Photo Credit: Brenda Iraola
Largo Town Center Park is located in Largo, Md., a rapidly growing suburb in Prince George’s County, outside of Washington, D.C. with a population of approximately 11,000 people. The site is owned by the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC). The park is surrounded by residential communities adjacent to a large pond that serves as a regional storm-water management facility. The pond resembles a lake due to its large size and meandering beauty bordered by mature woodland trees. The residents who live adjacent to this park site requested the addition of an upscale park for this rapidly urbanizing area through the M-NCPPC Capital Improvement Program. The two-acre park property and large lake provided an excellent setting for an urban park. The concept envisioned for the project was to maximize the views of the lake, provide seating areas, enhance trail connections, create accessible access, and provide a setting for entertainment opportunities. The project scope involved:
Designing an 800-foot boardwalk to cross the pond Adding asphalt trails to connect to the existing residential trail system Linking to an accessible pathway Providing an entertainment area near the pond Enhancing the site entry with a terrace garden Providing a pedestrian bridge to link to a new children’s water play area.
A local homeowners association owns and maintains the majority of the land around the lake, with loop trails linking several playgrounds, gazebos, and neighboring housing. The citizens requested a water feature and pedestrian link to complete the loop trail around the lake. To accomplish this, I proposed an 800-lineal-foot, “S-shaped” timber boardwalk across the pond to connect the park site to the residential trail. The focal point of the boardwalk was a fountain with a 30-foot-high water spray. On land, the boardwalk meanders through the woodland area close to the water’s edge. In order to create glimpses of the lake from the boardwalk, a cable-railing system was provided to offer unobstructed views through the mature trees. Fishing is a favorite boardwalk pastime for the nearby senior citizen housing residents; the boardwalk also provides leisurely strolls along the lake for exercise.