Starting Jan. 2, the dog park in Ellsworth Urban Park in downtown Silver Spring will close for about eight months for renovations, according to the Montgomery County Parks department.
The construction at the dog park at 621 Ellsworth Drive is focused on the section dedicated to large dogs – those weighing more than 20 pounds – but the small-dog section – for those under 20 pounds – also will be closed as well, according to the parks department.
During the construction process, the urban park’s playground and common areas will remain open, according to Montgomery Parks. However, two designated parking spaces for disabled visitors and a portion of the sidewalk along Colesville Road will be inaccessible.
The renovations include building a retaining wall along the perimeter of the large dog park, which sits on a hill, and making improvements to the walkways and entrances around the dog park, according to Montgomery Parks.
While the renovations will not significantly change any features or remove trees within the dog park, the area for large dogs will be regraded to have a less steep slope, according to planner Wen Huang.
“The slope is very, very steep,” Huang said, noting that the steepness of the terrain causes the woodchips that cover the dog park to slide down and accumulate at the bottom of the hill.
According to Huang, the retaining wall, which will be made of concrete, will help flatten the terrain of the large-dog section. She also said crews will plant bushes, shrubs and trees in front of the wall to make it more visually appealing.
To improve the walkways outside of the dog park, Montgomery Parks will construct a new entrance for maintenance workers as well as a new accessible route from Colesville Road to the dog park.
The renovations aim to “mainly resolve the operational issues and I think it also [will] make the dog park more accessible for the users because now when they throw the ball down [to a dog], the user needs to go down the slope to get their ball back,” Huang said.
While construction is in progress, Montgomery Parks recommends dog owners check out its other dog parks in the county, such as the Takoma Park Dog Park at 198 Darwin Ave.
Following construction, Huang said Montgomery Parks also has plans to replace the “sagging” shade structure in the urban park.
