Project Description
Woodside Urban Park, located at the corner of Georgia Avenue and Spring Street, is an important gateway to the growing urban center of the Silver Spring Central Business District. The park serves a diverse community of park visitors and provides important opportunities for play, active recreation, social gathering, and contemplative experiences in a wooded setting.
A 2011 facility plan reimagined the park design and was approved by the Montgomery County Planning Board before moving into detailed design and construction documentation through 2018. The project was suspended during the FY19-24 Capital Improvements Program process, the budget was reduced, and the scope of the project was revised.
This park refresher project seeks to improve aging amenities, respond to the evolving needs of the community, and breathe new life into the landscape. Emphasis will be placed on updating park infrastructure to meet current codes and standards and increasing opportunities for recreation while preserving unique and desirable characteristics of the park such as the mature tree canopy.
Background
The 2.34-acre park was designed in the early 1970s and is one of the three major urban parks in the North and West Silver Spring master planning area. The adjacent Silver Spring Community Service Center (formerly Woodside Elementary School) was conveyed to the county from Montgomery County Public Schools with the approval of the Montgomery County Planning Board in 1984. The park was expanded to include a gym building, basketball court, and playground. The existing park includes a decorative fountain, seating areas with trellis structures, playground areas, lighting, picnic areas, a skate spot, a basketball court, and a handball court.
Status/Project Update
On April 10, 2024, park staff presented the updated concept plan to the Woodside Civic Association. Park staff is currently refining the recommended plan for the improvements to Woodside Urban Park and preparing to present an Amended Facility Plan to the Planning Board in the fall of 2024. Prior to the presentation to the Planning Board, parks staff will reach out to the community with more information.
Recommended Plan
A new open lawn and plaza area with a large picnic pavilion and stage faces the urban core of downtown Silver Spring and offers a flexible gathering area for a variety of activities and programmed events. Public artwork, which was designed with the original project, will provide a focal feature at the main park entrance. A simplified path network provides improved circulation and access to the park amenities for all park visitors and operations staff. Updated light fixtures and an improved lighting strategy respond to the need for passage through the park at night as well as use of the tennis and basketball courts. The plan updates vital infrastructure in the park, most notably stormwater management, and preserves as many of the existing trees as possible. The playground areas and existing play equipment will remain. Additional new park features include a picnic pavilion near the playground, a nearby deck with bench swings, a new multi-sport court with kick wall in the center of the park for flexible play, and improved and resurfaced court facilities that offer better accommodation for spectators and players.
Calendar and Meeting Notes
*Dates and times are subject to change. Please contact the Project Manager for the latest update.
| Project Timeline | Project Stage and Resouces |
|---|---|
| Fall-Winter 2009 | Facility Planning begins, Pre-design project preparation, survey, data collection, site reconnaissance, design research |
| May 2010 | Procurement of multi-disciplinary consultant |
| May 17, 2010 | Community Meeting Minutes #1 (accessible pdf) |
| Summer 2010 | Schematic Design, develop a program of requirements and concept alternatives |
| December 2010 | Community Meeting #2 Review and discuss concept alternatives |
| Winter 2010-Spring 2011 | Design Development, develop a preferred concept |
| Spring 2011 | Final Design, refine the preferred plan, obtain preliminary permits, develop a cost estimate |
| July 25, 2011 | Community Meeting #3 |
| October 6, 2011 | Facility plan approved Facility Plan |
| Spring 2015 | Detail design began |
| Winter 2016 | Construction documents completed |
| April 9, 2016 | Community Meeting #4 To review the final design and status of the project Meeting Background Design 75% complete |
| Fall 2018 | Construction on hold |
| Winter/Spring 2021 | Facility Plan Amendment Begins Concept redesign |
| June 8, 2021 | Community Meeting June 8, 2021 Video View the meeting presentation slides (accesible pdf) |
| Summer 2021 – Fall 2024 | Concept design and preliminary permitting |
| April 10, 2024 | Woodside Civic Association Meeting presentation of updated concept plan. |
| Fall 2024 (anticipated) | Facility plan amendment presentation to Montgomery County Planning Board for approval |
| 2025-2026 (anticipated) | Detail design and permitting |
| 2027 (anticipated) | Construction begins |