Parks and Open Spaces
Parks and Opens Spaces Subcommittee
In November 2023, the BDCA established a subcommittee focused on parks and open spaces in the neighborhood. We serve as a liaison between our members and the many other stakeholders that support and maintain our parks and open spaces. We also advocate on behalf of the BDCA membership to ensure concerns with parks and open spaces are addressed quickly and that neighbors are notified of and consulted for input on new projects.
Our current focus areas are highlighted below. They include:
Berwyn Park
Berwyn Permaculture Garden
Trolley Trail
Roanoke Pocket Park
All BDCA members in good standing are welcome to join the subcommittee.
If you are interested in participating, please contact us at bdca-parks@myberwyn.org.
Berwyn Park
Berwyn Park is located in the center of the neighborhood and contains a basketball court, picnic area, playground, and tennis court. The BDCA hosts many events throughout the year at the park, including the Spring Egg Hunt, National Night Out, Berwyn Day, and Fall Bonfire.
Current Project Priorities
Replace missing cap on big kid playsacpe - Completed April 2024
Playground retaining wall repairs - Completed April 2024
Stormwater runoff improvements on Pontiac Street - In Progress
Sailcloth for the playground - In Progress
Broken playground sign - In Progress
Swing replacement (baby swings to big kid swings) at playground - In Progress
Additional benches near playground - In Progress
Addition of kid-size picnic table near playground - In Progress
Shift yellow climbing tower closer to platform on big kid playscape - In Progress
Berwyn Permaculture Garden
The City has a permaculture garden along the Trolley Trail in our neighborhood between Greenbelt Road and Tecumseh Street. This garden is open to the residents to explore and enjoy. Plants grown are native to the mid-Atlantic region and sustainable and edible.
Every spring, the BDCA hosts a joint event with the City of College Park and the City's Committee for a Better Environment to assist with permaculture garden maintenance.
Trolley Trail
The Trolley Trail, which follows an old trolley train's path along Rhode Island Avenue down towards the District of Columbia, is a widely used 3.8 mile hiker/biker path. The Trolley Trail also connects to multiple other walking or bicycling trails, including the Indian Creek Trail and the Paint Branch Trail.
The Rhode Island Avenue Trolley streetcar ran from 1903 to 1962 and connected College Park to the nation's capital. After streetcar service ended in the 1960s, it was converted into a hiker-biker trail.
The Trolley Trail starts in the Berwyn neighborhood and has many wonderful attractions:
Permaculture garden (see above)
Benches and access to Berwyn Neighborhood Park
Pedestrian access to the Berwyn Business District (restaurants and shops)
Roanoke Pocket Park
COMING SOON!
In 2022, the City of College Park purchased a small plot of land at the intersection of 51st Avenue and Roanoke Pl for a future pocket park.
From February-March 2024, the City requested resident input on what they would like to see at the park.
While no plans have been set, the BDCA continues to advocate for quick wins (like clearing invasive species) that will make this a usable open space for neighbors to meet and relax.