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Eastern Silver Spring Placemaking

Children and adults enjoy various activities at an outdoor park event, with tents, games, a soccer goal, and a bike visible under large green trees.
Four people stand outside near a fence, reading and discussing a bilingual information board labeled “Long Branch District.”.
A green swing and park sign that reads “Franklin Knolls Neighborhood Park” sit among rocks, logs, and flowers, surrounded by trees and grass.
People gather in a park with picnic tables, outdoor games, and activity booths set up under trees on a sunny day.
A group of people stands near signs at the entrance to the Northwest Branch Trail, surrounded by trees and greenery.
An outdoor feedback station with a bench, wooden seats, and an information board surrounded by trees and grass in a forested park area.
People gather near a large sign labeled “Hastings Neighborhood Conservation Area” on a sunny day, with trees and grass in the background.
A group of people gathers outdoors under a blue canopy and trees, with bicycles parked on the grass and sunny weather.

The Eastern Silver Spring Communities Plan team has been working closely with residents, business owners, and community partners to understand how people experience their neighborhoods today and how they envision their future. Community members consistently shared how much they value the area’s cultural diversity, local parks and trails, and access to unique retail and restaurants. They also emphasized the need for safer, more welcoming public spaces and better ways to move around without a car.

In response, Montgomery Planning’s Placemaking team, in partnership with Montgomery Parks, created a series of gathering spots in eastern Silver Spring where residents can share feedback, learn about the Plan, and enjoy temporary amenities that demonstrate possible improvements for public spaces. 

Explore the gathering spots 

Four temporary gathering spaces are open across eastern Silver Spring in 2026: Quebec Terrace Local Park, the Northwest Branch Trailhead at Oakview Drive, an open space in Franklin Knolls, and Hastings Neighborhood Conservation Area. Each location reflects the character of its surrounding neighborhood and offers a mix of seating, interactive and interpretive signs, plantings, lighting, and public art. They also include information displays and interactive elements for visitors to provide feedback on future improvements and plan recommendations. 

Visitors can also share stories, contribute to local history, and learn more about the Eastern Silver Spring Communities Plan. These installations are designed to spark conversation, encourage activity, and create new opportunities for neighbors to connect. 

A map of the Eastern Silver Spring Communities Plan area showing the location of the four placemaking locations: 1) Quebec Terrace Neighborhood Park located south of Piney Branch Road east of University Boulevard 2) Northwest Branch Trailhead located at the western terminus of Oakview Drive 3) Franklin Knolls located between 9607 and 9507 McAlpine Road 4) Hastings Conservation Area located on the east side of Colesville Road at the intersection of Hastings Drive

Community engagement

The gathering spots are one of the ways we are engaging with community members as part of the development of the Eastern Silver Spring Communities Plan. At each gathering spot, you can learn more about the plan’s preliminary long-term recommendations for the site and share your ideas for the space with us – by leaving a comment card or jotting on a chalkboard and posting a picture.

What we’re hearing

Since spring 2026, we have received approximately 200 comment cards, as well as chalkboard messages and emails. We also heard directly from residents at four “Planners in the Park” events held at the gathering spots throughout May and June.

 Overall, community members expressed strong support for neighborhood parks, improved trail access, and amenities that make public spaces more welcoming, comfortable, and connected. Community members also highlighted specific priorities at each location. At Quebec Terrace, visitors requested additional recreational and park amenities. At the Northwest Branch Trailhead, feedback supported formalizing the trail entrance and improving the visitor experience. At Franklin Knolls, residents expressed strong support for a permanent neighborhood park with gathering and play opportunities. At Hastings Conservation Area, community members emphasized the importance of safety, maintenance, and preserving usable open space.

This feedback, along with input gathered through other community engagement efforts and guidance from the Planning Board, is helping to refine the recommendations in the Working Draft of the Plan, which is expected to be released this October and the gathering spots will remain in place through this plan milestone. 

Montgomery Planning and Montgomery Parks will evaluate the installations and explore future opportunities for the sites and placemaking elements.