March 6: Shape the Future of Anacostia Park — Anacostia Parks and Community Collaborative

A space to gather, a place to explore, somewhere to exercise and get your heart rate up, or a restorative spot to unwind. An outdoor laboratory to inspire young scholars. A natural gem supporting wildlife habitat and a healthy river. Anacostia Park has the potential to support these uses.

The Anacostia Urban Waters Partnership, Anacostia Park and Community Collaborative, Anacostia Waterfront Trust, and the National Park Service invite organizations formal and informal to talk with Superintendent Tara Morrison and National Park Service planners about how the newly released Anacostia Park Management Plan/Environmental Assessment (PDF) balances these and other uses. The March 6 meeting will help stakeholders understand next steps to implement elements of the plan. It will provide Superintendent Morrison the opportunity to meet stakeholder groups, hear your priorities for Anacostia Park and identify opportunities for collaboration.

Monday, March 6, 1:00 - 3:00 pm (registration starts 12:45 pm)
Department of Employment Services, 4058 Minnesota Ave NE, Multi-Purpose/Community Room #2 (Orange Line Metro Rail, Minnesota Avenue stop; limited street parking; CaBi; Metro parking garage)
RSVP by March 1: http://bit.ly/2l8be8e
Download and comment on the Anacostia Park Management Plan/Environmental Assessment
Questions? Katherine Antos, Anacostia Ambassador, Urban Waters Federal Partnership, kantos@anacostiatrust.org, (202) 223-3779

The management plan is a framework to manage the park’s natural and cultural resources and shape how people experience and enjoy the park for the next 15-20 years. NPS looked at four alternatives for balancing the needs of providing recreational opportunities and creating and expanding healthy natural areas. NPS is seeking comments on options presented in the plan. Visit the online home of the planto see the download the plan and share feedback (through March 18, 2017).

Anacostia Waterfront Trust Executive Director Doug Siglin's overview Decoding the National Park Service Plan for Anacostia Park is a must-read in advance of delving into the NPS plan. In addition to summarizing the zones, he captures the essence of the past, present, and future:

Anacostia Park plays a central role in the geography, social history, and future of the District of Columbia. The Anacostia River has divided the District into separate and unequal parts since the time of President Washington. Urban riverfront property is intrinsically valuable in many ways, and Anacostia Park incorporates more than nine linear miles of public riverfront. If the appropriate planning and investment takes place, Anacostia Park could help reunite the neighborhoods and people of the District across a major historical dividing line.