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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]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!
[/quote]

So what happened at the meeting? Is it a dog park now? [/quote]

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. [/quote]

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.  [/quote]

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. [/quote]

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.[/quote]

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