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Thoughtful Planning For A Peaceful Park

Evans Parkway’s renovation shows how alternatives, resident input, sustainable design, and clear project management can create a peaceful park.

5 min read

Photo Credit: Parviz Izadjoo

Evans Parkway Neighborhood Park in Silver Spring, Md., was originally built in the 1960s. The park provides a walk-to facility for residents of the single-family homes surrounding the park as well as the nearby apartments. The 7.5-acre park, which was in need of renovation, included an informal play field, playground, two tennis courts, a full-size basketball court, and open fields at both ends. A concrete-lined stream bisected the park in the eastern portion of the site. An old, rusty metal and concrete bridge with a couple of steps connected the two parts.

The new design approach emphasizes a more natural treatment of the park. Paved areas were to be kept to a minimum and many natural areas were proposed instead:

- Meadow grass