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 the Good Clean Fun (GCF) and ANC 3F06 chair Courtney Carlson on a chilly December day. Davin [who has since moved on to another DC agency] explained that DGS is the agency that “builds, maintains, and sustains.”

Left: Then-DGS community engagement manager Lawrence Davin and ANC 3F’s Courtney Carlson point out the damaged fence between the basketball and tennis courts.
Right: Merilyn Francis (GCF), Carlson, Davin, and Erin Bryan (GCF). Not pictured: fellow GCF members Sarah Benitez and Tracy Zorpette.

GCF members identified extensive maintenance needs in the park. Priorities were identified as the collapsed fence between the tennis and basketball courts (this fence had been down for over a year) and a broken swing. Davin flagged the fence for his team and promised to check when DGS plans to repair swings citywide. The group also discussed many other needed repairs, including the sand pit, a broken playground gate, and the fence around the ball field which seems to be inadvertently and repeatedly knocked down by the DGS-contracted mowing crew.

The group also discussed ongoing sanitary and maintenance issues in the park. Davin clarified that the Department of Public Works empties the black trash cans, while DGS empties the blue recycling cans. He informed us that loose litter on the ground should be picked up by DGS every day, though GCF leaders shared a concern that this was not happening in the park and playground. Residents can help keep the park clean by putting litter and recyclables in the appropriate bins, and using the 311 app or webpage to notify the city when a bin is full.

Finally, the group toured the north side of Brandywine Street from 32nd Street to the park entrance. Addressing extensive overgrown brush, a collapsing retaining wall, and a heavy litter problem will be a major undertaking. Next steps involve contacting RiverSmart, a program of the Department of Energy and the Environment, and the ANC to brainstorm improvements for this area.

ANC 3F’s Carlson revealed at the commission’s January meeting that several maintenance issues were addressed, including the gate and a broken swing. Brandywine, however, remains a dumping ground, and she said they’re trying to get two trash cans placed along the street.

Good Clean Fun (like Forest Hills Connection) is a project of Van Ness Main Street. It was established in 2024 with a mission to create community in a well-kept and welcoming gathering place. At ANC 3F’s January meeting, Van Ness Main Street executive director Gloria Garcia announced that GCF has officially joined the District’s Adopt-A-Park program, and will host cleanups. The Main Street is also planning all-ages events at the park this summer. To join Good Clean Fun’s neighborhood Google group and receive updates, email [email protected].