Harsh Winter Delays Opening of Montgomery Parks Athletic Fields

All Montgomery Parks’ school and park athletic fields will not open March 15 as originally planned because of the lingering winter weather, according to the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.

The fields will be assessed by park staff on a daily basis starting April 1 until favorable conditions are met. Until then, teams are prohibited from practicing on the fields to avoid destroying surfaces and the ground underneath.

Park staff and Park Police consider the fields unplayable during any of the following circumstances:

• Seasonal rest and/or preparation
• All Local Park athletic fields are closed for play from December 1 – season opening April 1; Recreational / Regional Park athletic fields are closed for play from December 1 - March 31 and August 1 - August 15)
• Renovations and/or repairs
• Standing water on the field
• A half inch or more of rain has fallen in the past 24 hours
• Soil is frozen or wet and “spongy”
• Ground is muddy and/or soil clings to shoes
• Steady rain is falling
• A lightning or electrical storm is occurring

“The Washington Post reported that this past February has been the coldest in the last 36 years,” said Mike Riley, director of Montgomery Department of Parks. “The unusually cold temperatures coupled with snow, sleet and ice have had a significant impact on our athletic fields.”

Register for Montgomery Parks ALERT notifications or visit the Montgomery Park website to receive updates on field conditions.