On Monday morning our parents group is going to do a walk through of the Trolley Turnaround Park on Monroe and 11th with Steve Coleman from Washington Parks and People. We will discuss the current state of the park and surroundings with an eye to developing a list of action items and activities our group and others could undertake.
This is an open discussion and I encourage others in the neighborhood to join us.
We will meet at:
8:30AM
In the park - 11th/Monroe
Nov. 5th
We plan to do another walk through like this in a few weeks on a weekend morning when I know more folks would be able to attend.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Community Art in Trolley Turnaround Park - comments?
I am posting this entry to provide a space for readers to comment on the idea for a mural in the park. Just log in (comments are restricted to logged in users) and let everyone know what you think about some community art in the park.
It just occurred to me after someone asked about sculptures that it might not be a mural that makes the most sense for the park. So if folks have other ideas please let us know.
It just occurred to me after someone asked about sculptures that it might not be a mural that makes the most sense for the park. So if folks have other ideas please let us know.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Play dates and progress
The Monday AM play group is going strong and we welcomed a new addition this week, Elsa with her 5 month old son Nico. It has been great to feel more comfortable in the park, get to know our neighbors and of course exhaust the kids. Several families have been venturing out on the weekends as well which has gone off pretty smoothly. Unfortunately over the weekend the smell from something in the playground was so intense Marcus and Josh had to leave. We are investigating how we might get access to a hose/bucket and water when some thing like that happens again.
Amy took pics of the park last week in preparation for discussions with Rachel Dickerson, DC Creates Public Art Manager at DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. Louise is writing up a letter of support for a community project to develop a mural in the park. The main points to hit on are: where you live, how you use the park, what you think a mural would contribute and how you support the initiative. If folks are interested in writing a letter please contact us. At least one person voiced a negative opinion about a mural project and we would love to hear from folks with experiences both good and bad with mural projects.
Please let others know about the play group, especially folks without Internet access. Marcus is developing a flyer to post on several community boards to advertise the group.
Anyone with more updates on the police presence and other issues related to the park is encouraged to post to the blog.
Amy took pics of the park last week in preparation for discussions with Rachel Dickerson, DC Creates Public Art Manager at DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. Louise is writing up a letter of support for a community project to develop a mural in the park. The main points to hit on are: where you live, how you use the park, what you think a mural would contribute and how you support the initiative. If folks are interested in writing a letter please contact us. At least one person voiced a negative opinion about a mural project and we would love to hear from folks with experiences both good and bad with mural projects.
Please let others know about the play group, especially folks without Internet access. Marcus is developing a flyer to post on several community boards to advertise the group.
Anyone with more updates on the police presence and other issues related to the park is encouraged to post to the blog.
Monday, October 15, 2007
Another play date
We had another nice play date at the Trolley Turnaround Park this morning. The trick seems to be to get there just after it is swept out and the gates are opened. 4 parents and 6 kids came out and enjoyed the crisp morning air.
Amy took some pictures and we are preparing for discussion with DPR Public Art office about a community art project for the park. If anyone wants to write a letter of support or offer some dissenting opinions about murals please let us know.
My husband and I were also out on Sunday morning and spent a nice hour with the kids on the play ground. The more I am in there the less menacing it feels.
Amy took some pictures and we are preparing for discussion with DPR Public Art office about a community art project for the park. If anyone wants to write a letter of support or offer some dissenting opinions about murals please let us know.
My husband and I were also out on Sunday morning and spent a nice hour with the kids on the play ground. The more I am in there the less menacing it feels.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Disclaimer
This is not my personal blog for me to rant about park issues. If others in the community want to post about their activities around green space in Columbia Heights please shoot me an email and I will add you as a contributor to the blog. Please no anonymous posters. If you want on the blog send me your name, email and the block you live on. Teresa - teresa_@_speakeasy.net
What could we do...
In a coffee fueled haze I jotted down a list of some of the actions we could take around the Trolley Turnaround Park. These range from the very simple but long term commitment type actions to the larger scale, bigger community involvement projects. I need alot more input and diversity around these ideas since they are largely kid centered (hard not to be with 2 year old twins). In addition to more ideas each action needs a champion.
1) Play dates - we now have a Monday 8:30am regular play date. Please spread the word.
2) Clean ups - NCHCA does one on 1st Saturday, DPR can help with equipment for community based clean ups and also has to have the park on their schedule for DPR cleaning (need to call DPR and find out about this process and how to monitor), play date folks should also clean up.
3) Mural - I am in touch with the woman from DPR who handles public art. She needs letters from the community, pictures of the park and a community point of contact to meet with.
4) Ban on single sales of alcohol - we need more info on how other community groups have advocated about this so we can decide if the impact is worth the effort.
5) Talk to local event spaces like Wonderland or the new theatre for a few outdoor concerts -
6) Spring Kids fair with a clown/musician - we have a huge twin group and there are enough other parents maybe we can plan for this in the spring for a Spring Solstice thing or some other day. If we all chipped in a bit then a performance artist would be inexpensive.
7) Vendors - like an empanada lady or a coffee cart. The previous CH coffee owners thought about this before.
8) Work with Graham to get some refurbishment money - he has focused on the fence/lights that have already been funded and needs more of a push and some suggestions on what to fund. Also need his support on murals, fairs and single sale bans.
9) Hometown Helper grant - I want to apply for this grant from Hamburger Helper but it has to have a plan and good community support. Parks and People are happy to be the fiscal sponsor - http://www.myhometownhelper.com/
Anyone have any more ideas or want to take on one of the above as a champion?
1) Play dates - we now have a Monday 8:30am regular play date. Please spread the word.
2) Clean ups - NCHCA does one on 1st Saturday, DPR can help with equipment for community based clean ups and also has to have the park on their schedule for DPR cleaning (need to call DPR and find out about this process and how to monitor), play date folks should also clean up.
3) Mural - I am in touch with the woman from DPR who handles public art. She needs letters from the community, pictures of the park and a community point of contact to meet with.
4) Ban on single sales of alcohol - we need more info on how other community groups have advocated about this so we can decide if the impact is worth the effort.
5) Talk to local event spaces like Wonderland or the new theatre for a few outdoor concerts -
6) Spring Kids fair with a clown/musician - we have a huge twin group and there are enough other parents maybe we can plan for this in the spring for a Spring Solstice thing or some other day. If we all chipped in a bit then a performance artist would be inexpensive.
7) Vendors - like an empanada lady or a coffee cart. The previous CH coffee owners thought about this before.
8) Work with Graham to get some refurbishment money - he has focused on the fence/lights that have already been funded and needs more of a push and some suggestions on what to fund. Also need his support on murals, fairs and single sale bans.
9) Hometown Helper grant - I want to apply for this grant from Hamburger Helper but it has to have a plan and good community support. Parks and People are happy to be the fiscal sponsor - http://www.myhometownhelper.com/
Anyone have any more ideas or want to take on one of the above as a champion?
What's the role of the police at Trolly Turnaround Park
Several folks have mentioned an increased police presence at the Park as a deterrent to criminal activity and generally anti social behavior.
Sarah, a neighbor with kids on Kenyon, and I met up at Wonderland last night and talked a bit about police presence in the park. She will be attending the PSA meeting tonight to find out more about what the police are doing. See below for more on the meeting.
Jeff at NCHCA mentioned an upcoming meet with local police, Graham's office and ANC representative Alex Hogan. This would be a good meeting to find out what the major complaints are and the role the police can play. We should try to have some representation at this meeting or at least talk with the ANC rep to get a briefing.
One idea is to research the impact of a single sales ban on alcohol from stores near the park. I know this has a large impact on small businesses but public drunkenness has such a large impact on our ability to use and enjoy the park. Would be great if someone researched how other communities have addressed this issue and what the impact has been.
* I am highlighting actions folks are or can take with regards to the park
* PSA (Police Service Area) 302 Community Meeting
Thursday October 11, 2007
7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
(This event repeats every month on the second Thursday until Saturday November 17, 2007.)
Location: Harriet Tubman Elementary School - in the cafeteria
Street: 13th & Kenyon Streets NW
Notes:
PSA 302 covers the area from Park Place on the east, to 16th Street on the west, between Spring Road/Quebec Place on the north and Harvard Street on the south
All concerned residents, organizations, and businesses are encouraged to attend
To add information on the agenda or discuss
community issues please contact
Lt. Edward Delgado at 202-576-8221
Lt. Micah Pate at 202-576-8219
Sarah, a neighbor with kids on Kenyon, and I met up at Wonderland last night and talked a bit about police presence in the park. She will be attending the PSA meeting tonight to find out more about what the police are doing. See below for more on the meeting.
Jeff at NCHCA mentioned an upcoming meet with local police, Graham's office and ANC representative Alex Hogan. This would be a good meeting to find out what the major complaints are and the role the police can play. We should try to have some representation at this meeting or at least talk with the ANC rep to get a briefing.
One idea is to research the impact of a single sales ban on alcohol from stores near the park. I know this has a large impact on small businesses but public drunkenness has such a large impact on our ability to use and enjoy the park. Would be great if someone researched how other communities have addressed this issue and what the impact has been.
* I am highlighting actions folks are or can take with regards to the park
* PSA (Police Service Area) 302 Community Meeting
Thursday October 11, 2007
7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
(This event repeats every month on the second Thursday until Saturday November 17, 2007.)
Location: Harriet Tubman Elementary School - in the cafeteria
Street: 13th & Kenyon Streets NW
Notes:
PSA 302 covers the area from Park Place on the east, to 16th Street on the west, between Spring Road/Quebec Place on the north and Harvard Street on the south
All concerned residents, organizations, and businesses are encouraged to attend
To add information on the agenda or discuss
community issues please contact
Lt. Edward Delgado at 202-576-8221
Lt. Micah Pate at 202-576-8219
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