Wow. The neighborhood really came out in the name of greenspaces and not tearing down Sursum Corda. Well also in the name of saving our parks and wondering, hey, when are we going to get a cool rec center like Kennedy?
I came late so I missed the dramatics when a jr. football team showed up as the important people spoke. They looked so cute in their jerseys and padding. The kids were a visual point that parks and recreation serve the children.
The politicos showed up. Our dear leader Jim Berry showed up, as well as Vincent Orange, Adrian Fenty (fuzzy man in center), Phil Mendelson, some guy named Perry running for the Ward 6 seat, some guy who I think was Leroy Thorpe, and various DC officials. When I showed up I think it was Vincent Orange who wanted by a show of hands who was for keeping the park. The majority carried. Marie Johns was not there. Of course, this was planned only a few days ago. Fenty’s folks were moving about the crowd getting contact info and chatting with people.
The crowd was mixed. White and black. Seniors to elementary kids. Based on the crowd no one can say this was solely a rich vs poor issue. As much as folks in the planning office or where ever want to say it is about income, the community showed that it isn’t. There were people from Sursum Corda in the crowd too. One old lady asked aloud to the crowd, why must Sursum Corda be torn down. A Sursum Corda fellow said because the buildings were over 35 years old. Oh, this got a small reaction. One fellow mentioned that he was 35 years old. Others in the crowd mentioned their homes were over 100 years old.
I think everyone knows once a greenspace is gone it is gone forever. Never to return. The poor will lose greenspace. The fixed income will lose greenspace. The middle class will lose greenspace. The well to do will lose greenspace. We will lose a public space that all the classes share and come together on if we just let the mayor and the planning office take it away.