The D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation is in ongoing talks with a local nonprofit regarding the possibility of building a 40,000 square-foot park in Northeast.
It would be a so-called “pocket park,” according to advocates, which generally describes a small park accessible to the general public.
“We’re excited about it,” said Re’ginald Shaw-Richardson, the director of the Union Market District Parks Foundation, a nonprofit that’s lobbying to have a community park built in the Union Market neighborhood.
The park would be located near 4th Street and New York Avenue in Northeast, and it would cost about $3.5 million to build.
“It’s kind of a long, narrow triangular space,” said Shaw-Richardson. “It’s perfect for a community park.”
According to a proposal submitted to the parks department by Shaw-Richardson’s foundation, “the necessary land may require negotiations with local authorities as the site is on land owned by the District of Columbia.”
Shaw-Richardson said the parks department was working with him to try to figure out exactly which entities own the land.
According to the proposal, the project “aims to provide a much-needed green space for the local community, enhance the quality of life for residents and create a welcoming environment for dog owners and their pets.”
Shaw-Richardson said he hopes the land will be cleaned up and ready for development by the end of 2024, although the parks department said it likely wouldn’t be placed in the budget until 2026, according to Shaw-Richardson.
“It is further along than I thought it would be at this point,” Shaw-Richardson said.
“We are going to reach out to the community and try to get them to contribute to this wonderful pocket park, which is something D.C. doesn’t have.”
Shaw-Richardson’s foundation said the park’s construction could be funded through a combination of public and private funding sources.
“Potential sources of funding include grants, sponsorships from local businesses, colleges community fundraising events, and contributions from the local government and developer public benefit contributions,” according to the proposal.
“We don’t want Union Market to become a concrete jungle,” Shaw-Richardson said.
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