LA PLATA, Md. — On March 13, Sacred Heart Parish announced on Facebook that the Charles County Department of Parks and Recreation will move into the old Bolton Building at 107 Centennial St. on March 17. The transition will bring nearly 50 employees to the area, increasing traffic and activity as residents visit the department. As a result, parking availability at Sacred Heart Parish may be affected.
To address the anticipated increase in through-traffic in the church parking lot—particularly from St. Mary’s Avenue and Carol’s Place—the parish will implement two key changes:
- Bollards with removable chains will be installed at the intersection of Carol’s Place and the parking lot. This measure will restrict through-traffic from behind the church, which has become a safety concern following recent accidents. The bollards will remain locked except for Saturday evenings from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Sundays from 6:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
- Bollards with removable chains will also block the two entrances to the parking lot from St. Mary’s Avenue on the rectory side during non-parish events. The hours for these entrances will be flexible and may change based on parish needs.
Father Scott has expressed the importance of ensuring safety and accessibility for parishioners attending Mass and events. In response to these concerns, the parish will monitor the parking situation daily and will meet regularly with the Office of General Counsel for the Catholic Archdiocese of Washington and the County Attorney’s Office to work toward a fair resolution.
Sacred Heart Parish encourages the community to remain patient as they navigate the increased parking and traffic challenges. Updates will be provided as these changes are implemented. For any questions or concerns, parishioners are invited to reach out to the parish office at (301) 934-2261.
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unfortunately, Sacred Heart only has 1 shrove Tuesday dinner a year.
interesting