Ground Broken on Tenth Street Park Today

In February, I first reported about a community movement to turn an under-utilized lot on Tenth Street into a community park. Demonstrating the power of our neighbors, the mayor broke ground on this soon-to-be asset today. From the Mayor's press release:

Today, Mayor Adrian M. Fenty, Ward 2 Councilmember Jack Evans and DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) Acting Director Ximena Hartsock, joined community members to break ground on a new 10th Street Park, between L and M Streets, NW. The final concept for the conversion of this quarter-acre vacant lot into a beautiful new park was developed by DPR and the neighborhood through a number of community planning sessions.

"Working together with support and guidance from the community we are transforming this vacant lot, which has been a blight to the neighborhood, into a beautiful new park and public green space," said Mayor Fenty. "I look forward to re-joining the community for the ribbon-cutting of this new park."

Features of the new park will include:
a hard-scaped plaza;
open green space;
low-level lighting;
benches;
chairs;
tables; and
play area with rubber surface and creative play structures, such as climbing boulders.

Park landscaping will include native plants, bio-retention areas, and an eco-friendly irrigation system which will recycle site water.

"Today's groundbreaking is a celebration of the collaboration of the community and DPR," said DPR Acting Director Ximena Hartsock. "We are proud to be bringing a new park to Ward 2’s downtown community."

DPR will perform park construction in partnership with the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development. Plans for the new 10th Street Park can be viewed on the Project Page for 10th Street Park - Park Development.

Great work, neighbors!

Now, how can we work the same magic on other area parks (top of my list is the Carter Woodson Memorial Park at 9th and Rhode Island Avenue, which seems to have stalled for years despite a huge grant from the National Trust!).