Ellington Field

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find it crazy that School without Walls is just one building with no real access to sports fields. Isn’t that something that DCPS should be managing for the school?

Not crazy. It is supposed to be a .school WITHOUT WALLS.. a non-traditional high school where students spent more than half their time OUT IN THE CITY doing jobs, internships or attending GWU and getting an assoc degree. It wasn't supposed to be another AP-oriented, college prep high school with sports and so forth. Like at Ellington now, students who want to do sports and such can and should pursue them can and should do that at one of the comprehensive high schools.

1) merge Walls and combine with Coolidge Early College or Bard, which all have the same missions

2) turn the Walls HS campus into a city-wide ECE school, like SWS or CHML or put it up for bid to a charter

Who said it’s supposed to be the school WITHOUT FIELDS ?

It was always supposed to be a school without traditional high school offerings, including sports. Part of why they set up the policy of students who want to do sports at a school without them could participate at other DCPS schools -- such as the student body president at Banneker who is a star on the Roosevelt football team. In a city this size with ease of commute, everyone does not need to have everything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find it crazy that School without Walls is just one building with no real access to sports fields. Isn’t that something that DCPS should be managing for the school?

Not crazy. It is supposed to be a .school WITHOUT WALLS.. a non-traditional high school where students spent more than half their time OUT IN THE CITY doing jobs, internships or attending GWU and getting an assoc degree. It wasn't supposed to be another AP-oriented, college prep high school with sports and so forth. Like at Ellington now, students who want to do sports and such can and should pursue them can and should do that at one of the comprehensive high schools.

1) merge Walls and combine with Coolidge Early College or Bard, which all have the same missions

2) turn the Walls HS campus into a city-wide ECE school, like SWS or CHML or put it up for bid to a charter

Who said it’s supposed to be the school WITHOUT FIELDS ?

It was always supposed to be a school without traditional high school offerings, including sports. Part of why they set up the policy of students who want to do sports at a school without them could participate at other DCPS schools -- such as the student body president at Banneker who is a star on the Roosevelt football team. In a city this size with ease of commute, everyone does not need to have everything.

“Ease of commute”????!!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find it crazy that School without Walls is just one building with no real access to sports fields. Isn’t that something that DCPS should be managing for the school?

Not crazy. It is supposed to be a .school WITHOUT WALLS.. a non-traditional high school where students spent more than half their time OUT IN THE CITY doing jobs, internships or attending GWU and getting an assoc degree. It wasn't supposed to be another AP-oriented, college prep high school with sports and so forth. Like at Ellington now, students who want to do sports and such can and should pursue them can and should do that at one of the comprehensive high schools.

1) merge Walls and combine with Coolidge Early College or Bard, which all have the same missions

2) turn the Walls HS campus into a city-wide ECE school, like SWS or CHML or put it up for bid to a charter

Who said it’s supposed to be the school WITHOUT FIELDS ?

It was always supposed to be a school without traditional high school offerings, including sports. Part of why they set up the policy of students who want to do sports at a school without them could participate at other DCPS schools -- such as the student body president at Banneker who is a star on the Roosevelt football team. In a city this size with ease of commute, everyone does not need to have everything.

This is crazy. Very few kids do the GW AA degree. Maybe some seniors do internships but 9th and 10th graders don’t have much going on. The sports teams are a pretty big part of the school just like at any other high school. And kids want to play on teams for their school as that builds school spirit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find it crazy that School without Walls is just one building with no real access to sports fields. Isn’t that something that DCPS should be managing for the school?

Not crazy. It is supposed to be a .school WITHOUT WALLS.. a non-traditional high school where students spent more than half their time OUT IN THE CITY doing jobs, internships or attending GWU and getting an assoc degree. It wasn't supposed to be another AP-oriented, college prep high school with sports and so forth. Like at Ellington now, students who want to do sports and such can and should pursue them can and should do that at one of the comprehensive high schools.

1) merge Walls and combine with Coolidge Early College or Bard, which all have the same missions

2) turn the Walls HS campus into a city-wide ECE school, like SWS or CHML or put it up for bid to a charter

Who said it’s supposed to be the school WITHOUT FIELDS ?

It was always supposed to be a school without traditional high school offerings, including sports. Part of why they set up the policy of students who want to do sports at a school without them could participate at other DCPS schools -- such as the student body president at Banneker who is a star on the Roosevelt football team. In a city this size with ease of commute, everyone does not need to have everything.

This is crazy. Very few kids do the GW AA degree. Maybe some seniors do internships but 9th and 10th graders don’t have much going on. The sports teams are a pretty big part of the school just like at any other high school. And kids want to play on teams for their school as that builds school spirit.

There's a lot of research that shows that sports are good for HS kids, even kids who aren't stars, and even if the sport builds no school spirit. There's a reason many private schools have a sports requirement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DPR has announced a public meeting for Wednesday.

Here's the notice I got:
Neighbors,
For anyone who enjoys using Duke Ellington Track & Field with their DCPS students or with their families, young children or dogs, you should not miss the DPR Community Meeting on Wednesday, January 15th from 6:30pm-8:00pm at the Georgetown Library at 3260 R Street.
This may be your only opportunity to speak to DPR to hear their plans which include potentially limiting access to neighbors, local DCPS Schools, like Duke Ellington. The field is currently managed by DCPS and Duke Ellington High School for the Performing Arts.

The public comment period has been extended until Feb. 12, 2020. However, this is your one opportunity to meet with DPR and have a say in the future of Duke Ellington Track and Field. Please attend this important meeting on Wed Jan 15th from 6:30pm-8pm at Georgetown Public Library. Share the Park!

So what happened at the meeting? Is it a dog park now?

The dog people were out in force. The irony is that DCPS prohibits dogs anywhere on any of its properties, while DPR allows dogs except on the field itself at athletic fields. So all the dog-walking that has been going on is illegal.

I really got the feeling that DPR just isn't good at this. There was a lot of suspicion going into the meeting, and the DPR presentation and Q&A did nothing to ease that suspicion and their evasiveness made it worse. There were dog people and running clubs who use the field now, and parents from Hardy and Walls wanting access for their schools, and parents from Ellington who don't want to lose their current access.

Pointedly, DPR did not commit to not doing another Jelleff-style deal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DPR has announced a public meeting for Wednesday.

Here's the notice I got:
Neighbors,
For anyone who enjoys using Duke Ellington Track & Field with their DCPS students or with their families, young children or dogs, you should not miss the DPR Community Meeting on Wednesday, January 15th from 6:30pm-8:00pm at the Georgetown Library at 3260 R Street.
This may be your only opportunity to speak to DPR to hear their plans which include potentially limiting access to neighbors, local DCPS Schools, like Duke Ellington. The field is currently managed by DCPS and Duke Ellington High School for the Performing Arts.

The public comment period has been extended until Feb. 12, 2020. However, this is your one opportunity to meet with DPR and have a say in the future of Duke Ellington Track and Field. Please attend this important meeting on Wed Jan 15th from 6:30pm-8pm at Georgetown Public Library. Share the Park!

So what happened at the meeting? Is it a dog park now?

The dog people were out in force. The irony is that DCPS prohibits dogs anywhere on any of its properties, while DPR allows dogs except on the field itself at athletic fields. So all the dog-walking that has been going on is illegal.

I really got the feeling that DPR just isn't good at this. There was a lot of suspicion going into the meeting, and the DPR presentation and Q&A did nothing to ease that suspicion and their evasiveness made it worse. There were dog people and running clubs who use the field now, and parents from Hardy and Walls wanting access for their schools, and parents from Ellington who don't want to lose their current access.

Pointedly, DPR did not commit to not doing another Jelleff-style deal.

I think Stoddert soccer would do a deal with them and Georgetown has a current deal with them for the track. A lot of the DPR properties in NW have these deals. I wonder how much the budget of DPR would have to increase if all these deals stopped?

I know the neighborhood is concerned about parking but most of the parking problems are cause by georgetown hospital. The city can restrict parking in some the areas to just residential zone parking. The really problem is the dog people. I see them out there every day and the poop on the athletic field is something else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DPR has announced a public meeting for Wednesday.

Here's the notice I got:
Neighbors,
For anyone who enjoys using Duke Ellington Track & Field with their DCPS students or with their families, young children or dogs, you should not miss the DPR Community Meeting on Wednesday, January 15th from 6:30pm-8:00pm at the Georgetown Library at 3260 R Street.
This may be your only opportunity to speak to DPR to hear their plans which include potentially limiting access to neighbors, local DCPS Schools, like Duke Ellington. The field is currently managed by DCPS and Duke Ellington High School for the Performing Arts.

The public comment period has been extended until Feb. 12, 2020. However, this is your one opportunity to meet with DPR and have a say in the future of Duke Ellington Track and Field. Please attend this important meeting on Wed Jan 15th from 6:30pm-8pm at Georgetown Public Library. Share the Park!

So what happened at the meeting? Is it a dog park now?

The dog people were out in force. The irony is that DCPS prohibits dogs anywhere on any of its properties, while DPR allows dogs except on the field itself at athletic fields. So all the dog-walking that has been going on is illegal.

I really got the feeling that DPR just isn't good at this. There was a lot of suspicion going into the meeting, and the DPR presentation and Q&A did nothing to ease that suspicion and their evasiveness made it worse. There were dog people and running clubs who use the field now, and parents from Hardy and Walls wanting access for their schools, and parents from Ellington who don't want to lose their current access.

Pointedly, DPR did not commit to not doing another Jelleff-style deal.

I think Stoddert soccer would do a deal with them and Georgetown has a current deal with them for the track. A lot of the DPR properties in NW have these deals. I wonder how much the budget of DPR would have to increase if all these deals stopped?

I know the neighborhood is concerned about parking but most of the parking problems are cause by georgetown hospital. The city can restrict parking in some the areas to just residential zone parking. The really problem is the dog people. I see them out there every day and the poop on the athletic field is something else.

I've heard this claim made but I'm not aware of any fields other than Jelleff. What other fields in NW have deals?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DPR has announced a public meeting for Wednesday.

Here's the notice I got:
Neighbors,
For anyone who enjoys using Duke Ellington Track & Field with their DCPS students or with their families, young children or dogs, you should not miss the DPR Community Meeting on Wednesday, January 15th from 6:30pm-8:00pm at the Georgetown Library at 3260 R Street.
This may be your only opportunity to speak to DPR to hear their plans which include potentially limiting access to neighbors, local DCPS Schools, like Duke Ellington. The field is currently managed by DCPS and Duke Ellington High School for the Performing Arts.

The public comment period has been extended until Feb. 12, 2020. However, this is your one opportunity to meet with DPR and have a say in the future of Duke Ellington Track and Field. Please attend this important meeting on Wed Jan 15th from 6:30pm-8pm at Georgetown Public Library. Share the Park!

So what happened at the meeting? Is it a dog park now?

The dog people were out in force. The irony is that DCPS prohibits dogs anywhere on any of its properties, while DPR allows dogs except on the field itself at athletic fields. So all the dog-walking that has been going on is illegal.

I really got the feeling that DPR just isn't good at this. There was a lot of suspicion going into the meeting, and the DPR presentation and Q&A did nothing to ease that suspicion and their evasiveness made it worse. There were dog people and running clubs who use the field now, and parents from Hardy and Walls wanting access for their schools, and parents from Ellington who don't want to lose their current access.

Pointedly, DPR did not commit to not doing another Jelleff-style deal.

I think Stoddert soccer would do a deal with them and Georgetown has a current deal with them for the track. A lot of the DPR properties in NW have these deals. I wonder how much the budget of DPR would have to increase if all these deals stopped?

I know the neighborhood is concerned about parking but most of the parking problems are cause by georgetown hospital. The city can restrict parking in some the areas to just residential zone parking. The really problem is the dog people. I see them out there every day and the poop on the athletic field is something else.

Oh I'm sure the city could find private parties willing to enter into deals. What you're missing is that these deals aren't good deals for the taxpayers, and DPR has a history of putting the interests of the private parties ahead of the public. The site is two whole city blocks in one of the most expensive parts of the city, it's worth tens of millions of dollars.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DPR has announced a public meeting for Wednesday.

Here's the notice I got:
Neighbors,
For anyone who enjoys using Duke Ellington Track & Field with their DCPS students or with their families, young children or dogs, you should not miss the DPR Community Meeting on Wednesday, January 15th from 6:30pm-8:00pm at the Georgetown Library at 3260 R Street.
This may be your only opportunity to speak to DPR to hear their plans which include potentially limiting access to neighbors, local DCPS Schools, like Duke Ellington. The field is currently managed by DCPS and Duke Ellington High School for the Performing Arts.

The public comment period has been extended until Feb. 12, 2020. However, this is your one opportunity to meet with DPR and have a say in the future of Duke Ellington Track and Field. Please attend this important meeting on Wed Jan 15th from 6:30pm-8pm at Georgetown Public Library. Share the Park!

So what happened at the meeting? Is it a dog park now?

The dog people were out in force. The irony is that DCPS prohibits dogs anywhere on any of its properties, while DPR allows dogs except on the field itself at athletic fields. So all the dog-walking that has been going on is illegal.

I really got the feeling that DPR just isn't good at this. There was a lot of suspicion going into the meeting, and the DPR presentation and Q&A did nothing to ease that suspicion and their evasiveness made it worse. There were dog people and running clubs who use the field now, and parents from Hardy and Walls wanting access for their schools, and parents from Ellington who don't want to lose their current access.

Pointedly, DPR did not commit to not doing another Jelleff-style deal.

I think Stoddert soccer would do a deal with them and Georgetown has a current deal with them for the track. A lot of the DPR properties in NW have these deals. I wonder how much the budget of DPR would have to increase if all these deals stopped?

I know the neighborhood is concerned about parking but most of the parking problems are cause by georgetown hospital. The city can restrict parking in some the areas to just residential zone parking. The really problem is the dog people. I see them out there every day and the poop on the athletic field is something else.

Oh I'm sure the city could find private parties willing to enter into deals. What you're missing is that these deals aren't good deals for the taxpayers, and DPR has a history of putting the interests of the private parties ahead of the public. The site is two whole city blocks in one of the most expensive parts of the city, it's worth tens of millions of dollars.

No these deals are pretty good for the tax payer. What are you talking about private before public? You think DC public school will maintain the track at Ellington field? Right now it’s a dog park because of DCPS criminal neglect of the facility. Funny how the pretty much unlimited budget for the renovation of Duke Ellington School did not include the Ellington field. DCPS really does not care or maintain any of it sport fields.

DPR has a very small budget but the demand for their facilities is through the roof(specially in NW). Any of the nicer DPR facilities around NW are with private partnerships- Ellington Track, Glover Park softball field, Palisades Baseball field, the Turtle Park Fields, etc. You cancel these deal and DPR will not make up the difference. The facilities will just be unmaintained. Is that good for the public? The Ellington field needs renovation and lights. It’s hard to see that happening with DPR’s budget.

[Anonymous]

300 million spent on Duke Ellington and they couldn’t use a few million of that money on the field. Have you been in Duke Ellington? It is like the Taj Mahal. Why?

[Anonymous]

The dog people are insane. My DD went to SWW and at one time the girls soccer team practiced on the Ellington field. Crazy guy w a golden would bring his dog and let it loose while kids practicing. Dog peed on girls’ backpacks. No apology from the guy and he was back the next day to let his dog off leash again during the practice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DPR has announced a public meeting for Wednesday.

Here's the notice I got:
Neighbors,
For anyone who enjoys using Duke Ellington Track & Field with their DCPS students or with their families, young children or dogs, you should not miss the DPR Community Meeting on Wednesday, January 15th from 6:30pm-8:00pm at the Georgetown Library at 3260 R Street.
This may be your only opportunity to speak to DPR to hear their plans which include potentially limiting access to neighbors, local DCPS Schools, like Duke Ellington. The field is currently managed by DCPS and Duke Ellington High School for the Performing Arts.

The public comment period has been extended until Feb. 12, 2020. However, this is your one opportunity to meet with DPR and have a say in the future of Duke Ellington Track and Field. Please attend this important meeting on Wed Jan 15th from 6:30pm-8pm at Georgetown Public Library. Share the Park!

So what happened at the meeting? Is it a dog park now?

The dog people were out in force. The irony is that DCPS prohibits dogs anywhere on any of its properties, while DPR allows dogs except on the field itself at athletic fields. So all the dog-walking that has been going on is illegal.

I really got the feeling that DPR just isn't good at this. There was a lot of suspicion going into the meeting, and the DPR presentation and Q&A did nothing to ease that suspicion and their evasiveness made it worse. There were dog people and running clubs who use the field now, and parents from Hardy and Walls wanting access for their schools, and parents from Ellington who don't want to lose their current access.

Pointedly, DPR did not commit to not doing another Jelleff-style deal.

I think Stoddert soccer would do a deal with them and Georgetown has a current deal with them for the track. A lot of the DPR properties in NW have these deals. I wonder how much the budget of DPR would have to increase if all these deals stopped?

I know the neighborhood is concerned about parking but most of the parking problems are cause by georgetown hospital. The city can restrict parking in some the areas to just residential zone parking. The really problem is the dog people. I see them out there every day and the poop on the athletic field is something else.

Oh I'm sure the city could find private parties willing to enter into deals. What you're missing is that these deals aren't good deals for the taxpayers, and DPR has a history of putting the interests of the private parties ahead of the public. The site is two whole city blocks in one of the most expensive parts of the city, it's worth tens of millions of dollars.

No these deals are pretty good for the tax payer. What are you talking about private before public? You think DC public school will maintain the track at Ellington field? Right now it’s a dog park because of DCPS criminal neglect of the facility. Funny how the pretty much unlimited budget for the renovation of Duke Ellington School did not include the Ellington field. DCPS really does not care or maintain any of it sport fields.

DPR has a very small budget but the demand for their facilities is through the roof(specially in NW). Any of the nicer DPR facilities around NW are with private partnerships- Ellington Track, Glover Park softball field, Palisades Baseball field, the Turtle Park Fields, etc. You cancel these deal and DPR will not make up the difference. The facilities will just be unmaintained. Is that good for the public? The Ellington field needs renovation and lights. It’s hard to see that happening with DPR’s budget.

DPR is in the midst of a multi-hundred million dollar capital improvement campaign. There was a time, ten and twenty years ago, when DPR had no money, the city had no money, the population was shrinking, there was no demand for field space and DPR was fine with letting anyone take a field who was willing to use it and put money in.

The problem with those deals is that in order to pencil out for the private party they have to get all the most desirable hours at the field. Demand is so great these days that it just doesn't make sense to give up all those hours in exchange for improvements.

Other than the Ellington track I don't believe any of the other deals you cite are still in effect.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DPR has announced a public meeting for Wednesday.

Here's the notice I got:
Neighbors,
For anyone who enjoys using Duke Ellington Track & Field with their DCPS students or with their families, young children or dogs, you should not miss the DPR Community Meeting on Wednesday, January 15th from 6:30pm-8:00pm at the Georgetown Library at 3260 R Street.
This may be your only opportunity to speak to DPR to hear their plans which include potentially limiting access to neighbors, local DCPS Schools, like Duke Ellington. The field is currently managed by DCPS and Duke Ellington High School for the Performing Arts.

The public comment period has been extended until Feb. 12, 2020. However, this is your one opportunity to meet with DPR and have a say in the future of Duke Ellington Track and Field. Please attend this important meeting on Wed Jan 15th from 6:30pm-8pm at Georgetown Public Library. Share the Park!

So what happened at the meeting? Is it a dog park now?

The dog people were out in force. The irony is that DCPS prohibits dogs anywhere on any of its properties, while DPR allows dogs except on the field itself at athletic fields. So all the dog-walking that has been going on is illegal.

I really got the feeling that DPR just isn't good at this. There was a lot of suspicion going into the meeting, and the DPR presentation and Q&A did nothing to ease that suspicion and their evasiveness made it worse. There were dog people and running clubs who use the field now, and parents from Hardy and Walls wanting access for their schools, and parents from Ellington who don't want to lose their current access.

Pointedly, DPR did not commit to not doing another Jelleff-style deal.

I think Stoddert soccer would do a deal with them and Georgetown has a current deal with them for the track. A lot of the DPR properties in NW have these deals. I wonder how much the budget of DPR would have to increase if all these deals stopped?

I know the neighborhood is concerned about parking but most of the parking problems are cause by georgetown hospital. The city can restrict parking in some the areas to just residential zone parking. The really problem is the dog people. I see them out there every day and the poop on the athletic field is something else.

The private deals aren’t contributing much to DPR. Maret is only paying $95k for a field that DC paid $15 million to buy and will pay $7 million to renovate. dPR isn’t very good at negotiatinf deals that capture value for DC taxpayers. Some middleman is taking a cut.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The dog people are insane. My DD went to SWW and at one time the girls soccer team practiced on the Ellington field. Crazy guy w a golden would bring his dog and let it loose while kids practicing. Dog peed on girls’ backpacks. No apology from the guy and he was back the next day to let his dog off leash again during the practice.

Agreed - I've seen the same crazy inconsiderate behavior from dog owners at several parks. My son was in a little league game at Volta and this dog kept running on the field to chase down balls that were in play - even after a parent went to the dog owner and asked him to leash his dog he declined telling the parent that the community is ok with the off the books dog park they've created there.

And the same thing has happened at both Turtle Park and Chevy Chase Park with dogs literally run amuck amidst kids practicing.

But like most laws DC can't be bothered to enforce them.

[Anonymous]

The problem with DC gov is they don’t think things through. Crazy amount of $ have been allocated for capital improvement yet there seem to be no funds for maintenance. Tenley library and Wilson have major leak issues. Buckets have been put out for years every time it rains. I have heard about some major issues at Ballou as well but no one is interested in resolving these issues once the initial construction has been finished.