We Are Thrilled With the New Park Renovations!
We are excited to announce that the playgrounds are now open at the Park at LeDroit and other renovations are nearly complete!
Some of the exciting new upgrades include: expansive new shade sails over the playgrounds, a new splash pad, improved seating, refreshed landscaping, and new lighting. We are particularly excited about the new splash pad, which is located in the small semi-circular area between the playgrounds and has multiple fountain nozzles that spray water up from the ground. It will be user- activated and is scheduled to be officially turned on in April. These additions are sure to make the park more inviting, user-friendly, and will provide relief from the heat as the weather begins to warm up.
We ask for your continued patience as the fresh sod on the grass playing field and in other locations takes root. These areas still need 3-4 weeks for the grass to properly root before they can be used – fencing and tape will be taken down when they are ready. And until then, please do your best to keep kids and pets off the new grass. Also, a friendly reminder to park guests that dogs must be kept leashed at all times outside the dog park.
Who Contributed to the Renovation Efforts?
The improvements are the culmination of two years of advocacy by and coordination between The Friends of the Park at LeDroit, Councilmember Nadeau, The Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR), and LeDroit Park community members and neighbors who provided feedback on the plans.
The project is being overseen by the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) and the Department of General Services (DGS). For more details, see the community presentation at this link: https://dgs.dc.gov/page/park-ledroit-phase-2.
Do You Want to Help Improve the Dog Park?
We are excited to announce the formation of a new dog park committee that is working diligently to make improvements to the dog park for pups’ unbridled (and unleashed!) enjoyment. The committee’s short-term plans include adding fresh gravel to help with the mud issue, a new waste bin, and adding mesh to keep balls inside the dog park. Their fundraising goals include putting up a sunshade, adding astro-turf, and dog play equipment like ramps or boulders. You can get involved by emailing ledroitparkdogs@gmail.com, or you can make a tax-deductible financial contribution at friends-of-the-park-at-ledroit (please tag the “dog park”).
Join Us, and Get Involved with the Park at LeDroit
There are so many ways to get involved, from regular participation to one-time projects and events, to making a donation. Currently, the Friends of the Park at LeDroit is looking for volunteers to help coordinate and attend monthly park beautification and clean-up events. These events involve planting native flowers, watering new trees, picking up any garbage throughout the park, and general landscape maintenance. Coffee, snacks and clean up materials are already sponsored. If this sounds like something you may be interested in, please email us at theparkatledroit@gmail.com.
Additionally, we are always seeking more volunteers, board members, and committee members. If you are interested, email us at theparkatledroit@gmail.com or sign up on our website at www.theparkatledroit.com/get-involved. And – if you would like to contribute financially to our efforts, you can make a tax-deductible donation through our Greenspaces page: https://greenspacesfordc.org/friends-of-the-park-at-ledroit.