Why can't you name this park in Silver Spring?

Montgomery Parks, the parks department of Montgomery County, is promising a chance to sort-of help name the County's newest park, now under construction at 1110 East-West Highway in downtown Silver Spring. But in true Montgomery County facepalm fashion, you have to pick one of three names they've already chosen. And one of those is the placeholding name it's already known by at the moment.

The three possible names you can vote on are:

• Bottleworks Urban Park, which will refer to the Coca-Cola and Canada Dry bottling plants that once operated in this formerly-industrial part of town
• Kennett Street Urban Park, which recalls that nearby street's status as an industrial corridor in the mid-20th-century
• South Silver Spring Urban Park, which is what the park is currently named

Bottleworks is probably the most vivid of the three names - in very relative terms. Most people who either lived here prior to the transformation of downtown Silver Spring, or who are familiar with its history, have a favorable opinion or fond recollection of the Canada Dry facility. It seems like it would make more sense to call it Canada Dry Park if we were going in that direction, although I imagine there would be some legal trademark objection, despite the free publicity for ginger ale.

But if you think of all the prominent people associated with Silver Spring, or even some aspirational national or international figures, the selection of choices being offered is underwhelming to say the least. Voting will close at the end of the day on May 7. If you would like to vote on one of the three names, you have an equal number of ways to do so:

1. Online via the South Silver Spring Urban Park naming survey  
2. By phone:  301-495-2595 (Please reference South Silver Spring Urban Park renaming contest)  
3. By mail:      2425 Reedie Drive, 12th Floor, Wheaton, MD 20902  Attn: Public Affairs  

Wheaton Ice Arena to close for renovations

Wheaton Ice Arena will close for an extended period this year, Montgomery Parks announced yesterday. The facility at 11717 Orebaugh Avenue will be shuttered from mid-April 2025 to early October 2025.  There will be no public skating sessions, camps, programs, or rentals during the renovations. The reason for the closure is the need to replace the arena's refrigeration system. Montgomery Parks plans to add more programs and skating sessions at Cabin John Ice Rink during the Wheaton closure.

Photo courtesy Montgomery Parks

Takoma Park man dies in Silver Spring double homicide

A young Takoma Park man was one of two 20-year-old victims in a tragic Silver Spring homicide Sunday evening, May 26, 2024. Montgomery County and National-Capital Park police were called to Nolte Local Park at 200 Denver Road at 6:57 PM Sunday. Upon arriving at the scene, officers found Quincy Johnson, of Takoma Park, and D’Andre Wint, of Lanham, suffering from gunshot wounds. Officers attempted lifesaving efforts, but Johnson and Wint were ultimately pronounced dead at the scene.

Anyone with information regarding the deaths of Quincy Johnson and D’Andre Wint are asked to visit the Crime Solvers of Montgomery County, MD website at www.crimesolversmcmd.org and click on the “www.p3tips.com” link at the top of the page or call 1-866-411-8477. A reward of up to $10,000 is being offered for information that leads to the arrest of the suspects. Tipsters may remain anonymous.  

Strong-arm robbery in Takoma Park

Takoma Park City police responded to a report of a strong-arm robbery Tuesday night, May 21, 2024. The robbery was reported at a park in the 6700 block of Cockerille Avenue at 8:24 PM Tuesday. That appears to be at Spring Park.

Maryland to fund $250,000 in upgrades to Dalewood Playground

Good news for the neighborhood of Connecticut Avenue Estates in Silver Spring: Money is now available to update and upgrade Dalewood Playground at 12018 Dalewood Drive. Montgomery County did not provide the needed funds to date, but the State of Maryland has now agreed to contribute $250,000. The money will go toward existing plans for the park, such as the design and construction of a new playground, ADA-acccesible walkways, new drainage and stormwater management infrastructure, and a maintenance access route from Connecticut Avenue. How much of that can be accomplished with the new funds is unclear, as elected officials had asked for $800,000, according to a bond bill fact sheet.

Maryland DNR to stage prescribed fire at Rachel Carson Conservation Park in Brookeville

Here's something you don't hear about that often in Montgomery County: The Maryland Department of Natural Resources, in conjunction with the Montgomery Parks department, is planning to stage a "prescribed fire" at Rachel Carson Conservation Park at 22201 Zion Road in Brookeville. It will take place on a day sometime between now and April 2023. The fire is being planned to assist in restoration of a meadow in the park, and to maintain biological diversity.

Weather and other factors will play into the final selection of a calendar date, which will be announced prior to the fire. Montgomery Parks says to expect to see visible smoke rising from the park, and that the controlled burn will last about three hours. "The prescribed fire will be executed under strict requirements set forth in a Forest Service-approved prescribed burn plan,” Mike Riley, director of Montgomery Parks, said in a statement. “We will make sure the public is aware of the fire and take all necessary precautions to ensure the safety of park patrons, staff, wildlife and habitats.” 

This apparently isn't something that happens frequently in Montgomery County. The Rachel Carson fire is the only one currently listed on the Parks department's Prescribed Fire Program page.

Artist sought for Gene Lynch Urban Park in Silver Spring

The Montgomery Parks department is seeking a local artist to create a public art installation at the new Gene Lynch Urban Park, located at 8410 Colesville Road in downtown Silver Spring. It's a prime spot near the Silver Spring Transit Center, which could provide a lot of exposure for the winning artist (just think of how famous the reptilian Purple Line mural and the Silver Spring Metro penguins became over the last decade). The deadline for submissions is March 10, 2023. Everything you need to know to apply is here.

Gwendolyn E. Coffield Community Recreation Center to reopen in Lyttonsville

The Gwendolyn E. Coffield Community Recreation Center at 2450 Lyttonsville Road in Lyttonsville will reopen to the public this coming Monday, June 13, 2022. It has been used as an emergency shelter during the pandemic, a loss of a community facility that was highly controversial. The Long Branch Community Recreation Center suffered a similar fate at the expense of residents, who lost access to a building they pay to operate with their tax dollars.

A special Welcome Back Movie Night Festival is scheduled to formally celebrate the reopening. It will be held on Saturday, June 18, from 7 – 10 PM, and include a screening of the film, Encanto. There will be activities for the entire family including music, food, a live Encanto character, Father's Day drum circle, Juneteenth Freedom Day Table, and a "TikTok Dance Booth." The movie screening will begin at dusk, around 8:45 PM.

“The reopening makes it possible for the center to once again be a place for young people, families, and older adults to spend their leisure time,” Montgomery County Recreation Director Robin Riley said in a statement. “We have been working behind the scenes to have a facility that where we can offer high-quality recreation programming for everyone.”

Gene Lynch Park construction update in downtown Silver Spring (Photos)

Here's a look at the progress on Gene Lynch Park at the corner of Colesville Road and Wayne Avenue in downtown Silver Spring. Eugene Lynch was a Silver Spring civic activist before later serving as Chief Assistant to Montgomery County Executive Neal Potter, and as Chief of Staff for Maryland Governor Parris Glendening. He was serving on the County Planning Board at the time of his death at age 50. The park had been expected to be completed by the end of this spring, but you be the judge.

Montgomery County transit use, return to offices remains far below pre-pandemic numbers, new data show

Park use and grocery/pharmacy shopping

now less than during pandemic

New Google Mobility data show life in Montgomery County has yet to resume pre-pandemic patterns over the first three months of 2022, and some activity categories have even declined below their pandemic numbers. Transit use in the county has been even worse this year than it was last fall, dropping from 43% below early 2020 ridership numbers to 48% below in early 2022. Workers are heading back to the office only 1% more so far this year than they were last fall, with residents working on-location 30% less than during the same period before the pandemic in 2020.

Wheaton Claridge Local Park

County residents in 2022 so far are still staying home 10% more than they did in early 2020. In a troubling change, residents have actually reduced their time in parks and in grocery and drug stores. Google data during the pandemic months of 2020 and 2021 had showed residents were actually spending more time in parks, grocery stores and drug stores than they were before the pandemic. Now even those categories have gone negative.

Buses lined up at
Rockville Metro station

Residents spent 5% less time in parks between January 21 and March 4, 2022 than they did over the same period in 2020. They spent 6% less time in grocery and drug stores so far this year than they did in early 2020, which is odd considering that Covid-19 cases were way up when the year started, and shelves were bare for several weeks at grocery stores. And they've spent a whopping 30% less time in other types of retail stores and in recreation activities this year than they did in January - March 2020.

County residents spent less time
shopping at CVS Pharmacy so far
this year than they did over the same
period in 2020

The data collected by Google is limited to those users who have opted in to allowing the tech giant to track their phone's location. It measures both the frequency of visits, and the amount of time those users stay in the places categorized in the results, such as grocery stores, transit stations and parks.

Transit, office use still haven't recovered in Montgomery County, mobility data show

Use of parks continues to surge

New mobility data released by Google indicates Montgomery County residents still aren't riding transit or going to the office in pre-pandemic numbers, despite having one of the highest vaccination rates in the country. Google compared data acquired from devices between September 29 and November 10, 2021 with pre-covid-outbreak data collected between January 3 and February 6, 2020. 

Transit use is still down 43% from early 2020 ridership numbers, the new data show. Employees are traveling to office workplaces 31% less this fall than in early 2020. 

Montgomery residents are still spending
more time in pharmacies than before the
pandemic, but less than they did this summer

County residents are still shopping in grocery stores and pharmacies more than they did before the pandemic, but only 2% more often, down from 7% more at the time of my last report. Shoppers are still not going into other types of retail stores or recreation facilities as often as they did pre-covid; those numbers are still 11% below the early 2020 baseline.

Use of Montgomery County parks during the
pandemic continues to surge

Montgomery County still has a new appreciation for the great outdoors, though. Fall use of parks countywide shot up to 42% higher than that of early 2020; that number was up only 28% more in warmer July and August 2021, by comparison. 

Petition urges M-NCPPC to repair Sligo Creek Golf Course parking lot

Silver Spring resident Alan Bowser has created an online petition calling on the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission to repair the parking lot at Sligo Creek Golf Course, located at 9701 Sligo Creek Parkway. The entrance driveway and lot's surfaces are currently in terrible shape, posing safety hazards for users, particularly those with disabilities. As of this morning, the petition was about to reach its initial 200 signature goal.

Takoma Park residents can vote on new playground design for Hillwood Manor park

Montgomery Parks is seeking feedback from residents on two potential playground designs for Hillwood Manor Neighborhood Park at 1301 Elson Street in Takoma Park. Review the two concepts, and vote for your favorite of the two, on the Montgomery Parks website. Currently, the park features its existing playground, a basketball court, picnic benches, and a flowing creek.

Geese mitigation to close part of Kemp Mill Urban Park in Wheaton this month

Part of Kemp Mill Urban Park at 1200 Arcola Avenue in Wheaton will be temporarily closed off to the public starting this month. The Montgomery Parks department is installing fencing around ponds to deter geese from nesting in the park.

Pathways and boardwalks around the ponds will be closed as workers prepare the area for the fencing installation. The rest of the park, including the playground, will remain open as usual during the project. Watch for detours at times.

MoCo Planning Board to discuss 6-month pilot allowing ebikes/scooters on trails

The Montgomery County Planning Board will discuss a proposed six-month pilot program that would allow e-bikes and electric scooters to operate on some County trails at their meeting this Thursday, May 9, 2019. Montgomery County is still working out an agreement with four dockless e-bike companies for the pilot. If approved by the board, the pilot could begin as early as this month.

Only bikes powered by rechargeable battery will be allowed on the trails during the pilot. The trails selected are the Matthew Henson Trail (Aspen Hill/Silver Spring), Sligo Creek Trail (only the Montgomery County section), Long Branch Trail, Rock Creek Trail, and the paved sections of the Northwest Branch Trail within Montgomery County. Signs will be posted at the selected trails, and public announcements will be made by County government agencies, at least two weeks prior to the start of the program, County officials say.

Paved surface trails where e-bikes
and e-scooters could be used during
the six-month pilot program

Planning staff says that the trails selected are more often used for longer distance trips through stream valleys. The Parks Department wants to evaluate the results and user feedback before allowing the electric bikes on busier trails like the Capital Crescent Trail in Bethesda. They'll be examining conflicts with other trail users, rules violations, safety, logistics, and personal vs. commercial use.

Gas scooters and electric hoverboards and skateboards will remain illegal on all County trails during the pilot. Bikes cannot have throttle assist mechanisms.

The groundwork for the pilot was laid by a related park directive approved two years ago by the board. Staff are recommending approval of the pilot program.

Community does what Montgomery County government won't in Edgewood Park

You would think that with the taxes you pay, Montgomery County would regularly clean up and maintain Edgewood Neighborhood Park in the Briggs Chaney area of Silver Spring. Wrong! Edgewood Park, and other neaby County-owned properties have fallen victim to litterbugs and neglect.

This past Saturday, as it has done before, Impact Silver Spring and its East County Collective organized a civilian clean-up crew of volunteers to do what the County won't: clean up and tear out weeds in Edgewood Park. Impact has held similar clean-ups in the past, once collecting almost 450 pounds of garbage in the same park and a nearby school in a single day, according to The Washington Post.

What a sad statement about the Montgomery County Council, Montgomery County Parks Department, and the County government, that they cannot execute the most basic functions of government. Whether it's the 911 service failing and two County residents dying as a result, trash uncollected for three weeks in Silver Spring and Bethesda, or simply failing to perform the most basic landscaping and trash collection duties in your neighborhood park, Montgomery County has proven impotent on all fronts.

Shouldn't our charitable organizations and watershed groups be able to pursue other important priorities, rather than have to spend their Saturdays cleaning our parks and streams, doing the job of government themselves? Imagine paying taxes, and then having to provide the services yourself with no pay. In Montgomery County, we don't have to imagine; it's all horribly real. As the County infamously said during the trash (un)collection scandal: "Don't call us, just wait for them to pick it up."

Wheaton-Claridge Park to close for renovations next month

Remember the meetings about renovations to Wheaton-Claridge Local Park two years ago? The project is finally coming to fruition. But in order to complete the renovations, the park will have to close for a year. That will happen sometime next month.

When the park reopens, it will have a reconfigured driveway and parking lot, and a new bridge, sidewalks and playground.

State will contribute $75,000 to Maydale Nature Center project in Silver Spring

To follow up on last week's report on the reopening of the Maydale Nature Center in Silver Spring, Montgomery County Councilmember Tom Hucker - who sponsored the Council measure to reopen it - reports that the project has just secured $75,000 in Maryland state bond funding. The money will go toward acquisition, design and construction costs.

Delegate Eric Luedtke and Senator Craig Zucker were the sponsors of the bond bill in Annapolis.

The existing nature center at 1638 Maydale Drive fell into disrepair by 2007. It was determined by the Parks Department that renovation of the structure was not feasible. How the building was allowed to decline without oversight is unclear, but the building is 70 years old.

Construction of the new facility is expected to begin a year from now, and be completed by April 2018. The design phase will begin this July.

Maydale Nature Center to reopen, $7.5 revamp set for Hillandale Local Park

Last week was a big one for parks in the East County. The Montgomery County Council passed Councilmember Tom Hucker's amendment to reopen the Maydale Nature Center at 1638 Maydale Drive in Colesville. This will be the only educational nature center east of Wheaton in Montgomery County, and is right on the Paint Branch stream, which should greatly add to the potential learning opportunities there.

The Council also approved $7.5 million to renovate and revitalize Hillandale Local Park at 10615 New Hampshire Avenue. Among the many changes planned for the overhaul are the demolition of the Hillandale Office Building, an improved park entrance, a new roadway configuration and parking area (125 parking spaces), sidewalk improvements on New Hampshire Avenue, a hard surface internal trail loop with exercise
equipment and heart-smart trail markers, a new restroom facility, a full size soccer field with irrigation and
fencing, a new playground with public art component, two picnic shelters, two tennis courts with lighting,
two basketball courts with lighting, stormwater management facilities, and landscaping.

Colby Avenue playground renovation can proceed with state grant in Takoma Park

Takoma Park can now proceed with renovating the Colby Avenue playground, after receiving approval for a grant from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources' Legacy Open Space program. The announcement was made by Mayor Bruce Williams at last night's City Council meeting.

Those renovations would include an upgrade of the tot lot, and accessibility improvements, according to the city's application it submitted to the DNR in 2014. $178,000 in Montgomery County funds are earmarked for the Colby park project in the county's FY-2016 capital budget.