The Michigan Park community playground is open near 12th Street and Varnum Street NE after a grand opening event on June 5, 2022. The playground was constructed as part of a community benefits package for the Michigan Park Townhome development by EYA. A decorative fence along 12th Street will be constructed at a later date.

Photos below courtesy of Robert Oliver

Representatives from the DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) has been making the rounds of neighborhood meetings lately to let residents know of DPR offerings and camp registration dates. View the presentation made to the Lamond-Riggs Citizens Association (LRCA) here.

Registration for DPR summer camps begins April 4, 2022, at https://dprsummercamp.com. Christopher Dyer, DPR’s community engagment manager, recommended that residents set up their accounts at dpr.dc.gov/DPRaccount ahead of time to make registration go more smoothly. In addition, he said that DPR is aware of issues with page load time and that they are working with their IT team to improve system capacity during peak registration times.

DPR offers reduced camp rates to qualifying families. Residents must be approved for the discounted rate before registering for summer camp. Find information and the reduced rate application at https://dprsummercamp.com.

During the meeting, Shirleta Settles, manager of the Riggs-LaSalle Recreation Center, shared that there are dedicated hours for community use of the field at the rec center, which is located at 501 Riggs Road NE. During these hours, the field is open to the community for walking and other low impact activities. Residents sometimes complain that leagues or sports teams able to pay permit fees take up all the field time and that the field is locked to the community at other times. These community hours are an attempt by DPR to ensure the field is available for community use. There are both morning and evening community field hours, so do take advantage of this time to enjoy the field. No large organized group or team activities are allowed during community hours. Permits are required for any organized activity with 10 or more participants.

Community Field Time at Riggs-LaSalle Rec

During Community Time: Walking and very low impact activities for community (NO large, Organization groups/teams). If there are any issues (dogs on the field, field locked, etc.) from 7:30 am to 10:00 am, please call the DPR Ranger at 202-441-2605. Times may be subject to change; community will be notified when that happens.

From Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton’s office

Congresswoman Norton’s district office is hosting a joint community meeting with the National Park Service.

The pertinent details are below:

Who: All D.C. Residents

Speakers: Congresswoman Norton and National Park Service representatives

What: A joint community meeting with the National Park Service

Where: Please email NortonEvents@mail.house.gov to RSVP for the event and receive the Zoom link 

When: Thursday, December 9, 2021

Time: 7:00 pm  

This event is open to the public.

Halloween Treat Giveaway: A Fun Evening Of Music, Games, And A Costume Contest
October 29, 2021
6:00 pm-8:00 pm
Riggs-LaSalle Recreation Center
501 Riggs Road NE

Free

Register in advance

Find other Halloween at DPR events around the city at https://dprhalloween2021.splashthat.com.

The DC Department of Parks & Recreation (DPR) is back with a summer update regarding all of those surveys you took and meetings you attended for DPR’s master plan called Ready2Play. Be sure to provide input on DPR’s draft plans.

From DPR

Dear Washingtonians,

DPR has released a major update to the Ready2Play Master Plan, which will guide DPR development over the next 20 years. This update includes:

– A draft set of four goals with 13 strategies, and 85 specific actions to initiate the plan.

– A draft Equity Framework, a data analysis tool that will be used to develop the Ready2Play Capital Blueprint, which will guide our future capital budget requests over the duration of this plan. As part of this framework, we have released a draft Equity Statement that defines our commitment to equity through this plan and as an agency.

– Results from our Citywide Survey. These will include 1) a presentation of key findings and charts, 2) a data-heavy report presenting findings from each question, broken down by ward, and 3) the full, de-identified raw data received.   

These products are the result of the tremendous feedback we received from all eight wards through in-person and virtual meetings, online engagement, and phone calls, as well as the nearly 3,000 responses to our Ready2Play Citywide Survey.   

We are now seeking input to make sure we are on the right path. You can review materials and provide feedback online at www.ready2playdc.com. You can also send your thoughts, comments, and questions to ready2play@dc.gov or leave a voice message by calling (202) 282-2198. Our team will also be out across the city this summer, engaging residents at various events. 

Thanks in advance for your continued participation in the Ready2PlayDC planning process. We look forward to your feedback.  

From DC Department of Parks and Recreation

The new Riggs-LaSalle community playground is now open in the 500 block of Nicholson Street NE. As noted in this post, this playground has been a long time coming. It really is a testament to working together as a community–former Lamond-Riggs Citizens Association (LRCA) president Barbara Rogers championed a new playground during her tenure. When I became president of LRCA after her, I picked up the ball and ran with it, writing several letters to the DC Council and Mayor Bowser to secure funding and organizing parents to advocate for a playground. Mayor Bowser and former Ward 4 Councilmember Brandon Todd came through with the funding during the latter half of my tenure as LRCA president. And finally, once the project kicked off, so many neighbors and the newly established Friends of Riggs-LaSalle Rec wrote numerous letters in support of the playground along with a number of suggestions for improvements. Kudos to the community for making this happen.

See message from the DC Department of Parks & Recreation Project Manager Peter Nohrden dated April 30, 2021, below:

Dear Riggs LaSalle Playground Community,

     On behalf of the DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) and the DC Department of General Services (DGS), I am pleased to announce that the Riggs LaSalle Public Playground is now opened. The playground has passed the Playground Safety Inspection and is now ready for play. Please note that drinking fountains are still turned off due to COVID protocols, but we wanted to open the playground as soon as possible so that the community can enjoy it this weekend.

     The renovations to the Riggs LaSalle Playground includes: a new 5-12 play area, a new 2-5 play area, swings, benches, a drinking fountain with a bottle filler, waste and recycling receptacles as well as new lighting and security cameras. There is also perimeter landscaping, which includes canopy trees that will one day provide great shade for the playground.

Enjoy!

By David Kosub (Contributor)

Many neighbors might notice the construction for the new playground is nearing completion. I reached out to the D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation for an update and here is what they said:

Thank you for your support of the new playground at Riggs Park. You have probably seen that we are in the finishing moments. We have to install the landscaping and various punch-list items in the coming weeks, but we anticipate opening the playground around the end of the month. I will let you know once we have a confirmed date.

So, that sounds like very good news. I’ll keep ya’ll posted when that “confirmed date” is known.

At last night’s ANC 4B public meeting, AARP presented on a plan for a “FitLot,” an outdoor fitness space, at Lamond Recreation Center (20 Tuckerman Street NE). View the presentation here.

AARP is sponsoring installation of one FitLot in every state, DC, Puerto, and the US Virgin Islands. AARP will cover the cost of installation as well as up to three years of instructor-led courses. The total value of the amenity is around $170,000.

AARP is waiting for a final agreement from DPR, but construction is anticipated to begin in May or June of this year. ANC Commissioner Geoff Bromaghim (4B07) will discuss this a bit more at a single member district meeting for that area, tentatively scheduled for April 7, 2021.

The District Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) sent out communication regarding next steps for Ready2Play, DPR’s master plan for parks and recreation in the city. If you have not participated in the process yet, there are still lots of opportunities to advocate for parks and rec in our neck of the woods. The deadline for the citywide survey has been extended again. Go ahead and let them know your wishlist for the rec center. Let them know you’d like a walking path in the neighborhood and a trail (and pother amenities) at Fort Circle Park at South Dakota Avenue and Galloway Street NE. Let them know you’d like community space on the District green in front of Food & Friends. Remind them that these items are part of the neighborhood’s area development plan so it should not come as a surprise that residents are mentioning these items.

DPR’s message below

—

Thank you to those who were able to join us at our Ward by Ward Ready2Play meetings. It was great meeting many of you and receiving your valuable feedback. We wanted to let you know that the notes, presentation slides, video recordings, and Q & A sheets of all questions received through the chat or breakout sessions from all 8 of our Ward meetings are now available and posted on our website: ready2playdc.com. For those who were unable to join, or those interested in reviewing the feedback from other wards across the city, we invite you to explore the content on these pages and leave any additional ideas or feedback using the tools provided.

We also wanted to highlight a number of ongoing ways to engage in the plan.

1. Ready2Play Citywide Survey reopen until April 4, 2021

We have reopened the Ready2Play Citywide Survey until April 4^th 2021. If you have not yet had a chance to complete it, you can do so here: ready2playdc.com/citywide-survey. We’ve also attached two digital survey flyers to this email (one in English, one in Spanish). If you are able and willing to help spread the word among your local networks and listservs, we would greatly appreciate it!

2. New Opportunity to leave feedback on Key Priorities

Ready2Play developed 8 Key Priorities as part of its SCORP planning process last summer. We have now launched individual pages for each of these priorities that provide more context and invite you to leave your feedback and suggestions on how you would like to see these priorities addressed. You can find these by scrolling down on our homepage, right below the section on ward by ward engagement.

3. Ready2Play telephone line available for voice messages

For those who face technological challenges or lack regular access to technology, Ready2Play has also launched a new voicemail box number (202) 282-2198, which is available 24/7 for residents to share their thoughts, suggestions and priorities for the future of parks and recreation in the District. Suggestions received through this line will be integrated into our overall engagement analysis. If you are able, please help spread the word to others in your community who may benefit from this low-tech opportunity to engage.

Finally, feel free to reach out to us over email anytime at ready2play@dc.gov, or, if you prefer social media, tag us at @DCDPR and use #Ready2PlayDC and #DPRisListening.

Once again, thank you for your interest in Ready2Play. We look forward to continuing to engage with you in the months ahead.

A neighbor passed along photos of installation of the new playground at Riggs-LaSalle Recreation Center (501 Riggs Road NE). The playground will be located on the Nicholson Street side of the rec. Looks like the playground equipment is on site. Benches, drinking fountain, surface, and plantings are still to come. This will be a nice treat for families to enjoy when the weather turns this spring.

DPR Ready2Play Ward 5 Virtual Meeting
Monday, February 8, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm RSVP

Monday, February 8, is your opportunity to discuss the particular parks and rec centers in Ward 5 that you would like to see prioritized for future capital improvements and to share your ideas on the types of recreational programming, park design, and priorities you would like to see addressed in the Ready2Play plan. The District Department of Parks & Recreation (DPR) will share findings from its recent Ready2Play Citywide Survey and senior staff from DPR will be on hand to hear suggestions. This is our chance to let DPR know that we would like to see collaboration with National Park Service to get a trail at Fort Circle Park at South Dakota Avenue and Galloway Street NE. This is also our chance to let DPR know that we would like to see the green space in front of Food & Friends on the southwest corner of South Dakota Avenue and Riggs Road NE preserved for community recreation space. We have the ability to work with stakeholders and developers to develop a vision for both spaces.

ALSO, DPR is reopening the citywide survey in order to get more input from more residents. So, if you missed filling it out the first time around, now is your chance to tell DC officials your ideas for parks and recreation centers in the District. Go ahead and let DC officials know you’d like to see a trail and other context-respectful amenities at Fort Circle Park. Let them know that you’d like to see the green space in front of Food & Friends programmed for community space such as an art park or history park or any number of things. Remind them that these requests are outlined in the neighborhood’s area development plan. Want to see more amenities in Riggs Park, such as tennis courts, or a pool, or a skate park? Let DPR know. Complete the survey at https://ready2playdc.com/citywide-survey by March 1, 2021.

DPR Ready2Play Ward 4 Virtual Meeting
Thursday, February 4, 6:30 pm-8:00 pm RSVP

This Thursday, February 4, is your opportunity to discuss the particular parks and rec centers in Ward 4 that you would like to see prioritized for future capital improvements and to share your ideas on the types of recreational programming, park design, and priorities you would like to see addressed in the Ready2Play plan. The District Department of Parks & Recreation (DPR) will share findings from its recent Ready2Play Citywide Survey and senior staff from DPR will be on hand to hear suggestions. So if you want to see more improvements at Riggs-LaSalle Recreation Center, now’s your chance to share with DPR.

ALSO, DPR is reopening the citywide survey in order to get more input from more residents. So, if you missed filling it out the first time around, now is your chance to tell DC officials your ideas for parks and recreation centers in the District. Go ahead and let DC officials know you’d like to see a trail and other context-respectful amenities at Fort Circle Park. Let them know that you’d like to see the green space in front of Food & Friends programmed for community space such as an art park or history park or any number of things. Remind them that these requests are outlined in the neighborhood’s area development plan. Complete the survey at https://ready2playdc.com/citywide-survey by March 1, 2021.

Remember all of those Ready2Play surveys you completed giving the District Department of Parks & Recreation (DPR) all of your great ideas about improving parks and recreation centers for DPR’s new parks and recreation master plan? DPR is moving to the next phase of the process by holding meetings in each ward. The meeting for parks and recreation centers in Ward 4 will be on February 4 at 6:30 pm (register here). The meeting for parks and recreation centers in Ward 5 will be on February 8 at 6:30 pm (register here). More information from DPR below.

The Ready2Play planning team at DPR is excited to announce the next phase of our engagement process – a series of upcoming virtual meetings that will be ward-specific. These meetings will focus on the parks and recreational needs, desires, and opportunities within each ward. This is your opportunity to discuss the particular parks and rec centers in your ward that you would like to see prioritized for future capital improvements and to share your ideas on the types of recreational programming, park design, and priorities you’d like to see addressed in the plan. We will share findings from our recent Ready2Play Citywide Survey and senior staff from DPR will be on hand to hear your suggestions. You can find the links to all of the meetings on our website, or RSVP directly to the meeting or meetings you plan to attend below. Once you RSVP, you will receive a calendar invite with all of the appropriate meeting information. The content for each of these meetings will focus on the particular ward for that meeting. Meetings are listed by ward, not chronologically. 

• Ward 1: Thursday, January 28, 6:30 pm-8:00 pm RSVP
• Ward 2: Tuesday, January 26, 6:30 pm-8:00 pm RSVP
• Ward 3: Tuesday, February 2, 6:30 pm-8:00 pm RSVP
• Ward 4: Thursday, February 4, 6:30 pm-8:00 pm RSVP
• Ward 5: Monday, February 8, 6:30 pm-8:00 pm RSVP
• Ward 6: Tuesday, February 16, 6:30 pm-8:00 pm RSVP
• Ward 7: Wednesday, February 10, 6:30 pm-8:00 pm RSVP
• Ward 8: Thursday, February 18, 6:30 pm-8:00 pm RSVP

Can’t make a meeting, but have questions or comments about parks and recreation in your ward or neighborhood? Email ready2play@dc.gov.

By David Kosub (Contributor)

According to the December 11, 2020, issue of the DC Register, the District’s Department of General Services submitted a reprogramming request on December 2, 2020 to move $500,000 to the District’s Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR). The Register notes the request is needed to complete critical Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) improvements to the DPR Turkey Thicket and Riggs LaSalle Recreation Centers. The Council has a fourteen day review period for the request, unless they file a Notice of disapproval, extending the clock to 30 days.

Here’s hoping the Council does not have any issues with our rec center receiving these funds to make ADA enhancements. Write your Councilmember if you support the reprogramming request too!

The Smithsonian National Zoo in partnership with Pepco is taking Zoo Lights on the road. The Zoolights Express truck featuring “Panda Claws” and light displays will visit each ward on a Friday or Saturday between November 27 and December 19. The Ward 5 tour will be on December 11 starting at the corner of South Dakota Avenue and Riggs Road NE at 6:00 pm.

Ward 5 Route

Full Schedule

The ZooLights Express truck will visit one Washington, D.C., ward on the following Friday and Saturday nights from 6-8 p.m.

• Friday, Nov. 27 | Ward 1
• Saturday, Nov. 28 | Ward 2
• Friday, Dec. 4 | Ward 3
• Saturday, Dec. 5 | Ward 4
• Friday, Dec. 11| Ward 5
• Saturday, Dec. 12 | Ward 6
• Friday, Dec. 18 | Ward 7
• Saturday, Dec. 19 | Ward 8

h/t Gavin Baker

The quarterly National Park service meeting with Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton’s office originally scheduled for December 2, 2020, is postponed until first quarter 2021. In the interim, inquiries about NPS issues may be sent to Norton.Casework@mail.house.gov.