For Immediate Release: Monday, November 22, 2004
Montgomery County Executive Douglas M. Duncan today joined Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro), Maryland, and Strathmore officials in honoring Carlton R. Sickles, who spent a lifetime in public service to the Washington region. The new 330-foot long pedestrian Sky Bridge connecting the Grosvenor-Strathmore Metrorail station with the Music Center was named for Sickles. He played an instrumental role in the development of the 103-mile Metrorail system, and served on the Strathmore Board of Directors.
“Carlton Sickles was a visionary who dedicated his life to public service,” said Duncan. “Carlton had the foresight to understand what a world-class transit system could do for our region and the ability to make his dream a reality. Without him, we would not have Metrorail or the Music Center at Strathmore, and Washington would be a very different place from what it is today.”
Sickles, a Metro Board member or alternate almost continuously since the Metro board was created, died in January of this year at the age of 82. In the mid-1950’s, he was a member of the Maryland House of Delegates representing Prince George’s County. Sickles was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1962, where he was a leader in the effort to obtain Congressional approval for creating and building Metro. Sickles also served on the Strathmore Hall Foundation, Inc. Board for more than 20 years. Sickles was a strong supporter of the arts. He helped establish the first Metro art project, hanging art in stations throughout the region, including the “Penguins” mural in Silver Spring.
“Carlton's 40-year history of creating and promoting the Metrorail transit system in the Washington region earned him the justifiable title of ''Father of Metro,” said WMATA General Manger Richard White. “And, as a Strathmore Board member, his support for the Music Center was instrumental in making this wonderful facility a reality. It is especially fitting symbolism that we are here today to dedicate a link honoring Carlton's lifelong contributions that connects Metro to the Music Center at Strathmore.”
Sickles used to live across the street from Strathmore and sponsored the Metro Board action to change the name of the station to “Grosvenor-Strathmore” even before funding of the new Strathmore concert hall was authorized. He recognized the growing popularity of Strathmore, bringing together Metro, the County and Strathmore to build the Sky Bridge that connects the garage to the new Music Center. The Music Center at Strathmore will open on February 5, 2005.
“The fact that the Sky Bridge connects the arts at Strathmore and Metro is a metaphor for Carlton’s life,” said Eliot Pfanstiehl, president and CEO of Strathmore. “As both a board member of Strathmore and the ‘Father of Metro,’ Carlton truly saw what could be, not what was, and he quietly worked in his own gentle manner to bring people, ideas and resources together to make dreams into reality.”
The Sky Bridge pedestrian walkway connecting the 1,500-space Grosvenor-Strathmore parking garage with the Music Center was built by Montgomery County. The bridge cost about $2 million, with $400,000 paid by Montgomery County, $400,000 by the State of Maryland, and $1.2 million from the Grosvenor garage project. The garage is paid for entirely by parkers: $1.50 of the $4 parking charge at Metro garages in the County goes towards the Parking Surcharge that paid for the garage. William Rawn Associates Architects created the preliminary design of the walkway. Walker Parking Consultants, along with The Design collective from Baltimore, did the final design. The construction contractor was S.K. Constructors, a division of Struever Brothers, Eccles, & Rouse, Inc. of Baltimore.
Release ID: 04-608
Media Contact: Esther Bowring 240-777-6530