APACC Newsletter: June 2022

Poplar Point Community Meeting

Please join us for our Citizens’ Poplar Point Listening Session tonight at 6:30 PM. Share your views on the future of Poplar Point as we develop a proposed plan based on community ideas.

If you haven’t done so already, please register in advance for this meeting here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email and meeting link.

Our guest speaker is Ray Montero from the DC Department of Energy and the Environment. Ray will make a presentation on the current clean up efforts of Poplar Point. We encourage you to share this with your network.

Thank you and we look forward to seeing you then. Learn more about the Citizens’ Poplar Point Working Group here.

Late Skate at Anacostia Skating Pavilion

The Late Skate series kicked off with a bang in spite of a rainy day. There were representatives from the D.C. Fire Department, Metropolitan Police Department, Beat the Streets, Hand Dancing, and the Anacostia Coordinating Council. There were also lots of folks skating!

We’ve been working with the National Park Service and the Friends of Anacostia Park to fundraise for improvements to park-lands along the Anacostia River while creating culturally-relevant programming that connects residents to the river and parks. As part of that effort, we worked with our members to bring back the popular Late Skate series of music, recreation and kinship in District’s most storied skating venue, the Anacostia Skating Pavilion. These Late Skate events are reminiscent of the 1968 “Summer in the Parks” programs which connected urban residents with parks through music, nature activities and sports.

Special thank you goes to Akiima Price (Thrive Outside D.C. Director) and Richard Trent (Friends of Anacostia Park Executive Director) for organizing these events.

Other Updates

Stream Restoration Outdoor Learning

We had a great meeting with representatives from the Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE), the Washington Area Bicycle Association (WABA), and Apple Tree Public Charter School, and are kicking off the initiative with a planned walk along the stream on the trail. Josh Burch from DOEE will work with his folks on developing a outdoor learning curriculum. In the meantime, we are planning on at least one event in the summer. Stay tuned!

APACC General Meetings

Holly Gallagher from the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) was our be the guest speaker at our June 17 meeting and gave a fantastic presentation on how to transforming vacant lots by planting flower-filled, climate-resilient gardens that provide habitat for pollinators. Learn more about the NWF’s conservation lot revival efforts here.

Josh Burch with DOEE will speak on stream restoration around Anacostia Parks at our July 15 meeting. Vanessa Batters-Thompson, the new Executive Director of DC Appleseed Center has agreed to speak at our August 19 meeting.

APACC Steering Committee

Steering Committee meetings will be in person and held held in parks for July, August and September. The July 1st meeting will be hosted by Lora Nunn, vice president for Friends of Kingman and Heritage Islands. If you are interested in attending a meeting, please contact Brenda Richardson (APACC Coordinator and Steering Committee Chair).