Located on 48 acres in the Upper Rock Creek Special Protection Area in Montgomery County, this regional park opened in the summer of 2018 and boasts one full-size lit irrigated baseball field; one lit synthetic turf field; two rectangular irrigated turf fields; 240 parking spaces; a playground; a basketball court; a combination restroom and picnic shelter; a warehouse building; landscaped quiet spaces; and trails.
As the lead designer, CAA updated a master plan, lead the design, obtaining permits, managed construction. Our team consultants included surveying, landscape architecture, environmental engineering, geotechnical engineering, mechanical and electrical engineering, architecture, irrigation and water quality monitoring. Coordination with M-NCPPC, Montgomery County DPS, Montgomery County DEP, Montgomery County DOT, MDE, MSHA, WSSC and PEPCO was involved.
Complying with SPA requirements presented a challenge; impervious areas were limited, and water quality monitoring was required. Preliminary and final water quality plans for pre-construction, construction and post construction water quality monitoring were required. Our environmentally sustainable design uses pervious pavement, synthetic turf, water quality swales and micro-bioretention facilities. Another major challenge was coordinating with the designers, the contractors and the owners of the new Montgomery County Animal Services facility which is located directly adjacent to the park
Since 2008, the CAA team has helped Montgomery County Department of Parks with small park projects. Tasks we completed as prime or as a sub to a landscape architect include the following projects.
Rock Creek Trail: The CAA team helped with improvements to Rock Creek Trail within Stream Valley Units 1, 2 and 3 in Washington, DC and Montgomery County, Maryland. The project area comprised 7 miles of hard surface trail through the Rock Creek Stream Valley corridor which contains mature trees, floodplains, wetlands, seeps, small tributaries and developed park facilities.
CAA prepared a Joint Permit Application for emergency repairs needed prior to a half-marathon. Conceptual design documents were completed to enhance the natural environment along the trail and reduce the frequency of trail maintenance and improve safety, pavement conditions, drainage and accessibility.
Battery Lane Urban Park: CAA provided site design services for playground and pedestrian improvements for this 2-acre urban park comprising a playground, a basketball court, a tennis court, pathways, lighting, an open space and the Bethesda Trolley Trail. The park is located between Old Georgetown Road and Woodmont Avenue in downtown Bethesda. The goals of the playground renovation project were to increase safety and promote play among multiple age groups; to locate the playground in a way that seamlessly integrates with and highlights the unique features of the park; and to develop a design that incorporates recommendations from the approved Battery Lane Park Facility Plan.
Layhill Village Local Park: The CAA team designed a new 700-foot-long trail connecting the Matthew Henson Trail to the existing Layhill Village Local on park on 10 acres adjacent to the Mid-County Recreational Center. The project involved the regarding of an existing baseball diamond to provide for a natural surface rectangular field.
Additional Projects:
• Crown Farm Park
• Powerline Trail
• Woodside Urban Park
• Long Branch Local Park
• College Park Community Center
• Valleywood Neighborhood Park
• Olney Mill Neighborhood Park
• Potomac Horse Center
• Ridge Road Recreational Park
• Ednor Road Equestrian Center
• Edith Throckmorton Neighborhood Park
• Strathmore Local Park
• Black Hills Regional Park
• Sundown Local Park
• Wheaton Regional Park
The Town of Poolesville has one of the best parks systems in the state of Maryland. There are currently eight town owned and maintained parks, and a Montgomery County swimming pool facility, within the town limits. Park amenities include a regional skate park, a band pavilion with lighting and restrooms, playgrounds, trails, a gazebo, a bull pen and a welcoming monument area.
Since 2007, the CAA team has provided general engineering services to the Town of Poolesville. We help the Town meet their susinability goals by using Environmental Site Design as its many public facilities. At Whalon Commons, we helped with a new pervious pavement parking lot, and also oversaw the construction of the bandshell pavilion which hosts live entertainment and annual gatherings.
A close knit community, the Town of Poolesville holds a number of events throughout the year including Suds & Soul, Bark in the Park, Poolesville Big Flea, Poolesville Day, Springfest, Oktoberfest and a holiday lighting ceremony. CAA sponsors and participates in some of these events.
Clark | Azar was the civil engineer for a facility plan and renovations to this 3.6-acre park in Takoma Park which was the former site of Silver Spring Intermediate School. Clark | Azar assembled a team of land surveyors and geotechnical engineers to provide site investigation and exploration. Clark | Azar submitted designs at six project phases and obtained stormwater management, erosion and sediment control, right-of-way, and WSSC permits, and provided a final walkthrough after construction. Coordination with MDE, M-NCPPC and the City of Takoma Park was included.
Renovations to the park included new accessible walkways throughout, as well as accessible entrances to the adjoining neighborhood. A portion of the walkways were comprised of pervious pavement to minimize the increase in impervious area with a goal to minimize the impacts to the large trees within the park. In addition to the various ADA access improvements throughout the site, numerous park amenities including seating and picnic areas, a deck area, and amended natural grass play fields were installed.
The tennis courts were refreshed with new surfacing, striping, and fencing to transform them into multi-purpose courts.
Clark | Azar provided Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design techniques and designed bioretention facilities to comply with Environmental Site Design.
Chevy Chase ES Before
Montgomery County Public Schools initiated a pilot program to implement interactive and sustainable play areas at four urban schools to improve recess and encourage fitness among elementary school children.
Chevy Chase ES Present
Clark | Azar teamed with a landscape architect to design safe, accessible play surfaces with sustainable and innovative materials including pervious pavement, Bermuda grass, various plants and synthetic turf. The before and after photos demonstrate the success of this program.
Chevy Chase ES Present
The project team was able to successfully integrate adequate amenities to these small sites through strategic placement of walkways, playgrounds and fields. Stormwater management is provided under the playing fields.
Flora Singer ES Before
Flora Singer ES Present
Flora Singer ES Present
Takoma Park ES Before
Takoma Park ES Present
Takoma Park ES Present
Harford County, Md.
City of Rockville, Md.
Montgomery County, Md.
Gaithersburg, Md.