Residents have until midnight tonight to enter online comments on the final conceptual site plan for improvements to the Silver Spring Intermediate Park.

The 3.6-acre park, which is bounded on three sides by Philadelphia, Chicago and Boston avenues, is on the site of the former Silver Spring Intermediate School. It is still owned by the school system, but is managed by Montgomery Parks, which installed the parking lot, basketball court, tennis court, ball fields and playground in the 1980s.

The final plan was developed following a series of community meetings in 2018, including a June meeting where residents could vote on their favorite concept from among four options.

Montgomery Parks collected additional comments online prior to creating the final plan, which was created by LSG Landscape Architecture after reviewing the two most popular options.

The improvements to the park are intended to address existing issues, including:

Poor drainage of fields and the tennis courts

Decaying and crumbling retaining walls with unsafe guardrails

Park entrances not ADA compliant

Underutilized parking area

Invasive plants and erosion issues

Lack of connection between the playground and the rest of the park, and

Limited seating.

The proposed improvements, as listed by Montgomery Parks, include:

ADA-accessible walkway that connects the main park entrance, bus stop, courts, and playground

New walkway connecting the Chicago Avenue/Boston Avenue entrance to the rest of the park

New ADA-accessible parking space

Designated location for portable restroom, with screen

New drinking fountain

New bike racks

New bioretention areas to treat stormwater runoff on site

Minimal regrading of the open lawn area to create a smoother and more user-friendly play area

Replacement of the existing retaining wall and guardrail at the southeast corner on Boston Avenue.

Spot repair of the existing white retaining wall along Boston Avenue, with new guardrail

Accessible entrance to the playground

New fixed tables

New safety fences along Boston Avenue

New natural play area and boardwalk near the existing playground and the new bio-retention area

New bike racks

Basketball courts with taller fences, new seating wall, more benches

Leveled tennis court surfaces, repainted to include pickle ball lines, new backstop walls, more benches, and

An accessible walkway from the bus stop linked into the park, with more benches near the waiting area

The final design of the $1.5 million project will be submitted to the Planning Board for approval. If granted, construction could start this year and the park open in 2020.

Top, screen shot of park concept from Montgomery Parks website. Below, schematic of current park from Montgomery Parks presentation. P=Parking, BB=Basketball courts, T=Tennis courts, PG=Playground