The Lake Linganore Association announced that a town center is being built, and it has been confirmed that a grocery store, a gas station, and a child care center are being added. 

The residents of Lake Linganore have various opinions on the new town center,and the grocery store has been the most controversial. Some people love the idea of having a grocery store so close, while others don’t. Those people came to an agreement that another grocery store isn’t necessary considering that there is one that’s only a few minutes away from the high school.

Michelle Rizk, one of the residents, believes the addition would be necessary:, “if they offer different varieties or specialty items, it would be a great asset to the community for added convenience to the families here.”

Students have also expressed a liking to the idea of having a town center nearby. Senam Dzodzomenyo, a junior at Oakdale High School, thinks it will be an amazing addition to the community. He states, “Students can walk over to the IHOP and McDonalds to eat and to just hang out after school.” 

Linganore confirmed that the town center will include a Weis, 7/11, Dairy Queen, McDonalds, IHOP, and a Goddard School.

Many people believe that different stores should be involved. Rizk mentions, “I know mainly large brands have committed to the space; however, I would really love to see small businesses open in the town center to extend the downtown area. Personally I would love a coffee shop, restaurants, and small beauty shops open.”

The grocery store can be very beneficial to all the people living in the Linganore Town Center. Since more houses are being built, people are gonna need more places to shop.   However, with more people going out, traffic congestion becomes a problem.

Rizk asserted that traffic will be  an issue once all the shops are built and open. She stated, “There could be potential problems due to increased traffic, teenage drivers navigating the area, and could hurt other businesses due to loss of revenue as people defer to shopping at the town center.” 

But Dzodzomenyo differed, “I don’t think it would cause problems and I think it is more beneficial to society.”

The town center may still be under construction-and some might not like the extra buildings, but in general,  people are optimistic that it provides more benefits than detriments.