Unless I am missing something, I cannot find any reference to the Carter G. Woodson Site in the NPS's Centennial Initiative. As you may recall, at a meeting hosted by Shaw Main Streets last February, the NPS apprised us that the site's renovation would likely be tied to the NPS's Centennial Initiative (the NPS's centennial celebration is in 2016 and has a lot of investment in NPS properties prior to it). The Carter G. Woodson Site is not a listed specifically as a NPS Centennial Strategy nor is it listed as part of the strategy for the National Capital Parks - East.
I have seen virtually no activity at the site in the past year. The place continues to deteriorate--most recently, an ornate, original iron railing was pushed down by vagrants who frequently drink on the stoops of the properties. The NPS maintenance staff show up periodically to remove trash, but their maintenance efforts are minimal to say the least (I'd say they average 10 minutes at the site when they come, which seems to be pretty infrequent). I wonder if anything really is going on behind the scenes to make this NPS site anything other than neighborhood-harming blight.
5 comments:
Why not employ Treebox Vodka ? They will more than happy to clean the trash every week. They have announced that they will be out in force @ 5th & R.I. this weekend. As one travels through the Shaw neighborhood, it is plain to see that there are far more filthy areas they can concentrate on. Besides, later in the day, it will look as though they have not done nothing.But we know why this area was targeted... don't we ?????
Shiloh got its dead presidents. End of story. You really didn't expect the Park Service, that can't even keep its comfort stations operational in the national parks, to do anything about our National Historic Eyesore in Shaw? Ray M
I just saw this comment about Treebox Vodka from anonymous. Don't really want to start a comment war :-) but I figured I should chime in.
In terms of areas of focus. I'm trying to get all of Shaw and that's why I'll be coordinating clean ups for all of 2008 in different hot spots.
And to your general negative tone, I'd just ask you to come join us next time on Saturday, March 8th. Sure we can't clean every bit of trash and we can't keep it clean every day. But every little bit helps and over time we'll continue to make improvements and encourage others to keep the streets clean. We have to start somewhere.
I agree with Jason B. Even if trash is strewn all along where we laboriously picked up earlier that day, the fact is that neighbors are meeting each other, working together, taking pride in the area, and making a difference.
and sorry for missing last week's cleanup.... eerps!
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