Dear PoPville – More Condos Are Great, But What About Parks?

Photo by PoPville flickr user ep_jhu

“Dear PoPville,

With the rapid pace of development in DC (new condos, restaurants, retail), I am concerned that there is little new parks and recreation development happening in the city. Although greater residential density and retail are great, DC is a special place to me in that most city dwellers have parkspace relatively close by. With its growing population, DC needs to resist the short-sighted temptation to view all land as sources of revenue and realize that while condos and restaurants come and go, great urban spaces are permanently defined by how well they cherish public land. After all, Rock Creek Park has outlived many a fad, and it is still, if not more, amazing than it was at its founding in 1890.”

Ed. Note: In Sept. 2012 Mayor Gray “dedicated $490,000 for the design and development of NoMa parks”. I’d also mention the addition of the phenomenal Yards Park in Navy Yard and the massive renovation of the Georgetown Waterfront park. You can also learn about DC DPR park renovations here and here.