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Even the most-neglected parks in DC get a fair amount of use. We have a small, poorly maintained pocket park less than a block from my house. DC owns it, but can't even be bothered to cut the grass more than once a month (and then only when we complain), empty the 2 trash cans on site (again, only when we complain), clear litter, or fix the chain "fence" around it when people drive into it (once or twice a year, since the signs and markings for the sharp curve are clearly insufficient warning). Still, people walk/exercise their dogs there, sit on the benches and relax/chat with neighbors, and kids play there. This brings two points to the fore: DC should not neglect these parks, people do actually use them; and park space IS at a premium.

I play sports in DC, and over the last few years, more and more space suitable for sports has either been ceded to "other needs" or made unusable under the guise of "recouping investment" (for example, the NPS felt it appropriate to randomly plant some trees in places where sports could formerly be played, even in areas slated for redevelopment in the future (that will cut down the new trees) under new plans for the Mall; and the DC gov has gotten stupid with fees for rec center fields, sometimes asking as much as $500/evening for a permit for a single sports facility). Trees are good, it's nice to have nice, new facilities, but no team/league can afford thousands (sometimes over $10K) of dollars a year for a field, and there's clearly more demand than supply. I'd rather have frequent spaces in decent, usable shape than numerous spaces in poor repair with a sprinkling of nice spaces we can't afford to use.

by Ms. D on May 24, 2012 9:24 pm • link • report