Montgomery Parks is beginning a park improvement project to update and improve Long Branch-Garland Neighborhood Park, a 3.8-acre park located at 8601 Garland Avenue in Silver Spring.
Goals of the improvement project include updating the aging playground, improving amenities, and supporting better connections across Long Branch Stream Valley and Trail.
Parks staff will present preliminary concept plans to the community for input atan online, community meeting hosted in English with Spanish interpretation on Tuesday, September 21, 2021, from 7 – 8:30 p.m.
Community Meeting: Long Branch-Garland Neighborhood Park Improvement Project: September 21, 2021, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.
Watch and submit questions by joining the online Zoom meeting at mcp-events.org/longbranchgarlandmtg or listen only via phone by calling:
+ 301 715 8592 Webinar ID: 876 6794 8741
Residents will have the opportunity to submit suggestions and feedback about the proposed park improvements during the meeting. An online comment forum will also be available for 30 days following the meeting to collect additional input.
Informational Meeting for Long Branch Trail Extension to Carroll Avenue
There will be an informational meeting about the project to extend Long Branch Trail from Long Branch Parkway to Carroll Avenue this week. Find out details about the project during the live online meeting on Wednesday, June 16, 7 pm (with real-time audio Spanish translation). The meeting can be accessed via Zoom, here:
online
mcp-events.org/longbranchtrail
or by phone
+1-301-715-8592
Webinar ID: 990 8453 9537
Pet Montgomery Parks:
This project will evaluate the proposed construction of a hard surface trail extension from the end of the existing Long Branch Trail to Carroll Avenue. The project area is located in the Long Branch Stream Valley Park in Stream Valley Unit #1, near the intersection of Long Branch Parkway and Carroll Avenue in Takoma Park.
The Long Branch Trail currently ends at the dead-end of Long Branch Parkway. Currently, there is a people’s choice trail (unsanctioned trail) that parallels the Long Branch Stream Valley Park on the northeast side of the stream to Carroll Avenue. The majority of the potential extension alignment is on parkland, while some small areas may be within Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) and/or SHA right-of-way (pending an approved alignment).
The project location contains some environmentally sensitive areas, including some mature trees and forested areas, groundwater seeps, localized erosion features, and abundant non-native/invasive plants in some areas. There are excellent opportunities in this area for incorporating environmental enhancements, including tree replacement, removal of non-native/invasive (NNI) plants, floodplain, and stream buffer habitat enhancement, and restoration replanting.
Background
This project is one of several projects planned in the Long Branch Stream Valley Park corridor with a goal of creating a continuous and updated Long Branch Trail from Piney Branch Road to Carroll Avenue. This project will help improve trail connectivity in the greater Long Branch area.
The existing people’s choice trail to Carroll Avenue shows significant use and there are maintenance concerns with the area. There is a history of tree loss in this area, the general area has poor drainage, and the foot trail has widened over time leading to loss of vegetation with localized erosion. Therefore, the second goal of this project is to enhance pedestrian and cyclist safety while also enhancing park resources by incorporating restorative plantings, NNI removal, drainage improvements, and floodplain habitat enhancements.
