by: Jordyn Taylor
After 13 years of planning, Hollywood Gateway Park opened to the public.
The two-story pavilion is located on the southeast corner of Baltimore Avenue and Edgewood Road.
According to Floura Teeter Landscape Architects, the new park is intended to educate the public about how climate and weather affect people’s lives .
Made up of two levels, the park has a green roof, bamboo chimes, a stone rill, rain gardens and a spiral staircase to connect the two levels.
The Floura Teeter website says the upper level of the park is meant to serve College Park residents as they wait by Route One for a bus while the lower level, which has a natural playground, is meant for more community play and use.
“I took a visit to Hollywood Gateway Park and I am thrilled with its result,” said College Park resident Hannah Widman. “Not only is it a beautiful sight, but it is a fun and educational place for all ages which will really bring together the community.”
According to the city’s website, the anticipated total cost of the project was a little over $1.3 million. The final cost of construction was $969,000.
Before the park, there was a house in its spot and two lots connecting it to 47th Place. Although the house was already demolished, nearby construction drowns out the sound of the bamboo chimes.
Planning for the park took 12 years and construction took over a year after that. The construction began last March, and was set to be completed in September 2019 until issues arose with contractors. As a result, its completion date was pushed back to October 2019, then to March 2020 and finally to August 2020.
“While the process of moving this park forward has been very long, the end result is a beautiful and user-friendly amenity for our community,” College Park City Manager Scott Somers said.
Somers, as well as College Park Mayor Patrick Wojahn, Planning Director Terry Schum and Council Members Fazlul Kabir and Maria Mackie attended the grand opening for the park on Oct. 5. It was revealed with a ribbon cutting ceremony.
The City of College Park and Floura Teeter partnered with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to create the park.