“Dear PoPville,
As the 6-year anniversary of the work order to fix the torn net approaches, DPR has continued to refuse to address this dangerous situation. I am attaching DGS Oversight Hearing Testimony (PDF) I submitted at a February oversight hearing. Having received no response to my questions, last week I contacted the Office of Risk Management. Less than 24 hours later, the Tort Liability Program Administrator and Assistant Deputy General Counsel in the Office of Risk Management responded (this is a direct quote with names omitted):
“I learned about this issue late in the day yesterday…[names omitted]…We all agree this is a safety issue that must be repaired.”
Unfortunately,
even after this clear message from Risk Management, the response from DPR is that the net will be fixed when the Upshur Park is renovated, which will be months – at least. In the meantime, the email I am forwarding from a DPR official says: “As a short-term measure, DPR will install signage and caution tape around the damaged area to raise awareness and encourage safer use of the field.”
It’s not clear whether the signs are meant to warn kids or drivers – but neither will address the problem – which I think ANC Commissioner Cassie McAdams captured perfectly in the short video she made yesterday evening. The video is attached. I would greatly appreciate if you would consider posting this video. It speaks for itself.
Lastly, I am left with a question – perhaps there is someone out there who might have an informed opinion.
DPR claims that the tears in the net are caused by flying soccer balls – stating “the force of balls striking the net continues to cause new tears.” I have never seen a flying soccer ball tear this net. Instead, I think the tears you see are caused by humans retrieving balls and otherwise pulling on the net – and a faulty design that has created tearing along the wires meant to hold the net up. I am basing this on two things:
1) Many of the tears in the net are behind the goal – how would these be caused by flying soccer balls?
2) My sense is that a soccer ball would need to be moving very fast – like maybe shot out of a cannon – to tear this net if it were intact or carefully secured with zip-ties. How fast does a soccer ball need to be going to tear through a nylon net like this?
That may be too in the weeds for your purposes. I am in the process of requesting an in-person meeting with Councilmember Lewis George and DPR/DGS staff. As I mentioned in my testimony, I see this as a very particular problem – but also indicative of systemic problems that need to be addressed – with 311 and other mechanisms for citizen feedback to DPR and DGS.”