For me, Spring doesn’t officially launch until the great fountain in Meridian Hill park gets filled in Columbia Heights.
What an awesome weekend to enjoy it.
And now a dignified Jeanne D’Arc keeps watch:
parks
Dear PoPville,
I am interested in the city and region getting better use out of their waterfront assets. The city is slowly starting with improvements in Georgetown, Navy Yard, and SW Waterfront, but I think there is more they can do. To help, I think the city should to reroute the Rock Creek Parkway from in front of the Kennedy Center onto existing roads. The existing roads in the area could handle the traffic with a few fairly simple upgrades to the intersections. Then the area north of the Lincoln Memorial and West of the Kennedy Center currently used by Rock Creek Parkway could be converted into parkland for everyone to enjoy. The area under the Kennedy Center overhang could even be used for some creative recreation or retail. I believe this would actually simplify traffic by removing some of the web of confusing roads in this area. I’ve attached a simplified picture showing how the road could be rerouted (pretty straightforward).
I know that there are people that will complain that this cuts off the Kennedy Center even more, but the fact is that Kennedy Center is already cut off. This proposal would do nothing to make that better or worse. Covering the road east of the Kennedy Center to integrate it better with Foggy Bottom could be a longer term goal, but it is expensive and would not happen for may years. This proposal could be done relatively simply and relatively quickly.
Actually, the National Park Service is already working on a plan:
Kennedy Center/Potomac River Pedestrian Access Improvement Project. Under this proposal, FHWA would provide pedestrian access between the Kennedy Center River Terrace and the Potomac Riverfront in Washington, DC; providing a direct link between the Kennedy Center and the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway Trail, which is administered by the NPS. The purpose of the project is to improve access between the Kennedy Center River Terrace to the Potomac Riverfront. The action is needed because physical barriers and safety concerns currently discourage pedestrian traffic between these two resources.
In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the NPS and FHWA are preparing an Environmental Assessment (EA) to identify alternatives and assess the potential impacts of the proposal. Concurrently, the agencies will conduct consultation under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA).
So for the FQotD – do you think this will actually happen? If so, when do you think it’ll actually be implemented? Do you think there are other “waterfront assets” that should be improved upon?
Well this is freaking awesome.
From an email:
We are really excited to tell you about Wangari Gardens, a new garden park that is being established in Washington, DC, on a 2.7 acre space of land that is bursting with creative potential! With a mission inspired by the legacy that Professor Wangari Maathai left behind, we are in the brainstorming, planning, and outreach stages of things right now, trying to get as much input as possible from the community about how the space can best be used to benefit everyone. Some of the main ideas include a community garden, a playground, a fruit tree orchard, a butterfly/sensory garden, a walking/wheelchair trail, a rain garden, an outdoor classroom, and a dog park.
The most immediate plans are to begin constructing raised beds for the community garden on March 18th, with a park opening date set for April 1st. In order for this to happen, we need your help! There are endless opportunities for volunteering your time and skills, whether it be through fundraising, planning, building, planting, teaching, etc. Check out the attached flier for upcoming volunteer dates!
If you are interested in being a plot-holder in the community garden, please see the attached application.
If you would like to donate to the Wangari Gardens project, you can do so through a tax-deductible donation on Paypal, accessed through our website (this should be working in the next day or two). Your donation goes straight to the project through Groundwork Anacostia, an amazing environmental justice organization in DC who has agreed to be our fiscal agent.
We are so excited to get this project going, but understand and wish for it to be a fluid creative process, involving as many people and opinions as possible. All input is much appreciated. Feel free to use this flier to spread the word about Wangari Gardens, especially to those who live nearby the park site. We have some upcoming outreach days to make sure that all of the neighbors know what is going on, but the more people talking about it, the better.
Find out more information: www.facebook.com/wangarigardens
www.wangarigardens.wordpress.com (under construction)
Find the site!!
Wangari Gardens is located on a 2.7 acre space, bordered by Irving St. NW, Kenyon St. NW, and Park Pl. NW. It is north of Howard University, west of the Washington Hospital Center/Children’s Medical Center, south of the US Soldiers’ Home, and east of the Parkview and Pleasant Plains neighborhoods. The site is in Ward 5, but borders Ward 1.
Wangari Gardens Garden Plot-holder Application
I don’t know when the last time you’ve been to the National Mall was but this sight blew me away. Can’t wait to see how it turns out. When completed (Dec. 2012), hopefully it will last longer than McPherson Square 2.0…
Dear PoPville,
Just wanted to draw your attention to the Columbia Heights Garden on 14th & Euclid St, NW. It’s almost finished – the garden plots are in and the shed that holds the water faucets has been completed. Also, the pavement, benches and cool, old style street lights have been installed. Looks really nice. I can’t wait to see my neighbors planting their tomatoes.
More good park news for Columbia Heights following the opening of Trolley Park at 11th and Monroe St, NW. You can see what this lot at 14th and Euclid St, NW (across from the gas station) looked like in Oct. 2009 here. Does anyone know the process for applying for a lot to garden?
Last week I shared an awesome historic photo of an old trolley car posted at Trolley Park, opening soon at 11th and Monroe St, NW. It keeps getting better – they just added a couple of oversized old tokens to the fence:
I’m really digging all the history they’ve included in the park:
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We recently spoke about how good the trolley park renovations were looking at 11th and Monroe St, NW but I just noticed this fantastic old photo at the park. And now we know why it’s called Trolley Park:
Photo by PoPville flickr user n0rbert.
From an email:
“ Take a survey being conducted by the US National Arboretum. It is a chance for DC area residents to weigh in on the future of the 446 acre public space. This information will be used in the strategic planning for the future of the Arboretum. So if anyone wants to see bikeshare there or segways or cafes or concerts or a classical Chinese Garden there, here’s a chance to be heard.”
You can take the survey here.
Photo by PoPville twitter follower @MikeRucki
Mike writes:
“Media and police onsite for Occupy K Street evictions. No significant activity yet…”
Photo by PoPville flickr user Blinkofanaye