Calverton-Galway Local Park

My two-​year-​old son and I are frequent visitors to this park.
Pros: It has tons of open playing fields, most of which are usually unoccupied so you can bring your sports equipment and run around
Swings! (Not all playgrounds have swing sets, much to my son’s dismay)
Two separate play areas, one appropriate for bigger kids and a lower, easier one for toddlers
A nice, fairly lengthy bike/​jogging trail (Note: The trail continues across one of the parking lots and makes a little loop through the woods)
Fairly clean, as far as playgrounds go
There are cricket pitches here, and it’s fun to watch teams playing cricket on the weekends since it’s something you don’t see much here in the States
Cons: No shady area to sit on or even near the playground, which makes it pretty brutal in the summertime
The toddler playground is inexplicably built on a pretty steep hill/​slant, which makes it very challenging for little kids to go to or from the playground without face-​planting. My child has no trouble with it now, but for about a year or so I always had to hold his hand and help him walk to the playground, even once he was walking well elsewhere.
No bathrooms, just a port-​a-​potty (although that’s not unusual for this area, so I guess I shouldn’t deduct for that)
Overall, a nice place to hang out in the neighborhood.

4 stars for the park.
1 star for Maryland/​Montgomery County Parks & Planning (to be explained).
Everyone should have their go-​to park and this is mine, or my dog’s to be more accurate. There’s a nice trail (not long, but nice) and open fields with a jungle gym for the kiddies. I’ve learned a lot at this park and have been afforded much time to reflect and decompress while also meeting friendly people.
The land for this park used to belong to a slave who was bequeathed it by the slaveowner. And on the grounds of the park was the grave of the slave with a little marker and sat under a tree with a little bench. So I’m walking the other day and the shit is just gone. Straight up — gone, razed, desaparecido??? It wasn’t in a central location so it’s not like by removing it you can now add another soccer field. I put in a call/​email to Parks & Planning and have received no response. And I wonder did they just remove the marker? and leave the body in the ground? I’m not religious or anything, but that just doesn’t seem right.
Anyway, if you’re looking for a nice little walking path, and open fields, or a picnic pavilion, Fairland Park will work nicely and does not attract degenerates. Just please, take your trash when you go. I’m tired of wrestling chicken bones out of of my dog’s mouth.
Oh, and one more thing. To black people (from a black person) and foreigners: you gotta get over this fear of dogs. It’s simply ridiculous. If my dog was vicious, do you really think I would open myself up to a lawsuit by letting her off-​leash? And even if you are afraid, stop passing your fears onto your children. Thank you.