Thank you for the victory!

We did it! CBAR delivered nearly 3000 signatures from local area residents who asked for better urban parks in Bethesda. Council President Roger Berliner received the signatures directly at our March 30 community meeting. On April 7, he and Councilmember Hans Riemer co-signed a memo requesting amendments to the Bethesda Sector Plan, which began with: "Ensure that Bethesda has great gathering spaces - including parks, plazas, recreation centers and civic spaces." CBAR's recommendation to specifically cite public parking lots (#25, #44, #24 and #10) in their entirety for public parks (with appropriate accommodate for parking, either underground or nearby) was adopted by the Council in its April 18 "straw vote." This was a very satisfying and important win for our communities and for the County at large. Public amenities, and parks in particular, attract employers, employees, residents and visitors to an area. They are “place makers.” As Bethesda starts reaching for the sky, the County must foster a strong sense of place on the ground. Parks are the foundation for that work. So what's next? You can help the County understand how to build excellent urban parks by taking an online survey (see the link attached to this message). You can also learn about a proposed County-wide functional master plan specifically for urban parks by searching for "Energized Public Spaces" Please continue to stay engaged, and THANK YOU! Mary Flynn Founder, Coalition of Bethesda Area Residents