Help us plan for Magruder Park’s future!
Magruder Park is located at 40th Avenue and Hamilton Street. The Park covers 32 acres and features a recreation center, playgrounds, basketball, tennis and volleyball courts, picnic pavilions, walking and biking trails as well as soccer, football and softball fields. Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission operates Hamilton Splash Park on the west end of the park.
In 2017, the City plans to apply for a Maryland Department of Natural Resources Community Parks and Playground Grant to upgrade the existing playground amenities at Magruder Park. Hyattsville has previously received grant awards for upgrades at Hyatt Park (2014) and Dietz Park (scheduled installation, 2017). The grant application for Magruder Park will focus on the existing playground, tennis and basketball court areas. If awarded, additional community outreach will be held to help finalize the design. The anticipated timeline for installation of renovations or upgrades is 2018.
You can help shape the future of Magruder Park NOW by sharing your insight on how the park is currently used and what changes will make the park better. Speak Up, HVL!
***********************************************************************************************************
¿Qué está en su Lista de Deseos para el Parque Magruder?
Ayudenos a planificar el futuro del Parque Magruder!
El Parque Magruder está ubicado entre la Avenida 40 y la calle Hamilton. El parque abarca 32 acres y cuenta con un centro de recreación, parque de niños, cancha de baloncesto, tenis y voleibol, pabellones de picnic, caminos de andar y bicicleta, y campos de fútbol Americano, fútbol y softball. MNCPPC opera el Hamilton Splash Park en el extremo oeste del parque.
En el 2017, la ciudad tiene planes de solicitar una subvención del Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Parques Comunitarios de Maryland para actualizar las instalaciones existentes en el parque de niños de Magruder Park. Hyattsville ha recibido previamente la concesión de subvenciones para las mejoras en Hyatt Park (2014) y Dietz Park (instalación en el 2017). La solicitud de ayuda para Magruder Park se centrará en las zonas de juegos infantiles, canchas de tenis y baloncesto existentes. En caso de adjudicación, se llevará a cabo el alcance adicional de la comunidad para ayudar a finalizar el diseño. El cronograma previsto para instalaciónes y renovaciones es el año 2018.
Usted puede ayudar a dar forma al futuro de Magruder Park AHORA, compartiendo su visión sobre cómo el parque se utiliza actualmente y qué cambios hará que el parque mejore. Speak Up, HVL!
Marisa Johnson almost 9 years ago
The fact that there is only one point of entry by car for the park. The vastly underused parking lot should be re-thought. The desperate need for more shady areas and how to accomplish that using native plants. Respecting and protecting the wildlife in the park, while increasing community utilization.
Susan Sargent almost 9 years ago
The nature trail is such a great space, how can we improve/enhance it to make it a little more of a draw?
Sarah Weber almost 9 years ago
The fact that it's set up as a very urban park (sports fields, pool, lots of cement) means that it's difficult to incorporate some "wild" areas a little more like what one experiences on the small nature trail and up the gravel path.
Robert Riddle almost 9 years ago
What sort of challenges must the design address for the park to be a signature park for Hyattsville?
1 It's swampy down there; so doesn't readily lend itself to its designated use for ball fields. Those fields need French drains, or regrading, or something so the soil doesn't retain all that water.
2 There is lost opportunity in the visual connection between Magruder Park and the Anacostia Tributary Trails. The two could and should be linked, more successfully. And while it would be larger than the scope of anything the City could do on its own, we should work with MNCPPC to get the Northwest Branch restored to a more naturalized appearance. It could be a HUGE draw; people love nature, but the Branch is full of concrete chunks and lined with boulders and far is more unnatural than natural.
3 The Rec Center design isn't aesthetic, it's small, and should be large enough and open enough to house -- or at least provide open-sided shelter for -- the many City-sponsored events we host down there. It needs to be rebuilt as a pavilion, with lots of glass, solar collectors, and potential extensions that could house events. Also, it's a very one-sided structure -- with a defined front and back -- and should be designed as an island within the field, with visual access from all sides.
4 The enormous parking lot on the east needs to be developed, or filled with solar collectors, or have the pavement taken up and return it to a natural state.
5 I know it became controversial, back around 2000, because several proposed positive developments were met with vocal opposition, but the WSSC building remains a HUGE lost opportunity at that location. Like the empty parking lot, this site's current condition really does negatively impact Magruder Park and the environs. It's not a bad looking building, aesthetically, and could be turned into a lively, handsome addition to the neighborhood if we could just get past the NIMBY factor. Hasn't enough time passed to do something positive that will contribute to the liveliness and health of the overall community? Development there should go hand-in-hand with anything we do to improve Magruder Park; the two sites are truly intertwined, in my opinion.
Robert Riddle almost 9 years ago
One more: I think it would be a significantly greater draw if the Park included a new year-round significantly expanded pool facility, including an indoor pool, replacing that very old, very small, splash park.
Jason Riggs almost 9 years ago
I agree that drainage is a challenge for the park. Maybe it would be an opportunity to feature Rain gardens, permeable pavement etc.
Lissa Bell over 8 years ago
The park needs a unifying (re)design. As it, it just looks/feels randomly put together. This creates a sense of disorientation and disaffection when entering it and moving around in it. Just adding more "amenities," nice though that would be, will not make this into a "heart of the City" park. For that, some serious redesign of the whole layout is needed.
This does not have to be expensive; a Design Company with vision and talent could probably figure out how to get us at least part of the way there without breaking the bank. This is probably something that requires more expertise than City staff or a volunteer committee can provide. (No disrespect intended. :-)
Mark Graham over 8 years ago
I am very unhappy about the damage to several parts of the Park caused by the off-road bike race. LAst year the grass in several areas was damaged by this race and while some attempts were made to repair the damage, the grass had not fully recovered before another race did more damage. I have nothing against bike racing but off-road bikes do damage to trails and grassy places. I don't think our City Park is the best place to hold such races. Compounding the problem is the fact that both years the ground was wet from recent rains or it was raining when the race was held.