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Wheaton Placemaking

Montgomery Planning and its partners hosted Wheels in Wheaton on May 31 and June 1, 2025 to advance the recommendations of the 2012 Wheaton Central Business District and Vicinity Sector Plan, the 2022 Wheaton Downtown Study and the 2023 Streetscape Standards. Through the Wheaton Placemaking Initiative, Montgomery Planning worked with the community and local businesses to launch a temporary skating rink and gathering space for the Wheaton community to showcase how underutilized public space in an urban center can be transformed to be functional, exciting, and recreational.

During engagement for the 2022 Wheaton Downtown Study, community members felt strongly about the small business character of the Triangle, the creation and support of public open space, a strong sense of place, and the improvement of safety and connectivity. Building off the results of the study’s engagement and following a recommendation for placemaking activities in the Wheaton Downtown Study, the Wheaton Placemaking Initiative focused engagement on placemaking specifically within the Wheaton Triangle.

Staff conducted a public survey, a walk-audit with community leaders, a public open house, participated at local events, and had one-on-one conversations with business owners, artists, and other community organizers. Here are the main takeaways:

  • Community members want areas to gather, more outdoor dining options, and more local shopping opportunities.
  • Most visit Wheaton to eat, shop, and attend local events, and there is a strong desire for more markets, more programming, and more entertainment for all ages.
  • Safety measures and more comfortable ways to get from place to place are important to enhance the community.
  • Wheaton’s unique sense of place, culture, and local business economy is important to build on, and further support and grow.

Thank you to the Wheaton Urban District, the Mid-County Regional Services Center, Montgomery Parks, Prince George’s Parks and Recreation, Montgomery County Department of Transportation, our partners, and the community for making Wheels in Wheaton a success!

Five people are gathered at an outdoor service kiosk made from a shipping container, with two people standing outside and three people standing inside behind the counter.
A skateboarder performs a trick off a wooden ramp in a parking lot near a “Goats on Wheels” skateboarding for beginners sign. Temporary barriers and businesses are in the background.
A large, yellow, cartoon-like cutout with a smiling face and a thumbs-up leans against a colorful outdoor kiosk on a sunny day.
Children play a bean bag toss game on an outdoor painted surface while adults and other children watch in a busy public area.
Aerial view of a public plaza with colorful painted ground, tents, people walking, and vendors set up along the edges on a cloudy day.
Information boards in English and Spanish display event details, activities, and community programs in front of a colorful wall. A smaller sign stands on the left.
A group of seven adults and one child pose and smile under an archway labeled "Wheels in Wheaton" at an outdoor event in a city setting.
Outdoor seating area with colorful banners reading "Wheaton Triangle" and "Preserve Local," surrounded by plants, picnic tables, and blue umbrellas under a partly cloudy sky.
Outdoor seating area with wooden picnic tables and orange chairs, colorful painted ground and barriers, umbrellas, and nearby buildings in an urban setting.
A person ties the laces on white roller skates with rainbow details; another person wearing a sneaker is nearby, and a slipper is on the ground.
People sit and stand in an outdoor space with colorful flooring, umbrellas, and decorations under a blue sky. Some converse, others use phones or relax on chairs.
People roller skating on a colorful outdoor rink in an urban area, with a large mural and a tall building in the background.
A young man helps a child wearing a helmet and blue jacket balance on a skateboard at an outdoor skate park event.
Two women move a large orange play structure in an outdoor urban space with colorful seating, banners, and painted pavement.
People roller skating on a colorful outdoor rink, with some using walkers for support; others and onlookers are visible in the background.

Past events

Open house

On December 11, 2024, the project team hosted an open house at M-NCPPC’s Wheaton Headquarters. Over 50 community members stopped by to learn more about the project, provide valuable input, and engage with planners. Attendees visited stations set up around the room, each focused on a different aspect of the project including connectivity, activation, and retail.

People gather indoors near a vertical garden wall. Some are standing and talking, while others are seated at tables.
Bulletin board titled "What Makes Wheaton Unique?" with various sticky notes listing diversity, art culture, restaurants, and other local qualities.
A group of people stand indoors, observing posters displayed on easels. A city street is visible through the large windows in the background.
Two people stand in front of informational posters on easels inside a building with large windows, discussing maps and images related to urban planning.
A person in a white coat writes on a sticky note attached to a suggestion board indoors, titled "Let's make these even better.
A person in a black sweater presents a map to a group of people inside a building with large windows.
A group of people stands by large windows, discussing and pointing at two posters displayed on the glass.
A table with assorted sandwiches, cheese, and meats on platters, accompanied by disposable plates, utensils, and condiments, set up for a gathering.

Project kickoff

On August 22, 2024, the project team hosted project partners and major stakeholders for coffee, donuts, and conversation about how this project can take shape. Attendees participated in an interactive walking tour with the project team to discuss existing conditions and opportunities and challenges within the Core District.

Poster in window: What Desigh Treatments Best Fit
Group standing next to a pyramid-shaped painted art installation on sidewalk
People holding and looking at clipboards around a round picnic table
People talking in group next to mural of people dancing
Walkshop forms on clipboards
People talking in groups in front of M-NCPPC Wheaton HQ