WHEATON, Md. – Montgomery Parks reopened Caroline Freeland Urban Park in downtown Bethesda on Saturday, November 9, 2024, following an extensive renovation. Montgomery Parks Director Miti Figueredo and Montgomery Planning Board Chair Artie Harris were joined by special guests Maryland State Delegates (D-16) Marc Korman and Sarah Wolek, Montgomery County Council President Andrew Friedson, and Megan Raymond, granddaughter of Caroline Freeland.
Families and community members joined the celebration, enjoying games, refreshments, and activities. The $3.3 million renovation introduced a spacious central lawn, a large seating terrace, and accessible pathways that connect to a larger playground, relaxing bench swings, and bike parking. The new entry plaza on Hampden Lane welcomes pedestrians and provides emergency vehicle access when needed.
“We are so proud of the renovated Caroline Freeland Park,” said Miti Figueredo, director of Montgomery Parks. “The combination of the new playground and seating areas in this location furthers Montgomery Parks mission to create spaces where people of all ages can gather and enjoy physical activity and develop social connections.”
Caroline Freeland Urban Park is named for the first female chair of The Maryland- National Capital Park and Planning Commission, the agency that oversees Montgomery Parks. During Freeland’s tenure as chair from 1963-1971, parkland more than doubled in size from seven thousand to sixteen thousand acres. The park occupies a prime location near the downtown Bethesda central business district, the Connie Morella Library and nearby housing. Its location makes it a hub of activity for the community.
“ My grandmother would have been so thrilled to see the generations that gathered to celebrate the park’s reopening,” said Megan Raymond, Caroline Freeland’s granddaughter. “She was wheelchair-bound in her later years, and it would’ve been incredible to wheel her along the park’s accessible pathways to see this new design. The new layout now closely links the park to the library next door, which is named for a long-time friend of my grandmother’s, former Congresswoman Connie Morella.
A panel commemorating Caroline Freeland’s accomplishments will be installed in the park later this year.
About Montgomery Parks
Montgomery Parks manages more than 37,000 acres of parkland, consisting of 419 parks. Montgomery Parks is focused on promoting physical activity, social connectivity, and environmental stewardship, especially in diverse and urbanizing areas, with an emphasis on teens, working-age adults, and seniors. Montgomery Parks is a department of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), a bi-county agency established in 1927 to steward public land. M-NCPPC has been nationally recognized for its high-quality parks and recreation services and is regarded as a national model by other parks systems. MontgomeryParks.org
Accessibility
Montgomery Parks, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, encourages and supports the participation of individuals with disabilities. Please contact the Program Access Office at 301-495-2581 (Voice/TTY), MD Relay 7-1-1 or 800-552-7724 or ProgramAccess@MontgomeryParks.org to request a disability modification. Visit Montgomery Parks Accessibility for more information.
###