Montgomery County Civic Federation, Inc.

MONTGOMERY PARKS’ EMERALD ASH BORER WORK

The emerald ash borer is a non-native, invasive beetle that will cause all ash trees in the county to die within one to five years.  To address this issue, parks staff are inventorying ash trees and removing those which pose the most imminent risk to park and trail users.  Arboriculture staff will be out marking emerald ash borer infested trees in Rock Creek Stream Valley along Beach Drive from Connecticut to Knowles Avenues.  The trees marked with green dots and/or flags will be removed by Montgomery Park’s tree contractors over the course of the next month.  Contact Colter Burkes with any questions or concerns [email below, or call 301-495-2469].  [Posted 2/4/16]
EMERALD ASH BORER BACKGROUND
EMAIL COLTER BURKES

SCHEDULED PARK RENOVATION AT KEMP MILL URBAN PARK

Renovations to Kemp Mill Urban Park [1200 Arcola Avenue, Wheaton, MD 20902] are scheduled to begin this 2016 winter and will require the park to be closed to the public during the construction period.  The work is scheduled to last throughout the 2016 year as overall improvements to the park will include better access, an updated water feature, and expanded playground.  Park users are encouraged to visit other parks in the vicinity and use caution around work area:
■ Kemp Mill Estates Local Park, 120 Claybrook Drive, Wheaton, MD 20902 (Basketball Court, Tennis Courts, Playground)
■ Northwood High School, 919 University Boulevard Silver Spring, MD 20901 (Basketball, Tennis Courts, Running Track)
■ Arcola Elementary School, 1820 Franwall Avenue Silver Spring, MD 20901 (Basketball Courts, Playground)
■ Wheaton Regional Park, Orebaugh Area 11715 Orebaugh Avenue Wheaton, MD 20902 (Basketball Courts, Walking Path) For additional information about the project, or to review a summary of comments and presentation materials, please visit link below or call 301-495-2595.  [Posted 2/4/16]
VISIT MONTGOMERY PARKS

2012 PARK, RECREATION, AND OPEN SPACE (PROS) PLAN

Future Park and Recreation Facilities:  What Do We Want, What Do We Need, and What Can We Afford?  What are the park and recreation needs for the next 10 years?  How will those needs be met?  The 2012 Park, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Plan Update will estimate future needs and explain the strategy for meeting those needs.  (For example, the draft PROS includes the following strategy for soccer fields:  “Maximize field use and minimize wear with the installation of synthetic turf.”)
Public Input for Future Needs  Two public meetings were held 1/24-25/12, to obtain public input for future park and recreation needs and how they should be implemented.  These meetings used an Open House format with the following stations:  Recreation and Aquatic Centers; Environmental and Historic Preservation; Trails; Recreation Trends (Community Gardens, Skateboard Facilities, Dog Parks, Volleyball, Cricket, etc.); and Traditional Facilities (Athletic Fields, Picnic Shelters, Playgrounds, Tennis and Basketball Courts, Ice Rinks, etc.).
Let County Officials Know What You Think ■ PROS Plan Project Coordinator:
EMAIL PROS PLAN PROJECT COORDINATOR
■ MoCo Parks Dept. Director:  Mary Bradford • 301-495-2500
EMAIL BRADFORD
■ MoCo Recreation Dept. Director:  Gabriel Albornoz • 240-777-6800
EMAIL ALBORNOZ
Schedule for the Plan’s Development ■ Open House Public Meetings • January 2012
■ Presentation of Staff Draft Plan to Planning Board • April 12, 2012
■ Public Hearing before Planning Board • mid-May 2012 (tentatively)
■ Planning Board Work Sessions • June 2012
■ Plan Approval by Planning Board • July 2012
■ Final Local Plan Submission • July 2012
VIEW PARKS DEPT. PROS PLAN UPDATE
VIEW MCCF ANALYSIS OF DRAFT PROS PLAN
VIEW MCCF POSITION
VIEW MCCF TESTIMONY TO PLANNING BOARD

PLANNING BOARD SEMI-ANNUAL REPORTS

The Planning Board presented its semi-annual reports to the County Council.  These include the schedule for future Parks Department work on major projects, which Council must approve.  [In Fall 2011 Report below, see Major Capital Projects schedule on pg. 23, and Parks and Trails Planning schedule on pp. 24-25.]
FALL 2011 REPORT
SPRING 2012 REPORT

PARKS AND RECREATION TRANSITION REPORT

On 1/25/11, the County Council received an update on work being done to consolidate a number of services that have been performed and programs that have been offered by both the County’s Department of Recreation and the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.  When formulating the current FY11 budget, the Council stipulated certain consolidations to avoid duplication and to save money.
VIEW COUNCIL STAFF PACKET