The rehabilitation of the Chevy Chase Circle’s fountain has begun!

It means that the fountain will not be working this summer but it also means that by next spring, thanks to both Federal dollars and community donations, we will have a refurbished fountain replete with a new pumping and filtration system, a re-lined basin, new landscaping and LIGHTS! 

Working with the National Park Service that owns the circle and the dollars generated through community donations, Friends of Chevy Chase Circle engineered the first-ever lighting plan for the fountain and brought that plan to the Commission of Fine Arts. Permission to install lights both in the fountain itself and around the basin was granted soon after. Happily, lights for both their aesthetic and safety effects are now part and parcel of the National Park Service’s plan for the rehabilitation of the fountain and next spring, lights will be part of the fountain and the circle’s new face.

Fencing has gone up to enclose the area and there will be dumpsters and heavy equipment added to the mix. It is estimated that the project will continue through November. It will also mean some noise. Crews will need to drill through the concrete basin and then excavate to reach the plumbing system and the pipes that lay directly under the fountain. Please be extra cautious when navigating the circle!

Finally, our neighborhood landmark will continue to look better and better due to community stewardship and our partnership with the National Park Service but only if individuals within this community step forward to make a difference. Friends of Chevy Chase Circle is seeking leadership on into the future and if serving in a leadership position or on the community board made up of both DC and Maryland residents is of interest, Please let us know! 

Ruth Robbins, President

CCCA was awarded a $2000 grant by the Chevy Chase ANC 3/4G to migrate our website from an old platform to a new one. In the process, we will improve the appearance and functionality of the website. The effort should take about 6 weeks (fingers crossed). Once the work is done, we will announce the rollout to the entire community. Thank you to the ANC for its generous grant.

CCCA, HCCDC and Ch/Art are working together to restore what many consider to be an eyesore into something we could be proud of and point to during history walks, art walks, visiting businesses, or just strolling in the neighborhood. We have nine call boxes in the immediate vicinity of the Connecticut Avenue business district. 

Our plan is to review the structural integrity of the call boxes and restore the steel to good condition. We will then add art to them. Each box will be privately funded, and a plaque of the funders will be attached to the finished box. For information how to contribute, please write to president@chevychasecitizens.org. 

Windows on Wisconsin (WOW): Ongoing

Ch/Art, a Chevy Chase nonprofit community arts organization presents WOW! a dynamic display of the creativity of neighborhood artists running for a full year through 2022. The curated shows will present the work of local artists, seven at a time, each for a three‐month period, in the shop windows at 5510 Wisconsin Avenue in Chevy Chase, MD. New shows will be presented in the spring, summer and fall of 2022.