Community Corner
Merriweather Park 'Merriground' and Soundscapes Get Go-Ahead
The Howard County Design Advisory Panel approved the latest concepts from the Inner Arbor Trust for Symphony Woods.
Revised plans for the Inner Arbor, a project to modernize Symphony Woods, were met with unanimous approval Wednesday from the Howard County Design Advisory Panel.
Located off Little Patuxent Parkway, Symphony Woods is an underutilized 36-acre open space owned by the Columbia Association that gets used during events. The nonprofit Inner Arbor Trust is spearheading revitalization plans to turn it into a regional destination called "Merriweather Park."
Inner Arbor and a team of architects showcased their latest proposal before a panel of reviewers Wednesday night. Features added to the plan since its last public presentation in December were the "Merriground" and "Merriweather horns," according to the Columbia Association.
The "Merriground" is a nontraditional play space featuring a 40-foot tower, two slides and rope swings, the Howard County Times reported. There would reportedly be an emphasis on wooden elements.
The "Merriweather horns" would provide soundscapes at each of the park's four entrances. Clarksville native William Cochran, whose work includes the Community Bridge in Frederick, would design the sculptural horns.
“They could sound at 6 p.m. and call an end to the work day and prepare you for something new,” Michael McCall, president/CEO of the Inner Arbor Trust, told The Washington Post, noting the horns would serve as musical gateways to the park.
Ensuring development is harmonious with its surroundings is the role of the Design Advisory Panel, and its members' findings were overall favorable.
"The major substantive concern raised was whether the paths in the central part of the park were quite wide enough to handle the anticipated pedestrian traffic, especially during Wine in the Woods and major events at Merriweather Post Pavilion," blogger Frank Hecker wrote. "The panel asked the design team to take a second look at that."
The panel also asked the Inner Arbor Trust to review the pathway from the park that would spill out near The Mall in Columbia, the Howard County Times reported.
Within the park, wooden pathways will provide continuity, linking the various attractions, including those previously introduced: a 12-foot-wide "Caterpillar" made of a tubular metal frame with live plants and flowers as its exterior, separating Merriweather Park from Merriweather Post Pavilion; a green-blue-white metal "Chrysalis" amphitheater with a wooden floor; a visitors' center called the "Butterfly" building, with wooden decks, an art gallery, rooftop bar and flex space; and a lily pad area with a raised wooden walkway.
Next, the developers will submit their revised plans to the Department of Planning and Zoning, in hopes of gaining approval by the summer so they can begin construction on the Chrysalis amphitheater by the fall, according to the Howard County Times.
The project will span five to seven years and cost $30 million, according to The Washington Post, which reported the Columbia Association and Howard County will foot some of the bill, with grants and donations going toward the cost as well.
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