A portion of Elm Street Urban Park in downtown Bethesda is slated for renovation and Montgomery Parks is asking community members to share their thoughts about the proposed new amenities at a virtual community meeting next week.
The meeting, which will be held via Zoom from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Nov. 20, can be accessed at this link.
Parks department officials are also encouraging residents to complete an online survey about the proposed improvements to the park. The survey is open until Dec. 7.
Renovation of the 2-acre park at 4600 Elm St. is primarily focused on its northern section, which has picnic tables, a basketball court and a playground, according to the project website. Plans include the addition of separate playgrounds for younger and older children and a fitness area.
Other proposed renovations include accessibility upgrades, tree planting, the addition of stormwater management, retaining walls and fencing as well as improvements to the pedestrian promenade, such as new pavement and furniture, according to the project website.
“Montgomery Parks is pleased to reenergize this area and make it appealing to more park visitors of all ages,” Matt Weir, project manager of the renovation, said Thursday in a press release about the community meeting. “I am confident that working with the input from the public, we can fine-tune the design to its highest potential.”
Another element of the renovation project is rerouting the Capital Crescent Trail around the northern part of the park. According to the parks department, construction of the Purple Line requires the realignment of the trail. With the renovations, the county Department of Transportation will route the trail from Willow Lane to 47th Street through the park to the Purple Line.
The Purple Line is a 16-mile light-rail line that will run from Bethesda to New Carrollton in Prince George’s County and be operated by the Maryland Transit Administration. The line, which is slated to be complete in late 2027, will run parallel to the north of the park and the Capital Crescent Trail.
Other features of the park, such as the seating areas, gazebos, walking paths and an open lawn area, are not subject to renovation, according to the project website. In addition, a stone and metal statue in the park, “Girl with the Hoop,” created by Jenny Read and installed in 1981, will remain.
According to the project website, the Montgomery County Planning Board approved the concept for the park and trail in October 2021. The parks department plans to have the renovation designs completed by next spring and estimates the park and trail construction will be complete by spring 2026.
