The county will reinstate the Picnic in the Parks program allowing visitors to certain parks the right to drink alcoholic beverages, Montgomery Parks officials announced. The program will be back in effect as of today (Oct. 22).
Montgomery Parks has suspended the park pilot program allowing alcohol consumption without a permit in 13 county parks, effective today (July 1), officials announced. The action is due to the governor lifting the Maryland state of emergency declared in reaction to the COVID–19 pandemic. That also takes effect today.
Montgomery Parks is marking National Selfie Day today by announcing that staff has placed new selfie stands in 13 different parks around the county. The stands are wooden and include ledges at two different heights where park visitors can place their phones for individual or group shots.
The county’s Planning Board will be asked to renew the Temporary Suspension of Alcohol Prohibition in Designated Parks at the commission’s Thursday, May 27 meeting, according to a press release from Montgomery Parks. The temporary directive was part of a pilot program enacted on Sept. 24, 2020, which suspended the prohibition of alcohol in nine Montgomery Parks, which is set to expire May 31.
The YMCA in Silver Spring will be one of the first branches of the YMCA of Metropolitan Washington to add pickleball to its programs, according to a press release. The Y plans to add more than 20 courts in Silver Spring, YMCA Bethesda-Chevy Chase and YMCA Arlington Tennis and Squash Center, with twice as many added by the end of 2022.
The City of Takoma Park is planning to redevelop its recreation center on New Hampshire Avenue and is looking for community input, the city announced. Officials have launched a survey to gather information about the public’s needs and priorities.
The county’s Recreation department plans to reopen eight community recreation centers for limited, scheduled activities on Monday, March 1, officials announced. Individuals or households will be able to schedule a time to use the fitness room, gymnasiums, and other rooms without attending a class, as was necessary when the department opened RecFit programs two weeks ago.
Montgomery County Recreation will offer a limited number of indoor, instructor-led sports and fitness activities at four community rec centers beginning Tuesday, Feb. 16, the department announced. The program, RecFit-Limited, is the first in-person recreation program offered at community recreation facilities since last March when the facilities closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Montgomery Parks has launched a program to encourage residents to participate in outdoor activities this winter. Virtual Winter Bingo is a downloadable bingo card with 24 different activities. Participants can complete five different squares in a vertical, horizontal, or diagonal row to collect bingo.