Quick question - CMI playground open to public on weekends?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
The CMI playground is NEVER open. When the Lincoln's Cottage had their fall festival a few weeks back, they stationed three volunteers on the playground to literally shoo kids away. What gives, CMI parents? Why so f'ing stingy? Even Beauvoir opens its gorgeous playground on the weekends.

I don't know why CMI would shoo away people from their playground at that event; sounds odd. But that's just one day.

The reason why their playground is closed to the public in general is because the Federal govt operates the armed forces retirement home there and evidently is not interested in the expense of added security guards to manage public access, or perhaps it is for the quiet enjoyment of the residents. So the grounds are closed to the public basically 24/7 except for the occasional event. Even on weekdays the general public cannot enter. You need ID and a reason to be there, for example CMI parent or associated with the retirement home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
The CMI playground is NEVER open. When the Lincoln's Cottage had their fall festival a few weeks back, they stationed three volunteers on the playground to literally shoo kids away. What gives, CMI parents? Why so f'ing stingy? Even Beauvoir opens its gorgeous playground on the weekends.

I don't know why CMI would shoo away people from their playground at that event; sounds odd. But that's just one day.

The reason why their playground is closed to the public in general is because the Federal govt operates the armed forces retirement home there and evidently is not interested in the expense of added security guards to manage public access, or perhaps it is for the quiet enjoyment of the residents. So the grounds are closed to the public basically 24/7 except for the occasional event. Even on weekdays the general public cannot enter. You need ID and a reason to be there, for example CMI parent or associated with the retirement home.

Can CMI parents use the playground on the weekends?

[Anonymous]

If you want schools to be able to own their own playgrounds, instead of asking CMI - ask DC Government why charter schools have to borrow land (federal) and put their schools there. Schools like CMI have to follow other guidelines because this was the location they found.

If DC was turning over facilities - they would open the playground on the weekends. But, like most of DC - they have to follow federal law.

How about you complain to your congressman

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
The CMI playground is NEVER open. When the Lincoln's Cottage had their fall festival a few weeks back, they stationed three volunteers on the playground to literally shoo kids away. What gives, CMI parents? Why so f'ing stingy? Even Beauvoir opens its gorgeous playground on the weekends.

I don't know why CMI would shoo away people from their playground at that event; sounds odd. But that's just one day.

The reason why their playground is closed to the public in general is because the Federal govt operates the armed forces retirement home there and evidently is not interested in the expense of added security guards to manage public access, or perhaps it is for the quiet enjoyment of the residents. So the grounds are closed to the public basically 24/7 except for the occasional event. Even on weekdays the general public cannot enter. You need ID and a reason to be there, for example CMI parent or associated with the retirement home.

Can CMI parents use the playground on the weekends?

No.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
The CMI playground is NEVER open. When the Lincoln's Cottage had their fall festival a few weeks back, they stationed three volunteers on the playground to literally shoo kids away. What gives, CMI parents? Why so f'ing stingy? Even Beauvoir opens its gorgeous playground on the weekends.

I don't know why CMI would shoo away people from their playground at that event; sounds odd. But that's just one day.

The reason why their playground is closed to the public in general is because the Federal govt operates the armed forces retirement home there and evidently is not interested in the expense of added security guards to manage public access, or perhaps it is for the quiet enjoyment of the residents. So the grounds are closed to the public basically 24/7 except for the occasional event. Even on weekdays the general public cannot enter. You need ID and a reason to be there, for example CMI parent or associated with the retirement home.

Can CMI parents use the playground on the weekends?

No

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
The CMI playground is NEVER open. When the Lincoln's Cottage had their fall festival a few weeks back, they stationed three volunteers on the playground to literally shoo kids away. What gives, CMI parents? Why so f'ing stingy? Even Beauvoir opens its gorgeous playground on the weekends.

Read the thread. No one, including CMI families, is allowed to use the playground after hours or on weekends. This has nothing to do with CMI policy and everything to do with the school's location on a restricted federal facility.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
The CMI playground is NEVER open. When the Lincoln's Cottage had their fall festival a few weeks back, they stationed three volunteers on the playground to literally shoo kids away. What gives, CMI parents? Why so f'ing stingy? Even Beauvoir opens its gorgeous playground on the weekends.

+1
A neighbor who doesn't get it either.

There are 2 playgrounds across the street in the Rock Creek cemetery (not the soldiers home cemetery). They are very small, and you wouldn't know that one of them is accessible because it's inside an unlocked fence.

[Anonymous]

Something doesn't add up. CMI paid over $300,000 for that playground and they don't own it? What is the plan if they move -- the $300,000 just goes in the trash?

I get that it wouldn't be open on weekends (lots of schools aren't open on weekends) but I just don't get why it wouldn't be accessible when it is open (like events, after school, etc).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Something doesn't add up. CMI paid over $300,000 for that playground and they don't own it? What is the plan if they move -- the $300,000 just goes in the trash?

I get that it wouldn't be open on weekends (lots of schools aren't open on weekends) but I just don't get why it wouldn't be accessible when it is open (like events, after school, etc).

Many charters don't own their "permanent" buildings outright, much less the playgrounds. A few do (LAMB's Missouri Ave campus, BASIS). But LAMB put in a playground at Perry Street that will either be abandoned or disassembled if they ever move.

Wash Latin, Capital City both have very long term leases from the city but would 'lose' the amenities they've installed if/when they ever move.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Something doesn't add up. CMI paid over $300,000 for that playground and they don't own it? What is the plan if they move -- the $300,000 just goes in the trash?

I get that it wouldn't be open on weekends (lots of schools aren't open on weekends) but I just don't get why it wouldn't be accessible when it is open (like events, after school, etc).

Many charters don't own their "permanent" buildings outright, much less the playgrounds. A few do (LAMB's Missouri Ave campus, BASIS). But LAMB put in a playground at Perry Street that will either be abandoned or disassembled if they ever move.

Wash Latin, Capital City both have very long term leases from the city but would 'lose' the amenities they've installed if/when they ever move.

Basic accounting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Something doesn't add up. CMI paid over $300,000 for that playground and they don't own it? What is the plan if they move -- the $300,000 just goes in the trash?

I get that it wouldn't be open on weekends (lots of schools aren't open on weekends) but I just don't get why it wouldn't be accessible when it is open (like events, after school, etc).

You must be new to DC, new to how charters work - or just not reading threads.

Most charters don't own their land or buildings.

Many sign long term leases (CMIs is currently 10+ years with the option to extend for another 10).

Yes, the funding is a lot - but the choices are:

1. No playground (sad)
2. Playground and break the rules by playing (and kicked off the land and have no school) sad.
3. Playground and have people who bitch about not getting to play on the weekends (not as sad - but ok).

Get it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
The CMI playground is NEVER open. When the Lincoln's Cottage had their fall festival a few weeks back, they stationed three volunteers on the playground to literally shoo kids away. What gives, CMI parents? Why so f'ing stingy? Even Beauvoir opens its gorgeous playground on the weekends.

+1
A neighbor who doesn't get it either.

There are 2 playgrounds across the street in the Rock Creek cemetery (not the soldiers home cemetery). They are very small, and you wouldn't know that one of them is accessible because it's inside an unlocked fence.

Are you just not reading the other posts? Or are you just being an ass?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
The CMI playground is NEVER open. When the Lincoln's Cottage had their fall festival a few weeks back, they stationed three volunteers on the playground to literally shoo kids away. What gives, CMI parents? Why so f'ing stingy? Even Beauvoir opens its gorgeous playground on the weekends.

+1
A neighbor who doesn't get it either.

There are 2 playgrounds across the street in the Rock Creek cemetery (not the soldiers home cemetery). They are very small, and you wouldn't know that one of them is accessible because it's inside an unlocked fence.

Are you being deliberately obtuse? Federal facility. No after-school access. CMI families are not free to use it, nor are we allowed on the grounds of the AFRH after hours or on weekends. I'd understand the frustrations if school families were allowed in and others shut out on weekends. But this just isn't the case. And during the Fall Festival, volunteers were there to "shoo away" CMI families too.

[Anonymous]

Maybe if you type slllllooooowwwww.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
The CMI playground is NEVER open. When the Lincoln's Cottage had their fall festival a few weeks back, they stationed three volunteers on the playground to literally shoo kids away. What gives, CMI parents? Why so f'ing stingy? Even Beauvoir opens its gorgeous playground on the weekends.

+1
A neighbor who doesn't get it either.

There are 2 playgrounds across the street in the Rock Creek cemetery (not the soldiers home cemetery). They are very small, and you wouldn't know that one of them is accessible because it's inside an unlocked fence.

Are you being deliberately obtuse? Federal facility. No after-school access. CMI families are not free to use it, nor are we allowed on the grounds of the AFRH after hours or on weekends. I'd understand the frustrations if school families were allowed in and others shut out on weekends. But this just isn't the case. And during the Fall Festival, volunteers were there to "shoo away" CMI families too.

Oh, no, I get it, you didn't fully read the post I was giving my +1 to, maybe, or you're just being.... nah, I'll go high.

As a neighbor, I have access to the AFRH grounds every couple of months for family-friendly events. Not allowing neighbor families to use the playground on those occasions, and going so far as to dedicate several event volunteers to block access is offensive to me when many (most?) school playgrounds, public, charter, or private, are accessible to families on the weekends.