Media Center

Thousands Expected at Black Hill Regional Park April 3rd for Annual Persian American Festival (Sizdeh Bedar)

BOYDS, MD—The IrAmerican Civic Society (ICS) in cooperation with the Montgomery County Department of Parks will host its annual Sizdeh Bedar festival at Black Hill Regional Park in Boyds this Sunday, April 3 from 7:00 am – 6:00 pm.

To manage traffic and control crowds for this event, Department of Parks managers and Park Police have informed park neighbors that it may become necessary to close the Black Hill Regional Park entrance at West Old Baltimore Road for a period of time, Sunday, April 3. However, West Old Baltimore Road will not be closed at any point for the event and no parking or pedestrian traffic will be allowed on West Old Baltimore Road. Park Police have established a hotline number for any questions or concerns on Sunday. Residents, park neighbors and patrons may call 301-528-3469 on Sunday, April 3 with questions or concerns related to this event.

Sizdeh Bedar is the Persian festival of springs. Iranian Americans and others will celebrate this age-old spring event in parks and various outdoor settings across the nation Sunday, the thirteenth day of the Persian Year—Norouz. The celebration at Black Hill will include Persian music, cultural activities, and freshly grilled food and sweets.

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

Parks Agency and MCPS Partner to Open Two Community Gardens

SILVER SPRING & ROCKVILLE, MD—The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), Montgomery County Department of Parks and Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) have worked together to open two new community gardens sites on MCPS property this spring. Parks staff is accepting lottery applications now for gardening at these new locations.

“Community gardens are a great asset to our neighborhoods for environmental, health, and educational reasons,” said Christopher S. Barclay, president of the Montgomery County Board of Education. “MCPS is very happy to partner with the county parks department to open up our property for such a vital, community use.”

The Department of Parks is accepting lottery applications for the Rocking Horse Center and Emory Center sites through today, March 25, 2011. Plots will be assigned in early April with an anticipated opening in mid-April, weather permitting.

The Rocking Horse Center site, located at 4920 Macon Road in Rockville, will have both 200-    square-feet plots for an annual fee of $30 per plot and 400-square-feet plots for $50 per year. The Emory Center location, 18110 Washington Grove Lane in Gaithersburg, will also feature 200-square-feet plots for an annual fee of $30 per plot and 400-square-feet plots for $50 per year. There will be fifty or more plots available at both locations.

“Schools and parks go hand in hand, as parks are often living classrooms for our county’s children,” said Director of Parks Mary R. Bradford. “We’re pleased to take this first step in partnering with MCPS to introduce one of our most popular park amenities into their system.”

The third MCPS site location at Spring Mill Center in Silver Spring slated for a community garden as well is still being considered. If funding permits, this site could open as early as fall.

For a lottery application for these locations, visit www.ParksCommunityGardens.org.  Submit completed applications by mail to M-NCPPC Community Gardens Program at 16641 Crabbs Branch Way, Rockville MD 20855 or email to [email protected]. The Department of Parks will collect fees after the lottery process is complete.

The Department of Parks has been operating its community gardens program since May 2009.  More than 400 community gardeners are presently using the seven community gardens locations operated by the parks department throughout the county: Bradley Park Community Garden, Briggs Chaney Community Garden, Fenton Street Local Park Community Garden, Maple Avenue Community Garden, Parklawn Community Garden, Sligo Mill Overlook Community Garden and South Germantown Recreational Park Community Garden.

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

Dana Tofig
Director of Public Information
Montgomery County Public Schools
301-279-3853

Montgomery County Planners Seek Community Input for Burtonsville Commercial Crossroads Plan

SILVER SPRING, MD – For many who live or work in northeast Montgomery County, the crossroads of Routes 29 and 198 in Burtonsville provides a hub of valuable services, from car repair to grocery shopping to places to eat or worship. That 78-acre commercial area is the focus of a neighborhood study by county planners, who are analyzing ways to improve upon what’s there.

Those who frequent Burtonsville’s business district or care about its future are invited to a community design workshop, 7-9 p.m. Thursday, March 31. The workshop will provide an opportunity for attendees to brainstorm improvements for Burtonsville and inform the planning study.

Residents, business owners and anyone interested are encouraged to roll up their sleeves at the workshop, also known as a charrette, and articulate the characteristics they want in a future downtown Burtonsville. Participants will be divided into small groups, then directed through visioning exercises.

For planners tasked with studying the commercial crossroads, community input will lay the groundwork for how a future sector plan might take shape. Master and sector plans look ahead 15 to 20 years to create a long-range planning framework for each community.

After the workshop, planners will adapt input into preliminary recommendations for consideration by the Planning Board in May. Once refined, those recommendations will go back before the Planning Board next summer.

Learn more about the Burtonsville Commercial Crossroads Neighborhood Planning Study.

Who:
Montgomery County Planning Department

What:
Burtonsville Commercial Crossroads Community Design Workshop

When:
7 p.m. Thursday, March 31

Where:
East County Service Center
3300 Briggs Chaney Road, Silver Spring

 

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Washington Nationals Join Civic, Community Organizations to Build Miracle Field (at South Germantown Recreational Park)

GERMANTOWN, MD--The Washington Nationals, in association with the Washington Nationals Dream Foundation and The Annette M. and Theodore N. Lerner Family Foundation, today announced their partnership with the Miracle League of Montgomery County, the Kiwanis Club of Bethesda, the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC)’s Montgomery Parks Department, and the Montgomery County Recreation Department to construct the Washington Nationals Miracle Field in Germantown, Maryland.

“This partnership exemplifies both the Nationals’ commitment to the community and the Dream Foundation’s dedication to improving the lives of children in the Capital region,” Nationals Principal Owner and Dream Foundation Chair Marla Lerner Tanenbaum said. “We are proud to partner with these organizations to help make this field a reality for local children with special needs who will now have a place to play baseball.”

Scheduled to open this summer, the new field will be home to the Miracle League of Montgomery County, which provides children with mental and/or physical challenges the opportunity to play competitive baseball in a safe environment. Unlike typical baseball fields, this specially-designed field will incorporate a cushioned synthetic turf that allows children in wheelchairs and walkers to safely “run” the bases without fear of injury. 

“This new field will give children facing tremendous challenges the opportunity to get out in the sunshine and play ball,” said Dr. Jim Leder, President of the Miracle League of Montgomery County and the Kiwanis Club of Bethesda. “We are proud to offer children of Montgomery County and beyond the resources to play the game of baseball.”

Construction of the venue, which was designed by Grace E. Fielder of GE Fielder Associates, will be funded in part by large contributions from the Washington Nationals Dream Foundation, The Annette M. and Theodore N. Lerner Family Foundation, the Kiwanis Club of Bethesda, and Montgomery Parks via their public-private partnership program. Through this program, Montgomery Parks and its partners have provided County residents with an array of facilities such as the Go Ape complex in Rock Creek Regional Park, the Red Wiggler Community Farm, the Maryland SoccerPlex, Great and Small, and the Jack Schore Tennis Center. The new Miracle League field will be located in South Germantown Recreational Park as part of the larger athletic complex that includes the Maryland SoccerPlex, a splash playground, a swim center, a miniature golf course and a driving range. 

“The Miracle League project is a perfect example of how our public-private partnership program can successfully leverage private dollars to provide our residents with valuable and desired parks and recreation facilities,” Montgomery Parks Deputy Director Mike Riley said. “We would like to recognize the hard work and contributions of the Miracle League and all the others who helped make this project a reality - we are all looking forward to opening day!”

“The Department of Recreation enthusiastically ‘steps up to the plate’ to provide the programming for the Miracle League,” Department of Recreation Director Gabriel Albornoz said. “I am very pleased that the Department of Recreation is a partner in this dedicated collaborative work that will provide children with disabilities the opportunity to actively participate in baseball.”

Community members can support construction of the field by purchasing an engraved brick, which will be used to fill in the “stitches” of the baseball-shaped main plaza at the entrance of the Miracle Field. Bricks can be purchased for pre-construction rates starting at $250. For more information on contributing to the Washington Nationals Miracle Field, please contact Pat Tiede at [email protected] or visit www.miracleleaguemontcomd.com.

About the Washington Nationals Dream Foundation
The Washington Nationals Dream Foundation and the Washington Nationals Baseball Club are committed to community partnerships that improve the lives of children and families across the Washington Capital Region. The Foundation's cornerstone programs are focused on children's education, health and recreation. A 501(c)3 charitable organization, the Washington Nationals Dream Foundation has committed to, among other projects, a partnership with the D.C. Government to build the Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy to teach the game of baseball and provide after school educational programs for children in the DC region. For more information, visit nationals.com/dream.

About The Annette M. and Theodore N. Lerner Family Foundation
Established in 1986, The Annette M. and Theodore N. Lerner Family Foundation is a private family foundation run in consultation with all the members of the Lerner family.  The foundation has contributed millions of dollars to numerous community, education, health, cultural and religious organizations in the DC area. Previous Lerner Family Foundation grant recipients include The George Washington University, the U. S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, Food and Friends, the Johns Hopkins Oncology Center, Hadley's Park, Imagination Stage, Georgetown Day School, Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School, Weizmann Institute of Science, Hospitality High School of Washington DC, Hebrew University and many others.

About the Miracle League of Montgomery County
The Miracle League of Montgomery County is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization that provides children with mental and/or physical challenges an opportunity to play baseball as a team. The League will be the first of its kind in Maryland and will serve children in Montgomery County, the surrounding counties, Washington DC and Virginia. Presently there are 240 Miracle League Organizations across the country and in Puerto Rico, Canada and Australia. The Miracle League is proud to serve more than 200,000 children and young adults with disabilities.

About the Montgomery County Parks Department
Montgomery Parks is a department of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), which was established in 1927 by Maryland State Law to protect, preserve, and program parkland for the residents of the bi-county area. Montgomery Parks is responsible for the management and stewardship of more than 400 parks on over 35,000 acres of parkland and a wide variety of park and recreation facilities including hundreds of miles of paved and natural surface trails, athletic fields, community gardens, picnic areas, lakes, streams, ice rinks, tennis courts, and playgrounds, among others. 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 the Montgomery County Recreation Department
The mission of the Montgomery County Department of Recreation is to provide high quality, diverse and accessible programs, services and facilities that enhance the quality of life for all ages, cultures, and abilities.

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Media Contacts
Washington Nationals: Joanna Comfort - [email protected], (202) 640-7711
Montgomery Parks M-NCPPC: Kelli Holsendolph - [email protected], (301) 650-2866 Montgomery County Recreation Dept: Judy Stiles - [email protected], (240) 777-6875

Montgomery Parks Historic Sites Open for the Season Saturday, April 2

SANDY SPRING, MD—The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), Montgomery County Department of Parks officially opens its historic sites for the season on Saturday, April 2 with FREE guided hikes of the Underground Railroad Experience Trail at Woodlawn Manor Cultural Park, 16501 Norwood Road in Sandy Spring.

“Serving as a guide on the Underground Railroad Trail has been one of the most rewarding volunteer experiences I ever had,” said Parks Volunteer Diane Martin. “Each week brings new, diverse and intriguing groups, such as the young child with special needs, who at the end of the hike shouted out to the entire group ‘I made it to freedom.’"

FREE guided hikes of the Underground Railroad Experience Trail will be offered every Saturday, from 10:00 am – 12:00 noon, throughout the season, April 2 through November 5. The guided hikes are appropriate for children ages 8 and up. The two-mile, ninety minute hike follows unpaved paths through meadows and woods and is led by trained volunteer guides.

“I can safely say for all the other volunteers who contribute their time and energy that at the end of each hike we all feel we've learned something from each participant and in return we have given something back to our community,” added Martin.  

Oakley Cabin African American Museum & Park, 3610 Brookeville Road in Olney, opens for the season the following Saturday, April 9, with FREE guided cabin tours from 12:00 noon - 4:00 pm. Oakley Cabin will be open each second and fourth Saturday, April 9 through November 5.

The April 9 opening day celebration at Oakley Cabin, “Songs of the South,” will feature a special 19th century musical ensemble with performances by the “Jubilee Voices” of the Washington Revels. For opening day, visitors to Oakley Cabin will also be able to explore an archaeology dig with parks department archaeologists and make their own set of marbles to take home.

“We’re looking forward to a great season of history in the parks,” said Department of Parks Museum Manager Shirl Spicer, “and invite all to join us!”

The Montgomery Parks historic sites season closes each year on the first weekend in November with Maryland Emancipation Day Celebrations, this year commemorated November 4 - 6, 2011.

For more information on any of the historic sites and events in Montgomery Parks or to volunteer, visit www.HistoryInTheParks.org.  

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Underground Railroad Experience Trail Hikes
Saturdays, April 2 – November 5, 2011
10:00 am – 12:00 noon
Woodlawn Manor Cultural Park
16501 Norwood Road, Sandy Spring
Cost: FREE
More information: www.HistoryInTheParks.org

Guided Oakley Cabin Tours
Second and Fourth Saturdays, April 9 – November 5, 2011
12:00 noon – 4:00 pm
Oakley Cabin African American Museum & Park
3610 Brookeville Road, Olney
Cost: FREE
More information: www.HistoryInTheParks.org 

Opening Day Celebration: “Songs of the South”
Saturday, April 9, 2011
12:00 noon – 4:00 pm
Oakley Cabin African American Museum & Park
3610 Brookeville Road, Olney
Cost: FREE
More information: www.HistoryInTheParks.org

 

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

MEDIA ADVISORY: A Chance Like this Only Happens Once Every 2 Years! Joint Public Forum on Capital Improvements Program (CIP) Budget for Parks and Recreation

SILVER SPRING, MD—The Montgomery County Planning Board and the Montgomery County Recreation & Parks Advisory Boards are accepting public input on future capital improvement projects (CIP) for parks and recreation facilities for fiscal years 2013-2018. The CIP for the Department of Parks includes proposals for parkland acquisition, renovation of older park facilities and new park development.  The Recreation Department’s CIP includes proposals for construction and renovation of community/recreation centers and aquatic facilities.

Recent Department of Parks accomplishments from the current CIP include extension of the Black Hill Trail, construction of the Rock Creek Trail Pedestrian Bridge, construction of Woodside Skatespot, and the renovation of many playgrounds, tennis courts, and ballfields. To check out information on recently completed CIP projects and projects in progress, go to www.ParkProjects.org.

Current Recreation Department projects in the County’s CIP include the MidCounty Community Recreation Center, development of the White Oak Community Recreation Center, and renovation of the Plum Gar & Scotland Neighborhood Recreation Centers.

Sign up to speak during this public forum by 4:00 pm, Tuesday, April 5, by calling 301-495-4600 or online at http://www.montgomeryapps.org/planning_board/testify.asp. The forum is limited to 35 speakers; however, written comments may be submitted to Montgomery County Planning Board Chair Françoise Carrier at 8787 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, Maryland, 20910 or [email protected] by Thursday, April 7.

WHO:     
Montgomery County Planning Board/Department of Parks
Montgomery County Recreation & Parks Advisory Boards/Department of Recreation

WHAT:    
Joint Public Forum for the Proposed FY 13-18 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) Budget

WHEN:  
Thursday, April 7, 2009, 7:00 pm – 9:30 pm

WHERE:
Montgomery Regional Office Auditorium
8787 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring  

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

Bluebirds Take Flight in Montgomery Parks: Thanks to Volunteers More than 1,200 Fledged in 2010

SILVER SPRING, MD—This past Saturday current and new bluebird monitors met to discuss their bluebird trails, receive data sheets, new boxes and other supplies to continue the work of building and monitoring hundreds of bluebird nest boxes throughout the county’s more than 34,000-acre park system.

“These volunteers are largely responsible for the more than three-fold increase in the native bluebird population we’ve seen,” said Montgomery County Department of Parks Natural Resources Manager Rob Gibbs. “We see a good bit of fluctuation in the numbers from year to year because of weather conditions and other factors, but 2010 was our best year yet with 1,286 baby bluebirds fledged from park nest boxes.”

By the 1970s bluebird populations in the United States had dropped by 70 percent due to competition with non-native bird species and loss of habitat. Populations are rebounding some as a result of efforts to provide nest boxes. It is extremely important that all nest boxes be designed properly and monitored regularly. Otherwise they can provide nesting space for introduced European starlings and house sparrows, which compete with bluebirds often killing adult and young bluebirds in the process.

Scout troops and others have built many of the parks’ 540 bluebird boxes. Parks staff installs the boxes in appropriate nesting habitat and volunteers (adults and families) monitor them weekly during the nesting season, which is now, March, through mid-September. This Montgomery Parks volunteer program includes more than 50 existing volunteers with several in training.

“We have some very dedicated volunteers, some of whom have been working with our bluebird program for more than 15 years,” said Denise Gibbs, park naturalist, Montgomery County Department of Parks.  

As part of their duties, these volunteer monitors remove nests of non-native house sparrows that have been part of the cause for the decline in the bluebird population. Volunteers also document how many bluebirds, chickadees, tree swallows and house wrens are fledged from the boxes. The program began keeping records in 1992.

“Before taking on the trail, I had never seen a bluebird, and here I am meeting them regularly, from a close distance,” said Ed Escalante, a Parks bluebird monitor since 1997. “I was hooked!”

Escalante’s found interest and enthusiasm for bluebirds led him to become a founding member of the Maryland Bluebird Society.  He is currently president of that group. For more on the society, bluebird habitat and care, see www.MDBlueBirdSociety.org.

Another Parks volunteer Jim Cook, who monitors 25 boxes at Little Bennett Golf Course, had this to say about the program: “I feel privileged to be able to get so close to nature. I take a special delight in those bluebird pairs who recognize me each time I show up. Others will swoop down and try to chase me off, but the ones that know I’m not doing any harm will just perch in a tree nearby and watch me.”

To become a Parks bluebird volunteer monitor look for annual volunteer opportunities, in January, at www.ParksVolunteers.org.  

Also, mark your calendar for the Bluebirds Forever Festival, Sunday, May 15, 2011 from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm at the Black Hill Visitor Center, 20926 Lake Ridge Drive in Boyds. This FREE festival is a celebration of the beautiful Eastern bluebird.  The afternoon includes special programs, crafts, bluebird games and activities, exhibits and demonstrations and more. For more information, visit www.BlackHillNature.org.

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

Montgomery County’s Parks and Recreation Departments Offer 5 Issues of Guide to Recreation and Park Programs for $5

SILVER SPRING, MD—The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), Montgomery County Department of Parks and the Montgomery County Recreation Department will no longer mail its joint publication, the Montgomery County Guide to Recreation and Park Programs, free to resident homes without a paid subscription, starting with the Summer 2011 issue.  

The estimated cost savings to residents from not mailing the Guide is about $112,500. Residents who prefer to continue receiving the Guide in the mail have the option of a new subscription service. The nominal $5 fee will deliver a full year subscription to the Guide. Subscription fees collected will cover the costs of subscriber mailings.

“Both agencies are committed to reducing costs and paper use, especially during these difficult economic times,” said Director of Parks Mary R. Bradford. “We hope this subscription option strikes the right balance between reducing costs and making sure all residents know what’s available to them in parks and recreation.”

To avoid any interruption in the receipt of a mailed copy of the Guide, county residents and other readers must subscribe by April 1, 2011.  The $5 subscription fee covers all five brochures (Summer, Fall, Winter, Summer Camps and Spring). Otherwise, readers can subscribe at anytime during the year to receive the next five issues. To subscribe or for more on how to subscribe see http://RecWeb.MontgomeryCountyMD.gov.

“This is a win-win situation,” said Recreation Department Director Gabriel Albornoz. “It gives residents the convenient option of deciding how they would like to receive the Guide and saves money.”

Print copies of the Guide will still be available at recreation centers, park facilities, government buildings and libraries while quantities last. Also, an e-Guide is available online at www.MontgomeryParks.org/Guide or http://RecWeb.MontgomeryCountyMD.gov.

For questions about the subscription service, please call the Recreation Department at 240-777-6840.  For more on park or recreation programs visit www.MontgomeryParks.org or www.MontgomeryCountyMD.gov/rec.

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

Judy Stiles
Public Information Office
Montgomery County Recreation Department
240-777-6875