Update 1 p.m. – New uses are being proposed for county park buildings in Kensington and Chevy Chase as part of Montgomery Parks’ new program to allow community organizations to lease vacant activity buildings.
The Arc Montgomery County, a nonprofit focused on helping local developmentally disabled youth, is proposing to use the activity building at Ken-Gar Palisades Park on Wexford Drive in Kensington for an after-school program for pre-teens and adolescents with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Chrissy Shawver, the director of children and youth services for The Arc, said the building is exactly what the program was looking for in that it offers a park setting that's also part of the community.
"We were looking for a location that offered [the children and young adults] a place to be part of the community, not just in the community," Shawver said.
She said The Arc is currently licensed to serve 17 individuals, but didn't know exactly how many children and young adults would attend the park program. She said many of the individuals have learning disabilities, but not mental illnesses, and all attend public or private schools. The Arc plans to offer homework help, games, dance, yoga classes and, hopefully, peer-to-peer mentoring for the individuals at the park, according to Shawver.
A public hearing on The Arc's proposal is scheduled at the activity building at 4140 Wexford Drive from 7 to 9 p.m. Feb. 24.
In Chevy Chase, Arcos Iris Somos, a Spanish language instructional school, is proposing to operate a Spanish immersion preschool for children ages 2 to5 at the North Chevy Chase Park activity building, according to Montgomery Parks. A hearing on the proposal will be held at the activity building at 4105 Jones Bridge Road from 7 to 9 p.m. Feb. 26.
Montgomery Parks is offering the buildings for lease to save money and provide a benefit to the community. The facilities were closed to public use in 2011, according to the parks department. The parks department will consider the testimony from the public meetings before making a final decision to enter into leases with the tenants. The leases are approved through a competitive bidding process, according to the parks department.
