Shaw getting new pocket park

Public Spaces

Shaw getting new pocket park

by David Alpert • May 21, 2009 2:05 pm

DC is turning a vacant lot on 10th Street in Shaw into a small park. While DC has 7,847 acres of parkland, almost 80% of that is in the few, very large parks such as the Mall, Rock Creek, Anacostia Park, and the large forts in River East. Plus, highway ramps such as the GW Parkway near the Memorial Bridge and the parking lots around RFK Stadium count as parks. Most residents of DC aren't within a short walk of one of these parks. Adding more small, neighborhood recreational spaces will significantly improve quality of life.

This particular parcel faces 10th Street between L and M, with an alley on one side and a garage ramp along part of the other side. Renew Shaw noticed some drawings of the proposed park:

According to the plan, the park will have a lawn suitable for lying on or playing frisbee, some tables with chairs, a few benches at the edge, a fountain with water jets and a "splash pad," some play boulders, and an ornamental fence along the perimeter.

Reader J. writes in to ask the Greater Greater Washington community what elements would best activate this park:

What makes for a good small park? I like the climbing rock (because I have a 2-year-old son), but the fountain seems to not add much value (see Franklin Square) and in the winter, just an obstacle. What sorts of things should we want to see in a small park? Don't get me wrong, I am super-excited to not have a vacant patch of concrete and empty beer cans there. I just want some ideas as to how to maximize our pleasure with the new space.

The fountain looks to be the type where, instead of having a large basin like the Dupont Circle fountain, the ground is just sloped toward the center. If so, that is much more conducive to children playing. Rockville Town Center has one of these, for example, and on a recent visit I saw several children enjoying the water there.

What do you think would be best for this park? There is a public meeting to discuss the park on Wednesday, May 27th, 7 pm at the Kennedy Recreation Center.

18 comments

Tags: DC, parks, Shaw

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Poplar Point and the Case of the Too-Large Park (Feb 4, 2009)

David Alpert is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Greater Greater Washington and Greater Greater Education. He worked as a Product Manager for Google for six years and has lived in the Boston, San Francisco, and New York metro areas in addition to Washington, DC. He loves the area which is, in many ways, greater than those others, and wants to see it become even greater.

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This will be a right-sized and context-appropriate park.

by Cavan on May 21, 2009 2:37 pm • link • report

I think the "sloped ground level" fountain is a huge assest and wildly popular with kids in a large age range. There is a small park with a water element like this on Westminster in Shaw. The bigger one I've seen, which is utilized to great degree, is in the Silver Spring downtown "mall".

by Bianchi on May 21, 2009 2:38 pm • link • report

The Westminster park is a wonderful location. But there's a water element there? I've never noticed.

by Justin on May 21, 2009 2:47 pm • link • report

Cafe Cozy Corner is also right next to this park and will certainly give it some activity (see "existing cafe space" in the top diagram).

There's an invested group of citizens who are responsible for bringing this park into reality. I imagine they'll ensure this small park is well kept, well managed and well attended.

I am really excited to see this park become a reality.

by shaw rez on May 21, 2009 2:55 pm • link • report

Kids love hte water feature in Westminster. It's a concrete area with two thin jets about 10 feet apart that shoot arcs toward each other. Kids can run through the water and when it shuts off (on a timer) there is a kid-height/kid-friendly switch.

I love the climbing feature. To make it a destination (i.e. hey kiddo, let's walk over to the park!) you might need more than one of those. I like the old style see-saws with really large planks. THey had them in NY Central Park.

by Ward 1 Guy on May 21, 2009 3:06 pm • link • report

A few days ago I was puttering around Southwest and noticed how many truly lovely little parks there are that have fallen into minor disrepair because they just aren't kept up at all. Accessible public space is important to a livable urban environment, but when it's neglected, it can wind up looking like the kind of place very few legal pastimes could motivate a person to visit. I wonder at what point disrepair in small parks becomes a bigger drain on a community than leaving a lot vacant would have been.

by Lucre on May 21, 2009 3:14 pm • link • report

There are so many children in this area that I am ecstatic about adding a park. And although my kids love water elements, I agree that they're a bit disappointing in the winter. Since there's already a grassy open area at 12th & Mass, perhaps the location would be suitable for a small playground structure? There are very few in the immediate area.

by Renee W on May 21, 2009 3:20 pm • link • report

I heard a news item the other day that the mayor of Toledo, OH asked citizens to mow the grass in a park near them b/c the city had to cut the park maintenence budget. The mayor set an example by mowing the lawn in a park near his house.

by Bianchi on May 21, 2009 3:21 pm • link • report

Renee, there's a playground 3 blocks up the street

by Alex on May 21, 2009 3:37 pm • link • report

@bianchi, I heard that on NPR. I liked the part where when asked whether he mowed the lawn at home he said his wife does it.

Has anyone else noticed that counties around here seem to be letting the median grass grow higher this year? In Fairfax it looks like it's about two feet high.

by Michael Perkins on May 21, 2009 3:41 pm • link • report

10th street between L and M, yet everyone using the park in the drawing seems to be white. WTF?

by Erica on May 21, 2009 5:28 pm • link • report

I think when it rains a lot like it has it makes it very difficult to mow and a backup of grass needing to be cut occurs.

by NikolasM on May 21, 2009 5:32 pm • link • report

Erica, that's the first thing I noticed too.

by mike capitol hill on May 21, 2009 8:34 pm • link • report

Does anyone know the time line on this project? Will they break ground in 2009 or is this park just a distant (2010 and beyond) reality?

by 10th and M Neighbor on May 22, 2009 11:17 am • link • report

Glad to see this. Reminds me of back home.

One thing I miss about Minneapolis (and Alex B can back me up on this) is the preponderence of neighborhood parks, several of which are less than 5 acres in size (5 acres = the size of a standard Minneapolis city block). It's been said/claimed that the city's park system was designed/created to ensure city residents were no more than 6 blocks from a park, though I don't recall where I heard/read that.

by Froggie on May 22, 2009 12:50 pm • link • report

I would like to see some seclusion from the surrounding area, so you can feel away from the hustle and bustle a bit. Pretty much the opposite from all the mini parks in Foggy Bottom.

by Jasper on May 22, 2009 8:55 pm • link • report

This park is going to activate the patio at Cozy Cafe Corner big time. Right now, the only people I ever see sitting out there are the employees on their break.

Between this park and the reconstruction of 11th street, my neighborhood will be looking good! Anyone know what the timeline for this project is?

by Chris Loos on May 25, 2009 10:59 pm • link • report

Erica and Mike, I can assure you, not all the folks in the drawing are "white." I know; I drew the picture. Screen resolutions play havoc with colors and this image looks waaaaay lighter than my original.

by SAF on Aug 1, 2011 4:49 pm • link • report