Potomac Yard Park Playground Taking Shape
Elements of the new 21-acre linear park continue to pop up on the eastern edge of the Pulte development at Potomac Yard.
Photos
Green, blue and purple pieces of playground equipment have begun to pop up in Potomac Yard Park, a 21-acre linear park that’s taking shape this winter along Potomac Avenue in the Pulte development at Potomac Yard.
Eventually the park will feature a stage, play fountain for children, maze, canal and athletic courts, among many other amenities.
Connected by a lighted, 1.5-mile multi-use trail from Target to Braddock Road Metro station, the park will house its amenities in several “belvederes” or urban plazas located where the development’s streets dead-end into the rail tracks to the east. Each belvedere will contain a different amenity.
Athletic court lights, paved surfaces, trees and elements of the belvederes have also started to spring from the ground in recent months.
Land Planning and Design Associates, the firm behind the park, has detailed renderings of the park on its website.
For more information about Potomac Yard Park, check out this Del Ray Patch story from when the plans were unveiled in June 2011.
Joseph M.
11:25 am on Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Thanks for the update. The progress has been interesting to watch.
Your June 2011 article answers something I've been wondering and that's what is going on with the stormwater pond under the Monroe Ave bridge. Though I'm still not sure why they built a concrete sidewalk, fenced it off for months, forcing all pedestrians into the road, and are now building a brick sidewalk instead. That pond has been a hive of activity for a very long time.
"the park will contain other green elements, including large floating islands in the south pond near the Monroe Avenue bridge for wetland remediation.
“When we’re done with [the south pond] it will be a lot prettier than it is today,” Lette said."
Drew Hansen
12:30 pm on Wednesday, January 30, 2013
From what I can remember from that meeting in 2011, the floating islands in the south pond looked, at least in my mind, pretty awesome. I am looking forward to those sidewalks under the bridge being reopened so I can make the walk to Buzz.
Mary Hall Denby
1:45 pm on Wednesday, January 30, 2013
When are the spray grounds going to be build?! That's exciting!!
Drew Hansen
2:07 pm on Wednesday, January 30, 2013
I'm not exactly sure. In one of the belvederes, I believe.
McBrinn
2:20 pm on Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Anyone know what's up with that lone milk jug floating in the center? It's been there for months, leading me to believe it's weighted down. Any idea whether they might stock the pond with Bass?
Kathlynne
2:49 pm on Wednesday, January 30, 2013
and the Cora Kelly playground remains a disgrace...
Linda Kelly
5:42 pm on Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Kathlynne-hopefully, they will complete the construction on that in the next couple of months. It has been locked up in a bureaucratic logjam, but my understanding is that the City Council approved transfer of the funds needed to complete the project at their 1/22 meeting. ACPS needs to bid out the project and then hopefully we will have a playground before my 5th grader leaves the school at the end of this school year. More than a year now with no playground!
Liz Johnson
7:58 pm on Sunday, February 3, 2013
Does anyone know if there are plans for a more direct pedestrian route from Monroe Ave. over to the Slater's Lane area than the current walk around and over the new bridge? Thanks, Liz
Joseph M.
10:44 pm on Sunday, February 3, 2013
Yes, a catapult will be built for pedestrians to toss them over the CSX and Metro tracks.
Drew Hansen
9:01 am on Monday, February 4, 2013
As much as I like Joseph's trebuchet idea, a pedestrian bridge with 24-hour access will be built as part of the Potomac Yard Metro station. Even if the station isn't approved, a pedestrian bridge will be built. However, it's not going to be a straight shot from Monroe to Slaters. It will be built to the north.
Bea Porter
10:16 am on Wednesday, February 6, 2013
The site looks very nice, I am just worried about the children and others that will need to cross Potomac Avenue to get to the play areas. And, with the area so close to the railroad, I really think it would have been better to incorporate the play areas into the housing development.
Alina K. Scott
12:54 pm on Saturday, March 9, 2013
What is the timeline for the playground project? Will we be able to enjoy it this spring?
Drew Hansen
1:49 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
The timeline has been moved around a little bit. In a few weeks, planners are giving me a walking tour of the entire park. I'll write a story off of that. Stay tuned.
Meredith Holland
7:50 am on Thursday, March 28, 2013
I wonder about parking for folks that want to go to this park who do not live there?
Drew Hansen
10:01 am on Thursday, March 28, 2013
I'm taking a walking tour of the park next week. I'll be sure to ask. There are some spaces along Potomac Avenue. You'll also be able to reach Potomac Yard Park by walking underneath the Monroe Avenue bridge.
Michele Lichtman
7:16 pm on Tuesday, April 2, 2013
I wonder if/when some sort of bike access will be constructed from Potomac Avenue to the Mount Vernon trail.