Silver Spring eyes more green space — Gazette.Net

Dan Gross/The Gazette

After he and his friends cleared snow from the ground on Feb. 27, Wilber Medina, 18, did tricks in the skateboard park that is part of Woodside Park in Silver Spring.

Silver Spring wants more green space, but county officials say challenges traffic, location, cost and design could stand in the way.

We dont have enough green space, said John Marcolin, urban designer at the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission. You cant just throw grass and trees and call it green space.

According to the Green Space Guideline for the Silver Spring Central Business District, 57 open spaces cover 32.61 acres in Silver Spring. The average open area is 0.57 acres.

The guideline says urban parks can bring economic benefits to surrounding neighborhoods and increase property values.

The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission acquired the largest consolidated area of public space Jesup Blair Park, which has 24 acres in 1943, according to the guide. Jesup Blair Park has a playground, a softball field, a baseball field, and two lighted tennis courts. There also is a picnic area, and the Hillandale Recreation Building is available for rent.

The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission has recognized three possible areas for a park. The commission considered how often the community will use the spaces and possible access points.

Among them are Parking Lot 3 between Thayer and Silver Spring avenues; the Giant parking lot on East-West Highway; and land surrounding Progress Place, a facility owned by Montgomery County that houses Shepherds Table.

The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission analyzed each space for potential users, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and challenges.

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Silver Spring eyes more green space -- Gazette.Net