Parks

Laytonia Recreational Park

Gaithersburg, Maryland

Amenities

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.

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Services

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.

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Challenges

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

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M-NCPPC Park Projects

Montgomery County, Maryland

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.

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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.

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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:

• Stewartown Local Park
• Powerline Trail Phase 1
• Ridge Road Recreational Park
• Elmhirst Parkway Trail Extension
• Capital Crescent, Olney Family Park,
Elmhirst Parkway and Waters House Trails
• Black Hills Regional Park
• Sundown Local Park
• Wheaton Regional Park Shorefield Fitness
Area

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Poolesville Local Parks

Poolesville, Maryland

Amenities

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.

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Services

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.

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Community Events

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.

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Ovid Hazen Wells Recreational Park

Clarksburg, Maryland

Amenities

CAA is on a multi-disciplined team designing this 80-acre active recreation park. CAA was also on the team that developed the facility plan for the park. The active recreation area is currently developed with five athletic fields, a group picnic area with three shelters, a large agriculturally themed playground, portable restrooms, a looped hard surface trail that connects the park features and adjacent neighborhood, and 385 parking spaces. Access is provided by two entrances.

(rendering and image credits: StudioMB and M-NCPPC concept plan presentation)

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Services

The facility plan – which included site analysis, 30% design drawings and cost estimates, and permits for Environmental Site Design facilities including coordinating with the following agencies for approval and permitting: M-NCPPC Environmental Planning, MCDPS, MCDEP, MCDOT, MCDGS, MSHA, WSSC, PEPCO, and Verizon

The facility plan expands the active recreation area by adding:

- A carousel and roundhouse structure
- An amphitheater
- A park structure with reception area, ticketing booths, restroom, event space and outdoor terraces

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- Terraced seating, lounge area and picnic areas
- Park shelters, a renovated playground, a sledding hill, a dog park, playgrounds, a splash park, a skate park, a running track, and open space
- A 3,500-square-foot maintenance building to house staff and equipment
- Bridge(s) to cross a stream and wetlands that run north south along the eastern portion of the area
- Vehicular access to the event area
- Trail alignment for the Clarksburg Greenway
- Parking for 270 additional cars and bus parking
- Stormwater management facilities and utilities

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Urban School Playground Transformation

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.