by Alexandra Chalupa
President, Friends of Forest Hills Playground
The Forest Hills playground closes a week from today to undergo a major renovation. And tomorrow evening, the city agencies involved in the project will host a final public meeting before construction begins.
Wednesday, June 4th, from 6:30-7:30 p.m., representatives from DC’s Department of Parks and Recreation and Department of General Services will discuss the playground’s final design, work schedule and impacts. The meeting will begin at the park’s picnic pavilion between Brandywine and Chesapeake Streets, next to the tennis courts. In the event of rain, the meeting will be held instead on Monday, June 9th, from 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Other than the pre-construction meeting, here are a few important dates you need to be aware of:
Meanwhile, the toys at the Forest Hills playground need new homes, or they will be thrown away.
Our playground has a long history of families donating lightly used toys – playhouses, kitchens, bikes, trikes, cars, basketball hoops, wagons, etc. – which all of the children have enjoyed. However, all of these toys are scheduled to be thrown out by the contractor when construction begins on June 10th.
While many of the toys are in poor shape and therefore should be trashed, some are still in good condition and safe for your little ones to enjoy. Please feel free to swing by the playground and take any of the good toys home with you.
The little red playhouse and some of the toys that need new homes.
The permanent structures are also scheduled to be discarded, as it is against DPR’s policy to reuse any of these items, so they will not be part of the new playground.
The larger of the playground’s two climbing structures.
However, the red playhouse and the fire truck may have found a new home only a few blocks away. Murch school’s principal wants to “adopt” these structures.
Forest Hills playground’s popular fire truck.
And while its unfortunate the playground will be closed for the entire summer, we’re very excited about the new redesign and hope you will be too! Friends of Forest Hills Playground continues to work closely with the design team, DPR, DGS and ANC Commissioner Sally Gresham as part of the Forest Hills Playground Renovation Task Force, so we’ll keep you updated about any further developments.
Paul says
Would be helpful for FHC to suggest alternate play spaces in the area while this work is going on.
Tracy Johnke says
Good idea, Paul!
John says
I noticed today that they have fenced off the tennis courts too. Not that one week is a big deal, but I thought we had one more week.
Tracy Johnke says
I thought so too, John. I emailed DPR’s community coordinator, Stacie West. Here’s her reply.
“The courts were to remain open for a permit holder who has a permit through the end of this week. Unfortunately, we aren’t able to keep it fully open in the interest of keeping the site as safe and secure as possible. The permit holder – a school – will be permitted in if they need to use the facility. Our apologies if that is not clear.”
John says
Thanks for looking into it.
David Bardin says
What became of sandbox and sand table in last year’s “Final Design Plans”? The plans now up on the Bulletin Board indicate neither. Instead they show a green circle labeled “Astro-Turf”.
Could some one clear this up?
Sally Gresham says
David,
There is a circular sandbox and a sand table at the Chesapeake St entrance at the bottom of the ADA ramp and steps. On the plan it is a beige circle with a green outer circle which is Astroturf (highly recommended by DPR and Bradley Site Design the landscape architect to contain the sand better). DPR/DGS confirms that while the sandbox and sand table are not labeled on the 6/4/14 Site Plan, both will be installed in the renovation.
The current Site Plan is a visual diagram representing all the elements/activities the Forest Hills Playground Task Force and community have requested and agreed to throughout the on going programming, conceptual design and now the design/build phase of this project. Though painful not to have our Forest Hills Playground through the summer months, hopefully everyone will be very happy with the final results this coming fall!
Sally Gresham, ANC3F04 Commissioner