On Sunday, December 4th, the ground was broken for The Clarksburg Yard. They planted the first tree and invited State Delegates and representatives from the county. The Clarksburg Yard has been a dream for Clarksburg Church and has now become a reality. But what is it? Here’s an overview from Pastor Beth Wolff:

Why The Clarksburg Yard?

In 1994, a MasterPlan for the Clarksburg Community was established to set Clarksburg apart as a different kind of town in which to live.

It was to be a place that would maintain an identity separate from its neighboring corridor cities, Germantown and Damascus, with a strong town concept. Seven specific values were outlined to guide the development of the rural area into a large-scale town with a projection of 14,000 housing units/43,000 residents. One value included developing the limited land in a way that “provided for attractive land uses that encourage opportunities for social interaction and promoted community identity.”

These early dreamers understood that these types of places weren’t just “nice luxuries.” Instead, they are vital for a community’s sense of belonging and health. In spaces where we gather, strangers become friends. In spaces where we linger, dreams ignite into possibilities. In spaces where we rest, energy for new engagement is born. In spaces where we play, we are reminded of the joy foundational to our lives.

However, in the wake of the increasing demand for housing to address the housing shortage, the goals and strategies of the master plan were pushed to the side, resulting in brick-and-mortar buildings in which to live, without many spaces to foster a strong sense of community identity or social interaction.

What is The Clarksburg Yard?

The Clarksburg Yard is a response to the lack of community gathering spaces available in Clarksburg. It is both an outdoor venue and cafe that is located on the frontage of the Clarksburg Church property (22820 Frederick Road, Clarksburg, MD 22820) along the 355 bike path, north of Clarksburg High School.

We long for this to be a place for the residents and neighbors of Clarksburg to come together for social interaction and to promote community identity. We wanted it to be a beautiful outdoor space where people who were using the 355 bike path could meet up with each other, rest, and play. Where students who are walking home from Clarksburg High School, Rocky Hill Middle School, or other neighboring schools can come and participate in Student Service Hours while developing relationships with each other and creating a sense of belonging and ownership over their locale. Where young parents can grab a cup of coffee while their kids hunt for butterflies in the community garden. Where people from all over the world, who have made Clarksburg, Maryland their home, could sit down in the Cafe together in peace.

We want this to be a place where people can be known, be together, be seen, and be loved for who they are, no matter their story.

How will The Clarksburg Yard happen?

We know that this type of place can’t just be created by one person or one group of people. This type of place is cultivated and fostered by an entire community. Only if the community builds it together, will the community would use it together.

As a result, we are seeking to partner with Nature Sacred ($50k gift-in-kind landscaping design services) to walk us through a journey of developing a design for the outdoor venue that is informed by a stirring committee and feedback received in community design charettes. They are a well known non-profit organization that not only elevates our credibility, they also have the knowledge of how to design elements of the venue so they are eligible for further grant funding.

Currently, we are in the process of fundraising $30k from the congregation and community by the end of the year to cover our initial expenses, including the required architectural drawings of the cafe by Nth degree designs. So far we have received a promised match of $15k and have raised the other $9,200. So, we are over 3/4th the way there. If you are interested in helping us get there, please donate here.

We are also pursuing state grant money from the State Bond Bill** program and a matching grant from the MOCO County Capital Improvement Plan (totaling $300,000). This money will likely take many loops to jump through and a while to secure, but I am currently in conversation with our three State Delegates, State Senator, 2 local County Councilmember (one for our district and the other at large), and the Upcounty Regional Director about securing this funding from these sources and they are all VERY positive and committed to helping make this happen because they agree that this has been a long-awaited for and neglected need in our community.

**The State Delegation has not decided whether they will require matching funding this year. They did in past years, but it was waived during the pandemic. The State Delegation has recommended that the county provide the match.

What is the Timeline for The Clarksburg Yard?

Our groundbreaking ceremony occurred on Sunday, December 4th. Between now and March, Tree Montgomery will be planting 21 trees on the property to begin our shade canopy and reinforce our property lines. In January, the State Delegation will introduce the Bond Bill recommendation to the State Committee. The first cuts are made in March and the final decision for approval will be made in June. Typically, the county CIP (Captial Improvement Plan) is finalized in June as well. The designs for NatureSacred and the Cafe should be completed in February, or March at the latest.

The Bond Bill and CIP require a shovel-ready project. So after plans are completed, we will need to apply for permits immediately to meet our deadlines.

Building of the project will need to be at the pace of our funding, however, I would love to see community build days for the outdoor space be organized in late spring and through the summer and a cafe be able to open late 2023/early 2024.

If anyone or congregations would like to help make The Clarksburg Yard happen, we have a goal to raise $30k by the end of year. The $30k has been matched up to $15k, so any dollar given will be matched. We are almost 3/4 of the way there! If anyone would like to give, they can donate at: https://www.theclarksburgyard.com/donate

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