The Friends of Warner Circle
Second Annual Opera in the Circle a Huge Success
Photos by Tony Ventouris
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Cloudless skies and an enthusiastic crowd greeted renowned conductor Giovanni Reggioli and his amazing opera singers at the second annual Opera in the Circle, held on September 22, 2019 at the Warner Circle Park in Kensington, MD.
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Warner Circle Park News Update!
On January 31, 2019, Washington Landmark Construction (WLC) presented a proposal for Warner Circle Park to the Friends of Warner Circle, the first public presentation following its Letter of Intent to Montgomery County Parks and Planning. The process continued with a public meeting in Kensington on May 14, 2019, at which WLC's proposal was well-received.
First Cycling in the Circle Event a Big Hit!
Children and families flocked to Warner Circle Park on Sunday, June 30 for the first ever Cycling in the Circle event. Bike safety activities, bike decorating and bike riding were enjoyed by all!
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Please check out the Montgomery County Parks flickr album of Cycling in the Circle HERE!
Thank you to all of the fantastic volunteers and sponsors who made the Cycling in the Circle event such a hit: Town of Kensington, Montgomery County Department of Transport, Maryland-National Capital Parks Police, Montgomery County Parks, Bike Hub Rockville, Washington Area Bicyclist Association, Silver Cycles, District Cycle Works, Bimodal Solutions, League of Cycling Instructors, The Ditto Group, AAA MidAtlantic and Noyes Library Foundation.
Thank you to all of the fantastic volunteers and sponsors who made the Cycling in the Circle event such a hit: Town of Kensington, Montgomery County Department of Transport, Maryland-National Capital Parks Police, Montgomery County Parks, Bike Hub Rockville, Washington Area Bicyclist Association, Silver Cycles, District Cycle Works, Bimodal Solutions, League of Cycling Instructors, The Ditto Group, AAA MidAtlantic and Noyes Library Foundation.
Engaging the Community to Advocate for Warner Circle Special Park
Warner Circle Special Park sits on 4.5 acres located in the heart of the Kensington Historic District, right across the street from Noyes Children's Library. Brainard Warner, the founder of the town and of Noyes, and a significant figure in the development of Montgomery County and Washington, DC, lived with his family in the Warner Mansion.
Maryland-National Capital Parks & Planning Commission ("Parks") acquired the site in 2005-2006 through the Legacy Open Space program to preserve the historic landscape that has served as de facto public parkland for decades, and to preserve the historic buildings by providing a public benefit through their adaptive reuse.
The property is a primary resource in the Kensington Historic District, listed on the Montgomery County Master Plan for Historic Preservation and the National Register of Historic Places. It includes an 1893-1914 Queen Anne House and a 1914 carriage house. The site was a private residence until the late 1940s when it was converted into a nursing home. The Brainard Warner Manor is one of 117 historic structures located in Montgomery County Parks.
Since 2006, Parks has worked closely with the community to identify an appropriate use for the Warner Mansion and Carriage House and to get the word out to prospective tenants. While a tenant has not yet been found, the Friends of Warner Circle - made up of residents with a wide range of backgrounds and skills - has dedicated itself to moving the search forward. Partners in this effort include the Town of Kensington, Kensington Historical Society, Warner Reading Garden Committee, and the Noyes Children's Library Foundation.
The Friends of Warner Circle is a group of local residents who are working together to promote the beneficial future use, good stewardship, and public enjoyment of this historic cultural landscape and its buildings. You can read the Friend's Principles HERE.
If you’d like to learn more or get involved, contact the Friends of Warner Circle.
A Day in the Life of the Future Warner Circle
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The vision for Warner Circle Park is of a thriving property, restored and renovated according to accepted historic preservation principles, engaging Kensington residents and visitors through use of the Park's green space for daily activities and special events; use of public spaces in the Mansion for community meetings and social gatherings; and use of the rest of the Mansion and Carriage House for a productive purpose that is in keeping with the guidelines created by the Parks Department through community meetings. The community has already taken steps toward this vision with its Warner Reading Garden Committee; with the popular and exciting Pumpkin Rock 'n Roll event for the past three Halloweens; and with daily use by families, school groups, dog walkers, painters, Noyes patrons, and more. To get involved in making the vision a reality, click HERE to email the Friends of Warner Circle! |
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Timeline of a Community Centerpiece
