Montgomery Parks is updating the 2017 Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Plan to guide the future development and management of the County park system. Parks, recreation and open spaces provide active, social, and leisure opportunities that are essential to the high quality of life for residents. The focus of the 2022 PROS Plan is to provide equitably activated, central community spaces that meet recreational needs and protect and manage natural and cultural resources for future generations.
The PROS Plan update will correlate with the developing THRIVE Montgomery 2050 General Plan update for the County that showcases how great places with equitable access to opportunities produce strong communities. THRIVE uses a placemaking approach to inspire people to reimagine and reinvent public spaces.
Placemaking is more than just promoting better park facilities. Placemaking is a holistic approach to planning parks and open spaces as part of a larger community, rather than zeroing in on individual facilities. It replaces the fragmented planning processes with a broader perspective to address various common problems, such as traffic congestion, little-used parks and loss of outdoor school fields.
The PROS plan process and schedule:
- April 2021: Project kick-off
- Summer / Fall 2021: Community engagement
- November 2021: Preliminary recommendations review by the Montgomery Planning Board
- Dec. 1, 2021: Draft PROS Plan due to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR)
- Spring / Summer 2022: Final recommendations review and approval by the Montgomery Planning Board
- July 1, 2022: Final PROS submission to DNR and Maryland Department of Planning (MDP)
The 2022 PROS Plan will serve as the planning policy for parks and recreation in Montgomery County to the year 2027 and beyond. Additionally, the PROS Plan will fulfill the requirement of the Department of Natural Resources Land Preservation Parks and Recreation Plan (LPPRP) to receive state funding.
