DPR Announces results of their permit lottery for use of the Ohio Drive and West Potomac Park softball diamonds. “A quick review of the 125 or so awards shows a ton of duplicates”

Photo by PoPville flickr user Jennifer

“Dear PoPville,

I was wondering if anyone else was as surprised as I was when the DC Department of Parks and Recreation sent the email yesterday morning announcing the results of their permit lottery for use of the Ohio Drive and West Potomac Park softball diamonds.

A quick review of the 125 or so awards shows a ton of duplicates, and while some might be understandable because of local affiliations (a certain dog mascot or iterations thereof appears in no fewer than six team names), others appear to be the product of a broken system. I’ve asked the Athletic Permits Office for some additional information about the lottery – how many applications were received, what randomization technique was used, what criteria may have been weighed outside of the lottery process – but I was wondering if the PoPville community might have any insight into this. Any information would be appreciated.

Before the comments derail too much, yes, I know that asking to start a conversation about adult recreational sports is going to lead to the inevitable questions about the commercialization of fun, the highest and best use of limited public space, and why people in their 20s, 30s, and even 40s can’t just move on with their lives, but I’d really like to make this specific to the DPR permits process and what can be done to ensure that this city lottery process works better than another one in the news recently.”