said Planning Board Chairman Royce Hanson. The project is considered a national model for forward-thinking transportation planning.

Pedestrian access is crucial to a station that now serves 27,000 Metro riders, 32,000 bus riders and 1,100 MARC train riders daily and is expected to increase to 97,000 patrons per day by 2025. Without attractive surrounding features, mass transit users might be discouraged from using the station, Board members said.

Today’s hearing was a mandatory referral, a process where the Board reviews public works projects and provides recommendations on functionality, design, circulation and other land-use issues.

The Planning Board also recommended that key pedestrian entryways such as the Ramsey Avenue entrance feature brick, tree-lined sidewalks typical of the rest of the revitalized downtown Silver Spring. The Board pledged to help request additional public funding to achieve the additional amenities if needed due to budget constraints.

The Board gave preliminary approval to the staff recommendations on a host of conditions – such as creating generous building setbacks for wider sidewalks and a bike path, creation of a public art component, pedestrian crosswalks and road improvements to better accommodate bus access – subject to developing an agreement to replace Metro Urban Park on the proposed construction site with a plaza at the transit center entrance and a green space across Wayne Avenue.

The Board requested to see the draft agreement between the Board, DPWT and the Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority by next week's meeting.

Montgomery County Planning Board to Issue Recommendations Thursday on Proposed Silver Spring Transit Center

SILVER SPRING, MD – On Thursday, June 7, at approximately 1 p.m., the Montgomery County Planning Board will consider a proposal to put a new face on the Silver Spring Metro, considering an application to build a three-level transit center that will both house buses and provide better access to MARC rail, intercity bus, taxi and hiker/biker trails.

Eventually, the project – considered a national model for forward-thinking transportation planning – will include a mix of retail uses in front of the entrance to the existing station. Slated to be built at Colesville Road and Wayne Avenue in Silver Spring, the transit center will fully integrate a variety of commuting methods, allowing people to easily transfer among bus, rail, car, taxi and bike.

Thursday’s hearing is called a mandatory referral, a process where the Board reviews public works projects and provides recommendations on functionality, design, circulation and other aspects. The project is being brought forward by the county Department of Public Works and Transportation (DPWT) and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA).

County transportation planning staff has recommended approval of the mandatory referral with a host of conditions covering such things as generous building setbacks for wider sidewalks and a bike path, creation of a public art component, road improvements to better accommodate bus access, and a number of design and architectural treatments.

As part of the project, planning staff also seeks an arrangement to replace an existing hard-surface open space known as Metro Urban Park with a plaza at the transit center entrance and a smaller green space across Wayne Avenue.

WHO:

Montgomery County Planning Board

WHAT:

Mandatory referral hearing on the Silver Spring Transit Center

WHEN:

Thursday, June 7, 2007 – 1 p.m.

WHERE:

Park and Planning Headquarters

8787 Georgia Avenue

Silver Spring, MD

Planning Expert to Emphasize Great Urban, Suburban Design Scenarios at Montgomery Planning Board

SILVER SPRING, MD – At a 7 p.m. Thursday, June 7 presentation to the Montgomery County Planning Board, a nationally renowned authority on sustainable development will discuss tools and techniques for achieving design excellence in commercial areas.

Ed McMahon, senior resident fellow for sustainable development at the Urban Land Institute in Washington, D.C. is the latest expert in the Montgomery County Planning Board’s Growth Management Speaker Series. McMahon, a leading voice on topics related to sustainable development, land conservation, urban design and historic preservation, will present about the architecture and design of commercial corridors – including chain stores, franchises and big box retailers.

His experience in raising awareness about the benefits of green and sustainable development and improving development on the urban fringe is particularly relevant to Montgomery County. McMahon, author of Better Models for Commercial Development, advocates pedestrian-friendly streets in places like Bethesda, Takoma Park and downtown Silver Spring rather than traditional shopping centers and strip malls.

McMahon’s presentation, “The Dollars and Sense of Place-Responsive Design,” will include a question-and-answer period.

 

WHO:

Ed McMahon, senior resident fellow for sustainable development at the Urban Land Institute, Washington, D.C.

WHAT:

Presentation on Growth Management Strategies -- the Dollars and Sense of Place Responsive Design

WHEN:

Thursday, June 7, 2007 – 7 p.m.

WHERE:

Park and Planning Headquarters

8787 Georgia Avenue

Silver Spring, MD