​County Cable Montgomery Show Explores What Makes Neighborhoods Special

From Montgomery County: Poolesville, the only incorporated town in the Montgomery County Agricultural Reserve, has had the No. 1-rated high school in Maryland for the past six years, according to The Washington Post. Takoma Park, which in the 1880’s became one of the first rail-accessible “suburbs” of Washington, D.C., in 2013 became the first city in the nation to lower its voting age to 16 for city elections. Those are among the things that make these Montgomery County communities unique and why they are featured in the third edition of the Neighborhood Niches show on the County’s government cable station County Cable Montgomery (CCM).

Montgomery County’s overall population now exceeds one million. Its neighborhoods range from urban areas supported by public transit to typical suburban communities that were the fabric of the County’s growth after World War II to the protected rural areas in the Agricultural Reserve.

Neighborhood Niches was created to look at the aspects of specific communities that make each one special—not only from other communities in the County, but often, in comparison to neighborhoods around the Washington Region. In its first two episodes, Neighborhood Niches featured the neighborhoods of Garrett Park, Olney, Somerset and Wheaton.

In this episode, County Councilmembers Marc Elrich, George Leventhal and Hans Riemer talk about the many reasons they have chosen to live in the diverse, and politically active, City of Takoma Park. Council President Roger Berliner looks at what makes the Town of Poolesville, with 5,200 official residents,” a community with “a hometown feel to it.”

“Some things are evident about a community just by driving through it,” said Susan Kenedy, the show’s producer. “But our show looks for things you may only find by driving down a side street or talking to people who help make those neighborhood’s thrive. Our goal is to allow viewers to learn about places in Montgomery County they may not often visit, and for the residents of the neighborhoods, to perhaps uncover things that even they never knew.”

The 15-minute show can be viewed numerous times on CCM (Montgomery Channel 6 on Comcast and RCN, Channel 30 on Verizon). Upcoming viewing times include Sundays at 1:30 and 4:30 p.m.; Mondays at 9:30 p.m.; and Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. The full episode can be viewed on YouTube at https://youtu.be/r_yHBrlRvWI .

The segment about Takoma Park only can be viewed at https://youtu.be/LGc2Q4sA8Z4 .
The segment about Poolesville only can be viewed at https://youtu.be/gfu8I-RBJ-U .

Neighborhood Niches’ visit to Takoma Park, which borders the District of Columbia and Prince George’s County, looks at how the city declared itself “a nuclear free zone” and why the Seventh Day of Adventist church decided to move its headquarters to the community that now has an estimated 17,000 residents. The environmentally conscious city requires residents to consult an arborist before cutting down trees or even trimming branches. In an effort to bring together its residents of many backgrounds, the local government, city police and residents created an annual “Unity in the Community” day of fun, activities and appreciation of all cultures.

The look at Poolesville traces the historic community back to the 1790s and the founding Poole family. Its location in the northwestern part of the County led to a vital role in the Civil War. Despite its rural location and importance in the County’s agricultural economy, Poolesville has become a desired community in which to live based on its excellent schools and quiet lifestyle. “We are considered to be a guardian of the Agricultural Reserve,” said Jim Brown, the president of Poolesville’s Board of Commissioners.
Ms. Kenedy also was the reporter for the show. Mike Springirth was the videographer and editor.

Image via Pixabay