One of the joys of walking neighborhood streets and trails is the unexpected encounters along the way. Here’s just one example: A year ago, our editor-in-chief heard the faint strains of violins while on a hike in Rock Creek Park. Following the sound, she eventually stumbled upon a violin concert at Picnic Grove #13. You […]
Forest Hills Park has a 90-year history of parent advocacy, DIY, and many do-overs
Forest Hills Park and Playground have taken many forms over the years. And it exists today because of the efforts of neighborhood parents and grandparents going back 90 years. Acquiring the property at 32nd and Chesapeake Streets took a federal lobbying effort. Leslie Boudinot Flenner Wright, a neighborhood activist and mother of four, had succeeded […]
September in the Neighborhood: A big day out on our Main Street; Levine’s Community Sing; Picnic at Peirce Mill
Community spirit and solidarity: In the District, we have them in spades. And to maintain our energy for good works and good trouble, we need art. We need music. We need opportunities to relax, connect with friends and loved ones, and enjoy ourselves. Some suggestions for filling our cups in September: September 6: Children’s Day […]
Join your neighbors for coffee and a cleanup at Forest Hills Park this Saturday, July 12
The message below is from Van Ness Main Street’s Good Clean Fun Initiative, which is looking out for Forest Hills Park and Playground. GCF volunteers have also devoted time to getting the District’s advice and assistance on cleaning up the overgrown area between the baseball field and Brandywine Street, which has becoming a dumping ground […]
The Forest Hills Playground group wants to talk about the sandbox
A request for community feedback about a feature of Forest Hills Park: The leadership team for Good Clean Fun is seeking community input regarding the Forest Hills Playground sandbox. A public sandbox, when properly maintained, is a wonderful sensory experience for kids. However, ensuring that a sandbox is fun and safe for children requires an […]
Forest Hills Park updates: A dance party, a May 10 cleanup, and getting into the weeds
One recent Sunday, Van Ness Main Street’s Good Clean Fun initiative hosted a dance party at Forest Hills Park. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Van Ness Main Street (@vannessmainst) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Van Ness Main Street (@vannessmainst) And this coming Saturday, May 10th from 9:30am […]
Forest Hills Park advocates raise upkeep issues with the District
As maintenance issues at Forest Hills Park and Playground persist, efforts to engage DC agencies are ongoing. The advocacy group Good Clean Fun formed last year to press for fixes, and wrote the following about a walkthrough in December with one agency representative. Lawrence Davin from DC Department of General Services (DGS) joined leaders of […]
A new Forest Hills Park advocacy group forms
Forest Hills Park exists today because people lobbied for a neighborhood play space nearly 90 years ago. The park continues to need advocates, and a Van Ness Main Street-affiliated group is now taking on the task: How about some Good Clean Fun in Forest Hills Park? That’s the name of a new group forming in […]
January in the Neighborhood: Save local forests and sing to the trees
The world’s problems – political, environmental, and otherwise – can seem overwhelming, and it can feel like there’s little we can do as individuals to effect change. We do have the power to tackle local issues, however, and can make a big and immediate difference. DCist recently gave, as an example, the non-native invasive species […]
A moment of peace and joy at the playground, and a neatnik crow
by Marlene Berlin It was a bright and sunny Saturday morning. I was walking by Forest Hills Playground on Chesapeake. And I heard the mingling of many joyful voices. Kids were in the sandbox chatting away. Others were on the track giving their scooters a workout. Their grownups were nearby, shooting the breeze or soaking […]