Visitors of the Bender JCC of Greater Washington will soon see a new outdoor recreational space in the spring, thanks to a major gift from two Potomac philanthropists and longtime members.
The Debby and Gary Bortnick Family Courtyard will serve as a year-round hub for the Bender Early Childhood Center, Lessans Camp JCC and the JCC’s strategic partners, including the Potomac Soccer Association. The space can also serve as a venue for b’nai mitzvah celebrations and weddings, as it is adjacent to a pavilion.
This latest development completes the “outdoor enhancement project” that the Bender JCC began a few years ago.
“We’re very excited about the new courtyard because it’s going to enable the JCC to have several different options,” said Phil Liebson, the Bender JCC’s chief operating officer.
The courtyard will include a mini amphitheater, a fire pit area, planting and gardening areas, benches and picnic tables, shade structures and additional security fencing on East Jefferson Street, according to a press release.
The Debby and Gary Bortnick Community Garden will replace the gravel and sidewalk area on the East Jefferson Street side with planter beds and “artistic sidewalks,” according to Liebson.
“It’s basically taking what was not the most beautiful side of the JCC and adding a much more accessible and vibrant place to be,” Liebson said.
The courtyard is expected to be a programmatic hub for preschool students and campers. The mini amphitheater will be able to seat about 30 children, he said.
“So for preschool, for camp, it’s an opportunity for a fun space, whether it’s music or [camp] counselors teaching some type of a lesson or activity,” he added. “The space is also multipurpose and versatile. If we wanted to have a concert out back now, we’ve got a nice level place outside the pavilion to put a stage.”
The area is also ideal for outdoor events, according to Liebson, as the courtyard can serve as a hub for the cocktail hour during an event at the Janice Wasserman-Goldsten Pavilion.
“With this one space, we can serve all the different generations or varieties of programs that come to the Bender JCC for various activities and events,” Liebson said.
Not only will the courtyard accommodate visitors of all ages, but it’s also designed with accessibility in mind. Smooth decorative surfacing covering the ground allows visitors who use wheelchairs or mobility devices to navigate the area, according to the press release.
“We have a continuous poured sidewalk, and it’s not your standard gray sidewalk like you see walking down East Jefferson,” Liebson said. “There’s decorative scoring. … But the most important thing is that there’s not gaps in spaces.”
He added that pavers are considered accessible, but during the winter, when everything freezes, then thaws and shifts, pavers can start to jut upward or sink down, creating obstacles in the ground for wheelchairs and mobility aids.
“When we were meeting with the landscape architects, we talked about that kind of scenario, that what we were putting down needed to be something that was accessible and that was going to ensure that all of our members and guests are able to successfully move and navigate their way through the space,” Liebson said.
He spoke to the “plenty of members” of the Bender JCC who use adaptive equipment. About 20% of campers at Lessans Camp JCC, an inclusive summer day camp, or 100 campers, receive one-on-one or two-on-one support for various needs and abilities, according to Liebson.
“As part of Lessans Camp JCC, we have campers who use strollers and walkers and wheelchairs and gait trainers, which is a version of a walker that helps campers strengthen their legs,” he said. “So, we see folks who will benefit from the JCC keeping an eye towards the world of physical accessibility. … We want to make sure that we’re designing spaces for everyone.”
The accessibility doesn’t stop there. The courtyard can also serve as a designated calming area for campers during the chaos of morning drop-off.
“Every morning, camp opens up in the [adjacent] pavilion, … and every morning, there’s about 500 kids and up to 250 counselors who are singing and dancing and laughing and having a great time,” Liebson said. “For all of our campers and staff, that can be a lot. 750 people doing things is a lot, and so this garden space … is still going to have a lot of sound from all of those people, but it gives you maybe a place where you can go sit on a picnic table and watch and still be part of that experience, but you can have a little bit of distance.”
He added that the surrounding flowers and trees will provide a calming atmosphere for anyone who needs it.
The addition of the courtyard promotes the JCC’s mission of bringing the Jewish community together and making everyone feel welcome, Liebson said.
“It’s a space, first and foremost, where everyone can navigate and get through the courtyard in a way that works for them,” he said. “We can host Jewish cultural events. We can host Jewish programming; we can host secular programming. All of these different things speak to our mission of bringing people together and welcoming everyone. And what’s more fun than a nice, beautiful space, maybe a campfire going, and just getting to be who you are and enjoy it in a judgment-free, welcoming, open environment?”
Construction on the new courtyard is underway, with the project expected to finish in the spring.
“We’re just really excited,” Liebson said. “We’re taking a space and adding a lot of beauty and opportunity for different things.”
