Woodward High School is ready for students

 

Montgomery County Public Schools has been re-building Woodward High School for the past several years.  They demolished the old building in the Spring of 2021 and since then I have posted quite a lot about the construction progress. (See them all here.)

After all this time, the school is finally ready for students.  A couple of caveats apply though. First, the school isn't completely done, there are not yet athletic fields or a theater, or a couple of other things, and second, it isn't reopening as Woodward yet.  For the next few years Northwood High School will be based here while the rebuild that building.

Northwood will be here when the school year starts on Monday. Yes, it is just days away from a new school year.

 

Here's the school from the Southwest, there is a large parking lot, I think for bus drop-off, and, in the bottom right, the shadow of me taking the picture.

The school is set a ways back from the road and the sidewalk will also be moved back from the edge of the road a bit.

 

 

 

The Montgomery County Fair is now going on

The midway at the MoCo Fair

It's that time of year. Time for "The best 9 days of summer" at the Montgomery County Fair.  The fair runs through the end of the week (Saturday August 17, 2024) so you don't have much time.  It's a great place to take the kids to see animals, shows, and ride rides.  If you want all the activities, here's a pdf of the full 2024 fair schedule.

Piglets

Every year they have piglets at Old MacDonalds barn. This year's are especially cute

Prize winning vegetables

In the Old-Timers building you can see all the vegetables that people have entered for judging. This picture is of the largest squash by weight. The winner is 10 pounds 5 ounces!

A circus act

Multiple times a day the Circus Incredible does their thing.  Here is the Trapeze portion and a crowd of people watching.

And here's who they're looking at. Lyric Wallenda of the “World Famous Wallenda” family performing on the trapeze.

 

Caroline Freeland Park renovation continues

The park's progress

 It has been over a year since they closed Caroline Freeland park in downtown Bethesda, MD for renovation.  The park still isn't open, but progress has been made. The new lights are in and tables with umbrellas are sitting on a new concrete pad for example. but there is a lot more to do.

Park and Road

The park sits at 7200 Arlington Road between the library and the Giant Food store. It has long been a popular place to take kids to play or to eat lunch.  Despite how it looks in the photo, Arlington Rd is quite busy (except early on Sunday mornings apparently). The sidewalk used to be right next to the road, now there is a grass strip separating the two.

Repainted Sculpture

The round sculpturey thing of people walking in a circle was designed by George Greenamyer and was installed in 1989. It remains and has gotten a fresh coat of paint.

Playground

The playground has been enlarged and has more, larger playground equipment.  It looks much the same as when I last provided an update in February. The fences and benches are new since then.

Elm Street entrance

The Elm Street entrance the park is a bit more open and has a bit more concrete than the old entrance.

Heavy equipment

There is still a lot to do on the library side of the park with lots of bare ground and piles of dirt, sand, and gravel.  According to the county, the park should be open this fall.

Well Hello, Kitty

 

The Hello Kitty Cafe has arrived in Bethesda for the day.  The food truck is on Bethesda Row right at Bethesda Avenue and Bethesda Lane.  It is open from 10 am to 7 pm today only.

I walked by there before 9 am, over and hour before it opened and there was a line of people stretching down the sidewalk and around the corner onto Arlington Road.  

The people in line were well prepared to wait, most had chairs and some head umbrellas too. My first indication that something was up was when I saw a woman dressed entirely in pink get out of her car with a red stool and start walking towards it.  Almost everyone in the line was a woman and many were wearing pink.