Redevelopment of Rock Creek Tennis Courts- how to destroy a community resource

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A response from Council Member Janeese Lewis. Sounds like the DC council is also surprised by the recent turn of events

Hi all,

Councilmember Janeese Lewis George believes that it is vital that the Sixteenth Street Heights and Crestwood communities are engaged about the future of Carter Barron, and like many of you, she is deeply frustrated at hearing a report that this land may be given away to developers.

Neither she nor the Council had any knowledge of any development plans that would hand the tennis center complex over to developers, which would fly in the face of the agreement that the District had in place with the National Park Service to transfer the tennis center to the city.

The Councilmember supported funding to repair the tennis center so that the community can continue to use the facilities and so DC does not lose the Citi Open. She has consistently voiced skepticism of the Mayor's proposals to fund an Olympic-size swimming pool that our community is not asking for. The future of Carter Barron needs to center what our community wants and must ensure public access to improved facilities.

Unfortunately, the report our office heard is that Trump is planning to turn all National Park Service land in the District over for development through an RFP process. This would not only jeopardize the future of Carter Barron, but also Rock Creek Park, Anacostia Park, Hains Point, and more.

NPS land does not belong to Trump – it belongs to all of us. It is an affront to the mission of the NPS, which was established to safeguard natural, cultural, and historic resources for future generations, to hand these precious landmarks over to the highest bidder.

This report is of deep concern to Councilmember Lewis George, and as chair of the Facilities Committee, she will be fighting to protect these precious D.C. landmarks. This is yet another afront to our local economy and it must not stand!

As we learn more, we’ll be sharing updates on this important matter with the community.

Translation = Mark better quickly write me a big campaign check.

[Anonymous]

Don't forget to sign the petition if you have interest in slowing down this process. Here is a link to the petition. Please note that there are no plans for a pool or splash park. This was being considered when DPR was involved. Mark Ein is only putting in 25 million so not enough for. a pool or a real community center

Here is a link for a petition if you are interested
https://www.change.org/p/stop-rock-creek-park...-490918014-en-us%3A0

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know Ein, but he is local and he’s seems to care about DC. All of his projects seem to be of high quality and contribute to the economic and employment health of the city. Rock Creek Park is vast and there are hundreds of acres that we almost no use. At a time when our financial health is fairly dire this actually seems like a welcome development.

+1. All for this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't forget to sign the petition if you have interest in slowing down this process. Here is a link to the petition. Please note that there are no plans for a pool or splash park. This was being considered when DPR was involved. Mark Ein is only putting in 25 million so not enough for. a pool or a real community center

Here is a link for a petition if you are interested
https://www.change.org/p/stop-rock-creek-park...-490918014-en-us%3A0

Nothing gets the activist community more terrified faster than a local businessman looking to invest in his city. Let’s get the DSA crowd to kill this project in the cradle so we all can continue to enjoy a decrepit facility where people go to wax their cars 50 weeks out of the year. You’d be blown away at the quality of the parks and rec facilities in NOVA. But not in DC. This is why we can’t have nice things.

[Anonymous]

Not true. Most of the surrounding community supports redevelopment. The tennis courts are a mess and the bathrooms and picnic areas are falling apart.

What concerns some of us is the process- a short time to review proposals, the lack of competitive bids AND that the primary focus of the development is to support a one week tennis tournament instead of creating a space that could be enjoyed by residents throughout the year. Field space, nice picnic areas, pickleball courts, a really nice playground area and preserving the heritage trees. and revitalizing the amphitheater. All could be options.

Nothing good comes from a land give away to a developer that has not been forced to compete with other developers or one that does not have to get community input. Sacrificing a 40 acres of public land for a private tennis tournament doesn't make a lot of sense.

If you agree with this position, sign the petition. It will help get attention from our lawmakers and allow DC residents the chance to share their vision for this space.

https://www.change.org/p/stop-rock-creek-park-tennis-sports-complex-development?recruiter=2393795&recruited_by_id=b37ad064-608a-4483-b2eb-87a1e15321de&utm_source=share_petition&utm_campaign=psf_promote_or_share&utm_term=psf&utm_medium=facebook&utm_content=fht-490918014-en-us%3A0

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not true. Most of the surrounding community supports redevelopment. The tennis courts are a mess and the bathrooms and picnic areas are falling apart.

What concerns some of us is the process- a short time to review proposals, the lack of competitive bids AND that the primary focus of the development is to support a one week tennis tournament instead of creating a space that could be enjoyed by residents throughout the year. Field space, nice picnic areas, pickleball courts, a really nice playground area and preserving the heritage trees. and revitalizing the amphitheater. All could be options.

Nothing good comes from a land give away to a developer that has not been forced to compete with other developers or one that does not have to get community input. Sacrificing a 40 acres of public land for a private tennis tournament doesn't make a lot of sense.

If you agree with this position, sign the petition. It will help get attention from our lawmakers and allow DC residents the chance to share their vision for this space.

https://www.change.org/p/stop-rock-creek-park-tennis-sports-complex-development?recruiter=2393795&recruited_by_id=b37ad064-608a-4483-b2eb-87a1e15321de&utm_source=share_petition&utm_campaign=psf_promote_or_share&utm_term=psf&utm_medium=facebook&utm_content=fht-490918014-en-us%3A0

“Heritage Tree” is a tell. You’re not serious about redevelopment. “Heritage Trees” made the Hearst Pool largely unusable. Not making this mistake again.

[Anonymous]

Development and trees can coexist. A playground and picnic area can be included in an area around the trees. The fields can be be used for splash pads and basketball courts. Coming up with. workable plan that incorporates both is possible.

I am not sure what objections you have to the Hearst pool and fields. It looks really nice, the field space is great and it is an asset to the neighborhood. We would like the same in Rock Creek Park, though we probably won't get the pool or any other amenities if Mark Ein gets the land. Consider yourself lucky!

[Anonymous]

Also, how would you have felt if a developer got access to the park/field around the park and created a space primarily to host a sporting event without neighborhood or input from DC residents? Would you have liked a really nice pool that charged high rates to use? Sports fields only open to paying clubs? All the trees cut down without any environmental studies being done? Because that's what's about to happen in Rock Creek! This is about so much more than trees.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Development and trees can coexist. A playground and picnic area can be included in an area around the trees. The fields can be be used for splash pads and basketball courts. Coming up with. workable plan that incorporates both is possible.

I am not sure what objections you have to the Hearst pool and fields. It looks really nice, the field space is great and it is an asset to the neighborhood. We would like the same in Rock Creek Park, though we probably won't get the pool or any other amenities if Mark Ein gets the land. Consider yourself lucky!

Then you ship bid on the RFP. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

what is ship bid mean?

Really, I can't stress enough that this fight is about the process that. a private developer can take over public land with the permission of the US government and do whatever it wants without any input from the local government or residents. 12 day hearing process right before the holidays and that's it! Land gone by March 1st for a 50 year lease. Pipelines, casinos, resorts, you name it can happen now on any NPS land.

Signing the petition is about getting attention from lawmakers and other citizens to try and restores some order and accountability to the process.

https://www.change.org/p/stop-rock-creek-park-tennis-sports-complex-development?recruiter=2393795&recruited_by_id=b37ad064-608a-4483-b2eb-87a1e15321de&utm_source=share_petition&utm_campaign=psf_promote_or_share&utm_term=psf&utm_medium=facebook&utm_content=fht-490918014-en-us%3A0

[Anonymous]

The multi-purpose green areas used for running and year round soccer fields , yoga, boot camps etc would turn in to asphalt parking lots and runoff would go directly into rock creek, versus being absorbed by the land.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:what is ship bid mean?

Really, I can't stress enough that this fight is about the process that. a private developer can take over public land with the permission of the US government and do whatever it wants without any input from the local government or residents. 12 day hearing process right before the holidays and that's it! Land gone by March 1st for a 50 year lease. Pipelines, casinos, resorts, you name it can happen now on any NPS land.

Signing the petition is about getting attention from lawmakers and other citizens to try and restores some order and accountability to the process.

https://www.change.org/p/stop-rock-creek-park-tennis-sports-complex-development?recruiter=2393795&recruited_by_id=b37ad064-608a-4483-b2eb-87a1e15321de&utm_source=share_petition&utm_campaign=psf_promote_or_share&utm_term=psf&utm_medium=facebook&utm_content=fht-490918014-en-us%3A0

We’re talking about improving 39 acres of already developed land. That leaves over 1700 acres untouched. Plenty of room left for undisturbed picnicking. Hyperbole is not helping your case.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The multi-purpose green areas used for running and year round soccer fields , yoga, boot camps etc would turn in to asphalt parking lots and runoff would go directly into rock creek, versus being absorbed by the land.

Or, the runoff could be tied into the multibillion tunnels we’ve all just paid for?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But once the courts are redeveloped there is no restoring the land or the picnic spaces.

That’s my fear.

We attend a family reunion there annually. It’s a perfect distance between branches of the family.

We’re not the only ones who rely on the park for making memories. So many people would be impacted by the loss of the picnic areas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But once the courts are redeveloped there is no restoring the land or the picnic spaces.

That’s my fear.

We attend a family reunion there annually. It’s a perfect distance between branches of the family.

We’re not the only ones who rely on the park for making memories. So many people would be impacted by the loss of the picnic areas.

Good news. There are 28 other picnic areas in the park. Plus, the nature center that has tables. Phew!