McLeanMcLean Saving the Wellbeing Community Hall; Page 8 Preparing for Closure News, Page 3 Classifieds, Page 14 Classifieds, ❖ Sports, Page 12 ❖ Entertainment, Page 10 ❖ Opinion, Page 6 Lukmire Partnership’s Dave Hallett reviews two possible design plans Crowds Throng to for McLean Community Center’s McLean Chocolate upcoming renovation. Festival News, Page 13 Days to Remember News, Page 4 Photo by Ken Moore/The Connection www.ConnectionNewspapers.comFebruary 3-9, 2016 online at McLeanwww.connectionnewspapers.com Connection ❖ February 3-9, 2016 ❖ 1 2 ❖ McLean Connection ❖ February 3-9, 2016 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com McLean Connection Editor Kemal Kurspahic News 703-778-9414 or [email protected] From right, Dave Hallett, McLean Com- of the Lukmire munity Partnership, Center’s execu- Photos by Photos showed two tive director design plans to George Sachs, the McLean executive Community Ken Moore assistant Ellen Center’s Capi- Barial, and tal Facilities comptroller and Finance Ashok Karra. committees. /The Connection Karra devel- One design oped a budget plan saves plan that Maffitt Hall. would save the community hall. Saving the Community Hall; Preparing for Closure McLean Community Center likely to be entering its rented space to members of New Leasing Rules its organization or those invited to the closed for renovations in 2017 from Groups that rent space to hold events meeting or event. The Applicant may also in McLean Community Center could be restrict persons from its rented space who April through November. allowed to set conditions on who is al- are in possession of recording devices, lowed to attend and what they might unauthorized printed materials, firearms By Ken Moore munity use. bring in, including prohibiting firearms. or alcohol, and may restrict persons for The Connection “We have been using the room for 15 Other restrictions could forbid recording any other lawful purpose. An Applicant years,” he said. devices, unauthorized printed materials choosing to impose any such restrictions he McLean Community Center’s McLean Citizens Association uses Maffitt and alcohol. shall post a notice to that effect within Central Financing Committee Hall regularly, The McLean Community Center’s Gov- its rented space. The notice posted by the Ttransformed a week of public Zetts said, emphatically, and the McLean erning Board passed a motion at its De- Applicant shall explicitly specify the time worry into a probable solution Community Center has always been able to cember meeting to amend the center’s and place of its meeting or event in the for the center’s beloved and well-used give MCA space for members to meet with booking contracts with organizations rented space, and state that such restric- Maffitt Hall community room. architects, developers, community mem- renting space in the center, the Alden tions are imposed and enforced solely by “We know how important this room is to bers, commissioners and supervisors at a Theatre and the Old Firehouse Teen Cen- the Applicant and not by the Center, everybody in McLean,” said Andrea moment’s notice. ter. Fairfax County or its officers or represen- DelVecchio, McLean Citizens Association “I was surprised to see that Maffitt was According to the Governing Board’s tatives. The Applicant is asked to provide liaison to the MCC Governing Board. turned into office space,” said Zetts. documents: the Center’s Facilities Manager with prior McLean Community Center’s $8.1 million The $150,000 will save the community “[T]he following statement shall be in- written notice of any such restrictions. modernization project is over budget, and hall, as well as construction and renovations cluded in all rental agreements between Notwithstanding the foregoing, Appli- at last week’s Governing Board meetings, a needed on the basement and administra- MCC and outside renters for all MCC fa- cant does not have any right to restrict controversial proposal would turn the 900- tive offices. cilities: members of Center staff from accessing square-foot Maffitt Hall into office space. The Applicant may limit the persons rented space.” But with a little help THIS THURSDAY, Feb. from friend and comp- 4, the MCC Board’s Capi- troller Ashok Karra, the “A lot of people are tal Facilities Committee is Meet the Candidates didates on Sunday, May 1 from 2-4 p.m. committee was able to scheduled to make a rec- The Friends of the McLean Community The League of Women Voters will channel $125,000 from interested in what’s ommendation to the en- Center Board will sponsor the “Meet the handle the board elections on McLean the HVAC budget into the going to happen.” tire Board on two design Candidates” reception for MCC Board Can- Day, May 21 at Lewinsville Park. construction project and plans, one that saves the $25,000 more from re- —MCC executive director community room and serves for the center. George Sachs one that turns the Maffitt Candidates Needed; Apply by March 25 That money had been Hall into office space. Two student board members, 15-17 of the McLean Community Center Dis- carried over since 2011. “I’d like everyone to sit with this and take years old, are needed to serve on the 11- trict. “A brilliant solution to some of our prob- it in,” said Findley. member McLean Community Center Completed petitions to serve on the lems,” said Governing Board member Den- He called the modernization project “a Governing Board. board are due by March 25; petition nis Findley, chair of the Capital Facilities once-in-40-year event.” Adult candidates are also needed. packets are available at MCC. committee. “We will have to buckle up and make it McLean Community Center’s mission An orientation for Board candidates is “A lot of people are interested in what’s through,” he said. is to provide a sense of community by scheduled for April 13, a Meet the Can- going to happen,” said MCC executive di- undertaking programs, assisting commu- didates Reception is scheduled for May rector George Sachs. FOR THE FIRST TIME in 40 years, The nity organizations, furnishing facilities 1, and voting will take place on McLean “We have some extra dollars, everyone McLean Community Center will prepare for for civic, cultural, educational, recre- Day on May 21 (and by absentee voting should pat themselves on the back,” said the center to close during construction of ational and social activities to residents from April 11-May 18). Findley. the front parking lot and storm water drain- age piping. At this point, a possible time- MARK ZETTS, of McLean Citizens table would be closure from April 1, 2017 ramp-up period would allow the Alden The- offices, classrooms and meeting rooms will Association’s Planning and Zoning Commit- through Nov. 30, 2017 for construction. atre to operate through March 31, 2017 and remain closed while construction is fully tee, came to last week’s meeting to advo- According to the Community Center’s resume performance on Dec. 1, 2017. completed, and the entire center would re- cate for Maffitt Hall to be saved for com- Governing Board documents, a three-month Other features of the facility including open by Sept. 1, 2018. www.ConnectionNewspapers.com McLean Connection ❖ February 3-9, 2016 ❖ 3 News When the German students weren’t at school and the Ameri- can students weren’t exploring Detmold and the surrounding towns, the musicians spent anywhere from four to nine hours rehearsing each day. Photos by Caroline Watkins/The Connection The wind section participating in sectionals. Days to Remember McLean High’s Philharmonic Orchestra flies overseas for annual German exchange. By Caroline Watkins McLean Philharmonic’s teacher and conductor, For the Connection Starlet Smith, noted: “At one point during our sec- ond concert, I was sitting in the audience listening ith violin, viola and bass bows stowed as the German conductor led a piece. While listen- into the overhead compartments of ing to the beautiful, full sound the orchestra was cre- WKLM flight 652 on Jan. 15, the McLean ating, I started to look at individual players and no- High School Philharmonic flew to Eu- ticed that the students were playing with passion and rope to participate in the 22nd exchange program with energy like I’d never seen before. It was a very pow- the Detmold, Germany Jugendorchester. erful moment for me to see the impact that the mu- The joint orchestra’s classical selections included sic had on the students, and how everyone’s hard Dvorak’s “Symphony No. 4 in G Major,” Beethoven’s work during the week’s tireless hours of rehearsal McLean Philharmonic visiting Detmold’s famous “Egmont Overture” and Mendelssohn’s “Violin Con- came together for a performance that [both] the Hochschule für Musik (Conservatory for Music). certo in E Minor.” To perfect the performances, the audience and student performers could enjoy.” groups rehearsed anywhere from four to nine hours The exchange not only promotes the unifying a day, in preparation for the two concerts that capped power of music, but also exemplifies the benefits of the week-long visit. socializing with students from across the globe. When the musicians weren’t rehearsing, the stu- Simon Meyer, a five-time German participant in the dents enjoyed other activities such as a Nighttime program, said, “I’m so glad that I can be a part of the Historic Walking Tour of Detmold, a tour of the exchange program. I’ve already planned to meet Hochschule für Musik (Conservatory for Music), a some friends in America and some of my American day trip to Bremen and a night at the Burg Sternberg friends are planning on coming back to Germany on Castle, where students enjoyed playing Medieval in- future vacations—and that’s a great result of this struments.