The Montgomery County Council today unanimously approved construction of a proposed Soccerplex in the South Germantown Recreation Park. The $19.8 million project will be a public/private partnership between Montgomery County and the Maryland Soccer Foundation.
The Council also approved construction of the "first wave" of other recreational features in the park, including a group picnic area, hiking trails, and playgrounds, as well as approving planning and design for an indoor/outdoor tennis facility, golf driving range, miniature golf, and a bicycle track.
"This park and this exciting public/private partnership can be a real �Field of Dreams� for Upcounty Montgomery and all our children," said Councilmember Steve Silverman. "The additional public park features can help meet the growing needs of Upcounty families for other recreational opportunities."
"We took the time to do this right," said Councilmember Nancy Dacek, who represents Germantown. "The modifications we made resulted in a �win-win� for everybody."
The Council approved several changes to the original plan which provide additional environmental protections through four more years of groundwater monitoring beyond that recommended by Park and Planning officials. An extensive water quality monitoring effort to provide protection of nearby streams and homeowner wells was authorized for the next 11 years. The Council also examined traffic issues and an independent financial analysis of the Soccerplex business plan. It plans to monitor the progress of the project as the phases of the project go forward .
On a separate track, Councilmembers Silverman and Dacek have proposed accelerated funding for an aquatic center in Germantown. A public hearing on that capital project will be held this evening at 7:30 PM.