MCPS, Parks Department Create New Community Garden Sites

March 25, 2011

Two new community garden sites on Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) property are opening this spring.

MCPS, the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) and the Montgomery County Department of Parks have worked together to open two new community gardens sites in Rockville and Gaithersburg.

“Community gardens are a great asset to our neighborhoods for environmental, health, and educational reasons,” said Christopher S. Barclay, president of the Montgomery County Board of Education. “MCPS is very happy to partner with the county parks department to open up our property for such a vital, community use.”

The Department of Parks has been accepting lottery applications for gardening sites and the new plots will be assigned in early April with an anticipated opening in mid-April, weather permitting.

The Rocking Horse Center site, located at 4920 Macon Road in Rockville, will have both 200-square-feet plots for an annual fee of $30 per plot and 400-square-feet plots for $50 per year. The Emory Grove Center location, 18110 Washington Grove Lane in Gaithersburg, will also feature 200-square-feet plots for an annual fee of $30 per plot and 400-square-feet plots for $50 per year. There will be fifty or more plots available at both locations.

“Schools and parks go hand in hand, as parks are often living classrooms for our county’s children,” said Director of Parks Mary R. Bradford. “We’re pleased to take this first step in partnering with MCPS to introduce one of our most popular park amenities into their system.”

The third MCPS site location, at the Spring Mill Center in Silver Spring, is under consideration. If funding permits, this site could open as early as fall.

For more infromation, visit www.parkscommunitygardens.org.

<<Back to browse