SILVER SPRING, MD—Thursday, the Montgomery County Planning Board reluctantly approved the Department of Parks staff recommendation to remove the Randolph Hills Park Activity Building at Randolph Hills Local Park in Silver Spring because of its failure to meet safety standards for public use and occupancy.
“Making the decision to remove this building was not easy because it has been part of the community fabric for many years,” said Department of Parks Park and Trail Planning Supervisor Lyn Coleman during Thursday evening’s meeting. “It’s hard to make these types of decisions that affect park facilities we know are important to local communities.”
Before approving the parks staff recommendations to remove the park activity building and replace and relocate the playground at Randolph Hills Local Park out of the environmentally sensitive area in which it is currently located, the Board heard additional testimony about the importance of the park and all of its amenities from Randolph Civic Association members, including association president Mike Saunders.
Community members spoke about wanting a thriving and desirable Randolph Hills Local Park which provides recreational opportunities within the local community, and noted the park activity building’s vital role in accomplishing this goal. Saunders also urged that the new playground equipment at the park be installed as quickly as possible and pointed out that the park needs drinking fountains.
With respect to the playground, Department of Parks Landscape Architect Kathy Dearstine indicated during Thursday’s meeting: “We have the play equipment and can install it promptly after the building is removed.”
Along with the playground, the Planning Board also directed parks staff to install a drinking fountain in the park as well.
Saunders additionally suggested that there was a need for even more, affordable public use spaces in the county available for volunteer organizations and civic group meetings.
In 1984, a previous Planning Board decided, as a matter of policy, there would be no new park activity buildings built in the county’s parks. Parks staff is planning to return to the Planning Board in the fall for a more comprehensive discussion about the park activity buildings, including a presentation of an array of options for the remaining buildings in the system and more complete data on the historical use patterns of buildings, such as Randolph Hills.
For more information on this and other park planning projects, see www.ParkPlanning.org.
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Contact:
Kelli Holsendolph
Media Relations Manager
Montgomery County Department of Parks
301-650-2866