parks

Construction Finally Starts on Justice Park in Columbia Heights?

By Prince Of Petworth


Aug. ’11

“Dear PoP,

So I live on the 1400 block of Euclid St, NW and have recently seen some construction at a vacant lot very close to my house. Workers are currently putting up a small fence around the lot but there is also a large bulldozer in the lot. I’m wondering if you could shed some light on what is going in there. When we moved in it was rumored that a community garden would be put in there.”

Back in Oct. ’09 we first learned of a new park to be called Justice Park would occupy this plot. In Dec. ’09 we learned that funding had been restored for this park. Then…nothing.

Glad to see construction finally started.


Oct. ’09

Dear PoPville – Where Can I Have a BBQ in a DC Park?

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user bajidc

“Dear PoPville,

I want to do a 20-50 person barbeque/picnic in one of DC’s parks. I would like there to be a BBQ pit/grill already there, but other than that not much else for requirements. I was also wondering if there is a need for a permit to do something like that?”

Anyone know where/if there are good parks in DC with bbq pits/grills?

A Peaceful Place – Kahlil Gibran Memorial Garden

By Prince Of Petworth

Since this has been such a contentious week I thought I’d share one of the most peaceful spots in DC.

Kahlil Gibran Memorial Garden is located at 3100 Massachusetts Ave, NW. The garden just turned 20 years old last month. This is a place where even mortal enemies such as bumble bees and grasshoppers get along.

Dear PoP – What’s Going on at Walter Pierce Park in Adams Morgan?

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoP,

I was wondering if you had any information on the soccer field in Walter Pierce Park. I walked by yesterday, Monday June 20th, and noticed the large fence surrounding the field. I was wondering if they were planning on laying down new grass or any other type of renovation?”

Mindy Moretti of the Friends of Walter Pierce Park committee tells me:

“They are indeed resodding the field. They will putting some in-fill dirt in and then planting bermuda grass. They are also fixing the irrigation system, which is part of the reason they had so many difficulties with the field the first time they redid it. At this point, as far as I know, there are no plans to put a fence around it (thank goodness). According to DPR, it will be back online in spring 2012.”

Friday Question of the Day – What is Your Opinion of Franklin Square Park?

By Prince Of Petworth

A couple of folks have mentioned this in passing on previous posts but we’ve never addressed it directly. Basically, it is my understanding, that there used to be a lot of homeless in the McPherson Square park before it got fixed up. Today, in the nearby Franklin Square (14th and K St, NW) there are a lot of homeless people in the park. Others have mentioned that parks are for all people including the homeless. So I’m just curious what people think about Franklin Square nowadays? I know office workers used to eat lunch here all the time in the nice weather – does that still happen? Has the large number of homeless people in the park changed how often you visit it? Does the city need to step in with a more aggressive outreach program?

So for the Friday Question of the Day – what is your opinion of Franklin Square park? Can/should anything be done to improve its appeal?


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More Tales of Nature in the City – Hawk Takes Out a Squirrel

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoP,

pologies for the awful Bberry Phone resolution, but just saw a red-tailed hawk in the park at 19th and Pennsylvania and H NW slowly make it’s way via some low-hanging branches and park benches to a squirrel that it must have already killed, drag it off and begin eating it (pictures are in chronological order). Pretty cool to see something like this up close – quite a majestic bird, although it did seem to have some issues getting the squirrel off the ground and back into the trees.”

Wild.

Dear PoPville – Reminder to be Alert When Jogging by Yourself in Rock Creek Park

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user Rukasu1

“Dear PoPville,

Just got back [12pm Tuesday] from a jog on the trail between the zoo & Pierce Mill in Rock Creek Park. A man who appeared to be homeless grabbed my hand as I jogged past him but I got away from his grip. He laughed as I ran off. I went to the police station and reported it. The police told me a number of people live in those woods, it’s hard for them to get an accurate count because people aren’t stationery. Anyway, thought I should let caution readers, some of them might not be so familiar with the Chandra Levy tragedy.

UPDATE

Police just called, they found the man & decided to charge him given his history of violence”

Very scary, glad to hear the police found and charged him.

11th and Monroe St, NW Park Construction to Begin This Month?

By Prince Of Petworth

From ANC1A05:

“The park renovations will start this month. Permits have been pulled, and the Department of Parks and Recreation will hold its first of several meetings for the community on 16 June 2011, 6:30pm, at the Community Center located at 15th and Girard Streets, NW. Please come if you can. If any of you has seen the Upshur Street Park, it is beautiful, well-designed and executed, and the architect of that park is the same one for 11th & Monroe.”

The park at 11th and Monroe St, NW has long been referred to as the “drunk park” – hopefully a nice renovation will earn it a new nickname?

Do you think a proper renovation will change the reputation and attract children and families to the park?

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