Communities look to projects, issues in new year

Residents plan for growth, remember history

Tara Flynn, a Garrett Park resident, said she is hoping to see the 59-year-old Garrett Park Community Center remain open next year.

The center has housed the Garrett Park Nursery School for 50 years, and residents are concerned that the Montgomery County Parks Department may tear down the building.

She and other parents have lobbied the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission to keep the aging center open after a parks report listed the center as one of five that should shut down.

‘‘It’s a little up in the air still, but we’ve had productive meetings and conversations with representatives from Park and Planning,” Flynn said. ‘‘They’ve told us they believe the assessments of these buildings needs to take into account the physical condition and usage, but also value to the community that these buildings represent.”

Other residents are looking forward to celebrating their history.

Julia O’Malley, president of the Kensington Historical Society, said members are planning to gather the life stories of older Kensington residents and accounts of their time in town.

‘‘We’re just collecting,” she said. ‘‘I guess you would describe it as an oral history project.”

The town is working with the county Legacy Open Space preservation commission to renovate the historic manor of town founder Brainard Warner, called Warner Circle. Previously, the mansion was used as a nursing home by Mariner Health but a new tenant is being sought.

As some residents preserve town histories, others are looking toward impending growth plans for Kensington and White Flint.

The Kensington Sector Plan will redefine land uses in parts of town and Mayor Peter Fosselman said town residents are interested in creating a larger commercial district in town with new restaurants and businesses.

Paula Bienenfeld, Luxmanor Citizens Association president, and other residents near White Flint met with county planners and developers throughout the year to outline growth plans for the area around White Flint Metro Station.

County planners expect to present their draft of the White Flint Sector Plan update to the Planning Board in January.

‘‘We’re looking forward to that and expecting traffic deflection plans in place and funded,” Bienenfeld said. ‘‘We’re also looking forward to the implementation of new, greener policies of the county.”Aside from the county issues, she said the neighborhood is preparing to celebrate its 70th anniversary.

‘‘We are planning a progressive dinner for the spring, and we’re really excited about that,” she said.

Fosselman said the Town of Kensington will look ahead to breaking ground on a parking lot to replace the old Konterra cement plant and opening of the Safeway supermarket.

Garrett Park Mayor Carolyn Shawaker said town leaders will continue the work on several projects in their town as well like road repairs and improvements to parks. The New Year will also bring more careful budget management with the budget shortfalls and cuts at the state and county levels.

‘‘Other than that, I believe it will be our 110 birthday, we were founded in 1898,” she said.