It’s hard to determine where the heart of Bethesda really is, but that was just what residents were asked to define at the Bethesda Downtown Plan workshop.

The Montgomery County Planning Department hosted a workshop March 1 for residents, planners and developers. The department is in the beginning stages of developing a Bethesda Downtown Plan, which will include resident’s suggestions for the future.

Each of the 130 people in the B-CC cafeteria were assigned to a table with a current map of Bethesda. Each table was given a list of questions, such as ‘where do you think current neighborhoods are?’ and ‘where could we use more walking space?’ Participants proceeded to answer each question by drawing on a piece of tracing paper over the map.

“I love the way the discussions allow each of us to say ‘What is it that we think is the heart of Bethesda? Where do we need green spaces? Where do we want to bike? Where can we cross the street without going OMG?’” director Roger Berliner said. “It is in gatherings like this we can collectively discuss, how do we make Bethesda more wonderful?”

Following the table discussions, one member of each group participated in a “report-out,” and shared the ideas their group had brainstormed. Fuss & O’Neill consultant Sarah Lewis took major ideas from each group and compiled them on posters at the front of the crowd.

Most groups had recurring ideas, the most common being the need for more sidewalks and walking space. Residents also suggested planting more trees, creating more parks and increasing places to congregate.

“We’re going to take this information and condense it between major ideas and themes,” consulting director Gwen Wright said. “These may very well become part of the framework of some of the things recommended for downtown.”

The Montgomery County Planning Department has hosted a series of workshops and meetings since November and plans to host more in the future.

“I think this was one of the better meetings I’ve been to in a long time,” Lewis said. “The range of people that came—from different backgrounds, from different interest groups—that’s what it really takes to make a true community.”