parks

The Debate on Dealing with Deer in DC

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user Mr. T in DC

The following has been circulating on all the neighborhood listservs:

I am proud to be one of five local plaintiffs in a lawsuit opposing the National Park Service’s barbaric plan to kill deer in Rock Creek Park. The plan is on hold until the lawsuit is heard in court. Please see the email below and voice your support for our work by signing our petition at the link provided below.

You can stay up-to-date on the latest developments by joining us on Facebook and Twitter.

1) An excellent opinion piece promoting contraception for the Rock Creek Park deer was published in the Feb. 3, 2013 edition of The Washington Post by two eminent scientists in the field of wildlife population control. It can be read here:

2) A petition asking the National Park Service to use only non-lethal methods, including contraception, to control the deer population in Rock Creek National Park has been posted on Change.Org

We hope you will sign it and forward it on to others in the area, across the country, and around the world.

You can also type in a message as to why you support the petition. You’re not required to leave a comment, however.

The petition is written for:

– those who think that humans should strive to live in peaceful co-existence with the beautiful wildlife in our midst.

– those who think that the future of wildlife population control is the use of fertility-control agents — not death and destruction without end.

– those who oppose the National Park Service’s plan to terrorize and brutalize our wonderful Rock Creek Park deer.

Ignoring federal law and its own rules — and for the first time in the 123-year history of the park — the National Park Service has ordered the killing of animals who live in Rock Creek Park. The Park Service plans to kill half of the park’s 314 deer in the first year of a multi-year killing program.

These gentle animals, who have never before been harassed or hunted, will be shot with bullets and arrows after being lured to piles of grain, apples, and hay; others will be killed after capturing them with nets and shooting them in the head with penetrating captive-bolt guns, or by being bled to death.

To those who think this is wrong — we hope you will sign the petition.

On the Takoma listserv one resident left the following response:

How do you feel about the idea deer having to wander further afield in search of food and get hit by cars?

Or slowly starve to death as they continue to wipe out all the foliage in Rock Creek Park due to their over-population?

What are you proposing to do about that? Contraception for the deer is a great idea for long-term over-population, but it doesn’t solve the problem of the deer — which are NOT native to the area — which are already there and causing problems to both the park and the surrounding neighborhoods.

The 5pm Post – From the Events Calendar, PoP Picks…

By Prince Of Petworth

Canal Park Grand Opening:

Canal Park
M St SE & 2nd St SE
Friday, November 16th, 2012
10:30am – Sat 10:00pm | FREE!

Grand opening weekend will kick off with a performance by the String Poets at 10:30 am and a grand opening ceremony at 11:00 am with remarks by U.S. Representative Eleanore Holmes Norton, Mayor Vincent Gray, Councilmember Tommy Wells, and other honored guests. The launch of the interactive light cube will take place at dusk.

The ice skating rink will officially open at noon on Friday with free skating from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm. After 2:00 pm, skate rental is $3; admission is $8 for adults and $7 for children, seniors, and military. Come watch ice performances at the top of every hour for several hours on Friday and Saturday. Many activities and performances will take place on Saturday, including music by The Singing Lizard, John Henry and Justin Traywick; face painting and recycled art by SCRAP DC; and fitness classes and a kids obstacle course provided by Results Gym.

See all of tonight’s and the week’s events here.  To add your event, click the events tab up top and then click “add an event”.  You can add concerts, museum/gallery exhibits, fundraisers, sporting events, bike rides etc. You can add anything you think will be of interest to PoPville.

New Dog Park for Columbia Heights?

By Prince Of Petworth


Alley behind 14th, Irving, Columbia and Hiatt Pl, NW

I was checking out the new Highland Park II building in Columbia Heights and heard about a very interesting development being discussed. Apparently the alley (pictured above) used to be a mess and filled with garbage. It’s been cleaned and fenced and is owned by the city. So what to do with the space? One option I heard mentioned was a dog park. Do you think this would be a good space for a new dog park in Columbia Heights (in addition to the one at 11th and Park Rd, NW)?

Aryan Nation march this Saturday at Lincoln Park, Counter-Protest Planned

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user gc-dc

Dear PoPville,

A notice/reminder that this upcoming Saturday, September 22, 2012, there is an Aryan Nation march and protest that is organizing and starting at Lincoln Park.

Needless to say, this is troubling to have in our community but apparently free speech is free speech.

The organizers have a website which, along with terms associated with racism and bigotry, has info for attendees:

The plans are to gather at RFK stadium located at 2400 E Capitol St NE, Washington, DC 20003 at 11AM Saturday September 22nd. Cars will be parked at RFK Stadium and watched over by D.C. Metro Police. Aryan Nations is providing a passenger bus escort to and from the gathering at Lincoln Park and Union Square Reflecting Pool for all who care to attend and march with us this day. Be there and stand up for our kinsmen in South Africa.

No word on counter-protests.

Ugh.

A counter-protest has been organized called STAY AWAKE IN FRIENDSHIP:

Calling on neighbors of all colors, creeds, kinds…
STAY AWAKE IN FRIENDSHIP, September 22, 2012

Dispel ugliness with friendship
WITHOUT IMPEDING ANYONE in exercise of rights.

Dispel outside, divisive forces
with the power of our own community!

****This project IS NOT MEANT TO IMPEDE anyone, however hateful, from exercising their legal rights to gather and march.****

“The Church of Jesus Christ Christian”/Aryan Nations — long recognized as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-files/groups/aryan-nations — is “Calling on White America to a Day of Awakening.” THEIR EVENT is organized for Sep. 22, beginning at noon, with activities in Lincoln Park and a march to the Capital. STAY AWAKE IN FRIENDSHIP IS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH THESE HATE GROUPS.

INSTEAD, neighbors and friends of Lincoln Park CALL ON ALL
to do two things:

1) Make use of the park as usual, or make a special visit….
Lincoln Park, 11th & East Capital Streets, Washington, DC
Gather, beginning at 10 a.m.
ENJOY THE PARK AND THE COMPANY

2) Remember the children’s song: “Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver. The other gold.”?
In that spirit, we ask everyone — individuals, merchants, houses of worship — across Washington, DC to WEAR OR DISPLAY GOLD AND SILVER as a sign of friendship and unity.

3) Sep. 22 is also Shabbat Shuva — a day set aside in the Jewish calendar to help prepare for the upcoming Day of Atonement. All interested in this observance are invited to pray and learn — in the park or elsewhere — with special attention to combating bigotry and hatred.

“Calling on White America to a Day of Awakening” is being organized by the “Church of Jesus Christ Christian”/Aryan Nations (http://southafricaproject.info/)

Stay Awake in Friendship IS NOT ASSOCIATED with these hate groups. Stay Awake in Friendship IS NOT ASSOCIATED with those who are trying to impede the hate group.

Mayor Gray Dedicates $490,000 for Parks in NoMa

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user Barflydc

From the NoMa BID:

Mayor Vincent Gray has dedicated $490,000 for the design and development of NoMa parks, to be handled through the DC Office of Planning. The NoMa Business Improvement District announced the exciting news at Wednesday’s community meeting, where neighborhood stakeholders and residents were gathered to provide input on the NoMa Parks Plan.

The NoMa BID has been working since last winter on a strategic parks plan with design firm AECOM, and the planning effort has involved continuous coordination with District public agencies, including Office of Planning and the Department of Transportation.

“The NoMa BID has used a lot of its own funds and spent a considerable amount on creating strategies and plans for NoMa parks,” said NoMa BID Chairman Bruce Baschuk. Wednesday’s meeting was an important milestone in the parks planning process, and enabled neighborhood residents to give their input into the proposed uses, design and programming of potential park spaces and green spaces in NoMa. The greater NoMa neighborhood is in dire need of such public spaces; with 45,000 office workers and 3,500 residential units completed or under construction, that need grows more imperative eachyear.

The BID will use these funds for design, and eventually hopes to purchase land and then build a network of parks in NoMa. Reprogramming these funds through the Office of Planning will enable the parks planning team to further assess neighborhood sites that have been identified for future parks, according to the Mayor’s letter.

Dear PoPville – Daylight Drug Deal and Crack Smoking in Stanton Park

By Prince Of Petworth

Dear PoPville,

I witnessed a drug deal and then the woman on the right smoking crack at 6 PM yesterday in Stanton Park in Capitol Hill. They pretended to be watching a movie on a DVD player, but then he made the sale and she leaned over to smoke. The park was packed with kids, people walking home from work and people throwing balls to dogs. Would like to bring it to the attention of the police, but didn’t have much success calling 311 (put on hold, no one ever came back).

In a situation like this call 911. Anytime you need the police always call 911.


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Dear PoPville – Dog Park Etiquette?

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user idit.

Dear PoPville,

My wife and I are the new owners of a wonderful rescue dog, adopted through City Dogs Rescue. She loves going to the dog park, and we’re wondering if the folks out in Popville can clue us in to any unwritten rules for the park. How much should we supervise our dog? Should we intervene if the dogs start playing rough? What other etiquette should we know? We’d love to hear what people think.

The Spanish Steps – Looking Good

By Prince Of Petworth


S and 22nd Street, NW

I first stumbled upon the Spanish Steps back in Nov. 2008. It’s looking even better in the warm weather.

It’s looking even better now with flowers planted along the sides.

Though, sadly the fountain up top wasn’t working. Fortunately the view is pretty sweet:

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