Save the Silver Spring plaza fountain. Ensure Ellsworth Drive is not next step to gentrifying Downtown Silver Spring.
260 Comments
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Eric Cathcart
5 years ago
AstroTurf is a stupid idea. I used to sell it professionally. I know what it's good for and what it's bad for. A permanent install is a waste of money. Also, getting rid of a destination feature like the fountain that gives so much joy to the children, is yet another example of horrible planning. ""It is difficult to design a space that will not attract people. What is remarkable is how often this has been accomplished." - William Holly Whyte.
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Theresa clark
5 years ago
Leave Fenton Street alone. Who needs fake turf.
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Anna White
5 years ago
The fountain has always been such a wonderful "third place", one that has truly brought together people in the community of all ages, colors, countries of origin, economic levels, and more. Even before having kids and moving to Silver Spring over a decade ago, used to come up from DC to catch movies at AFI and loved hanging out by the fountain and enjoying the pure organic joyfullness exuded by all the young fountain-splashers in the space. Have many pleasant memories of taking my kids there to cool off and have fun when they were young.
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Anonymous
5 years ago
Public space should be used to serve the public good, not about increasing profit. And the use of synthetic turf has considerable negative consequences--this plastic degrades over time and the bits and pieces end up in our streams where they harm aquatic life. Plus it simply is not comfortable or attractive for humans. The fountain has been an incredibly beautiful and popular feature for all and should be kept. I'm sure there are much better solutions than what Downtown Silver Spring, the commercial entity, has proposed. Include the public in decision making for public spaces!
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Victoria Balenger
5 years ago
Please scrap this plan, which has nothing to do with SS residents’ needs or quality of life. We don’t need to make our region another San Francisco!
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Kirsten Mage
5 years ago
Keep the fountain!!!
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Laura Delaney
5 years ago
OutRAGEous! This is so short sighted and divisive.
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Idris Mokhtarzada
5 years ago
Turf?? Seriously?
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Jayne Holt
5 years ago
I am pleased at the idea of permanently banning cars from this section of Ellsworth but please do not get rid of the fountain! That is such a lovely feature and makes DDSS a unique and inviting place for families.
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Carlean Ponder
5 years ago
The children deserve to have their fountain play!!
S
Sawa Kamara
5 years ago
We hope that this space will continue to be utilized by the community. I take my daughter every summer to play here. It’s almost like a getaway. We love it, we have met so many other parents. Please don’t take the fun & opportunity away!
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Elaine R Weiss
5 years ago
As a community that has historically been racially, ethnically, and socioeconomically diverse, this is a big step in the wrong direction.
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Dawn Barton
5 years ago
I was dismayed to hear that Ellsworth was opened to vehicles after being a walkable, bikeable and skateable place of community for so long. Put the plaza back to a car-free zone (and don't add astroturf, gross!) and put your efforts toward making a more inclusive space. If cars need places to be let them use the streets that currently exist.
C
Christoper Baty
5 years ago
Project architect/manager at a local architecture firm and find the removal of child-friendly features to be extremely disheartening and the antithesis of inclusive design.
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T Grebowsky
5 years ago
Please block or modify Project Plan Amendment 91998005C and Executive Order 084-20 to ensure that the downtown Silver Spring mosaic fountain stays in place. Thank you.
K
Kristen Hudgins
5 years ago
Please save the fountain! Also, synthetic turf seems like it would get real funky real fast. Ellsworth Ave is perfect as it is, it is a community space that is well used and well loved.
C
Consuelo A Grier
5 years ago
keep the fountain!
M
Marcelle Fozard
5 years ago
The joy that the fountain brings should not be taken away. Leave it be or enhance the experience with some ice cream/mochi stands. I love seeing the kids splashing in it.
AstroTurf is a stupid idea. I used to sell it professionally. I know what it's good for and what it's bad for. A permanent install is a waste of money. Also, getting rid of a destination feature like the fountain that gives so much joy to the children, is yet another example of horrible planning. ""It is difficult to design a space that will not attract people. What is remarkable is how often this has been accomplished." - William Holly Whyte.
Leave Fenton Street alone. Who needs fake turf.
The fountain has always been such a wonderful "third place", one that has truly brought together people in the community of all ages, colors, countries of origin, economic levels, and more. Even before having kids and moving to Silver Spring over a decade ago, used to come up from DC to catch movies at AFI and loved hanging out by the fountain and enjoying the pure organic joyfullness exuded by all the young fountain-splashers in the space. Have many pleasant memories of taking my kids there to cool off and have fun when they were young.
Public space should be used to serve the public good, not about increasing profit. And the use of synthetic turf has considerable negative consequences--this plastic degrades over time and the bits and pieces end up in our streams where they harm aquatic life. Plus it simply is not comfortable or attractive for humans. The fountain has been an incredibly beautiful and popular feature for all and should be kept. I'm sure there are much better solutions than what Downtown Silver Spring, the commercial entity, has proposed. Include the public in decision making for public spaces!
Please scrap this plan, which has nothing to do with SS residents’ needs or quality of life. We don’t need to make our region another San Francisco!
Keep the fountain!!!
OutRAGEous! This is so short sighted and divisive.
Turf?? Seriously?
I am pleased at the idea of permanently banning cars from this section of Ellsworth but please do not get rid of the fountain! That is such a lovely feature and makes DDSS a unique and inviting place for families.
The children deserve to have their fountain play!!
We hope that this space will continue to be utilized by the community. I take my daughter every summer to play here. It’s almost like a getaway. We love it, we have met so many other parents. Please don’t take the fun & opportunity away!
As a community that has historically been racially, ethnically, and socioeconomically diverse, this is a big step in the wrong direction.
I was dismayed to hear that Ellsworth was opened to vehicles after being a walkable, bikeable and skateable place of community for so long. Put the plaza back to a car-free zone (and don't add astroturf, gross!) and put your efforts toward making a more inclusive space. If cars need places to be let them use the streets that currently exist.
Project architect/manager at a local architecture firm and find the removal of child-friendly features to be extremely disheartening and the antithesis of inclusive design.
Please block or modify Project Plan Amendment 91998005C and Executive Order 084-20 to ensure that the downtown Silver Spring mosaic fountain stays in place. Thank you.
Please save the fountain! Also, synthetic turf seems like it would get real funky real fast. Ellsworth Ave is perfect as it is, it is a community space that is well used and well loved.
keep the fountain!
The joy that the fountain brings should not be taken away. Leave it be or enhance the experience with some ice cream/mochi stands. I love seeing the kids splashing in it.
Please save the fountain.
Synthetic turf is the worst idea ever!