Walking Together Toward Clarksburg’s Future
At The Yard, we believe that neighborliness changes everything.
Our mission is simple yet profound: to create a place where neighbors connect, care for one another, and work together to make Clarksburg more like a piece of heaven here on earth. We believe that when we gather, share stories, and take action side by side, our community becomes stronger, more joyful, and more just. But being good neighbors requires more than just sharing a fence line. It calls us to slow down—to step away from our cars, our schedules, and our distractions—so we can really see the places we live in. When we walk our streets with open eyes, we notice what’s beautiful, what’s broken, and what could be better. And when we see together, we can act together.
Walking in the Spirit of Jane Jacobs
Jane Jacobs, an urban thinker, believed that cities thrive when ordinary people pay attention to how their neighborhoods actually work. So she began to organized a series of community walks that were eventually called Jane’s Walks. Jane’s Walks were not lectures—they were conversations. They invite neighbors to walk together, notice together, and imagine together what our communities could become.
This is the inspiration for exactly what we’ll doing this fall during the Clarksburg Neighborhood Walk & Roll. On 2 Saturdays this fall (October 18 and November 15) from 9:00–11:00 AM, we invite you to join us for a 2.5-mile journey through our community. Along the way, we’ll stop at key places—our schools, business corridors, historic sites, and future development areas—to reflect on what they mean for us as neighbors and what role we can play in shaping their future. Everyone is welcome—walkers, bikers, rollers, young and old. Each stop will highlight both the challenges and opportunities of that space, and together we’ll identify tangible actions neighbors can take. After the 90-minute walk, we’ll gather back at The Yard for a 30-minute debrief session to share reflections and commit to next steps.
Why This Matters Now: The Gateway Sector Master Plan
On September 25, the Montgomery County Planning Board will hold a listening session about the Gateway Sector Master Plan. This plan will set the direction for the Comsat property and surrounding areas—decisions that will affect how we live, work, and gather in Clarksburg for decades to come.Will this space become the mixed-use town center our community longs for, with opportunities for recreation, local businesses, and connection? Or will it become just more housing without the gathering places that make life richer? Our Walk & Roll gives you the chance to experience these questions on the ground so that you can bring your own perspective and voice into the conversation.
Rooted in The Yard’s Mission
The Yard exists to be a front porch for Clarksburg: a space where strangers become neighbors and neighbors become friends. Hosting this Walk & Roll is one way of living out that mission—by making time to see, listen, and act together as a community.Students who participate will also earn 2 SSL hours (forms provided). And if you’d like to fuel your morning, the Clarksbrew Coffee Cart will be open at The ClarksburgYard from 8:00–11:00 AM with coffee and tea for purchase.
Join Us
Clarksburg’s future is not something that will be handed down to us—it’s something we shape together. By walking our neighborhood with open eyes and open hearts, we take a step toward making Clarksburg more connected, more caring, and more like the community we long for.We hope you’ll join us on October 18 or November 15—to see differently, to listen deeply, and to take part in shaping Clarksburg’s future.