The City of Rockville has hired a consulting firm to facilitate a community meeting regarding the now vacant Rockshire Village Shopping Center site at the corner of Wootton Parkway and Hurley Avenue. The meeting was open to the entire community and held on May 9 from 7-9 p.m. at the Korean Presbyterian Church adjacent to the site on 800 Hurley Avenue.

This meeting was an opportunity for the community to provide input on potential future uses of this site. “I went to the meeting because this decision impacts my future and I want to make sure that the decision that is being made is beneficial to all,” sophomore Emma Helgeson said.

Since the Wootton parking lot is not large enough to have all licensed students have parking spots, Rockshire Village Shopping Center allowed students use some of their parking spots. “It may be a walk to get from Rockshire to Wootton, but I am very lucky to have a parking spot,” junior Jessica Penry said.

With a new building potentially being put in the Rockshire Village Shopping Center, it would mean that the parking spots that students occupy would be taken away. “I hope Wootton can find a way to keep those spots even if something new is built because it benefited many students,” sophomore Erin Chang said.

Although losing the parking spots would be an inconvenience to students, there is a chance that replacing the shopping center will help the students. Having a store that is in walking distance from the school could serve the community. “Most the time when I stay after school I see students order pizza or get food delivered, but having a place right across the street would make everything easier,” freshman Charlotte Christovich said.