Recap Shaed School Building Surplus Meeting

The meeting was packed into the small field house that we call the Edgewood Recreation Center- it was crowded, hot and hard to hear so I was not there for the whole meeting and did not hear everything said while I was there either.  If you had a better seat or were able to hear more please add your input in the comments for this post.

The general message from DGS is that DCPS has released the building and any charter schools that are interested in using it have until August 30th to file an application.  While I was told in the past that there were no charter schools interested it seems that now there are including some Montessori schools.  The first rights for the building go to a charter school.  I know that there are quite a few families with young children (or children on the way) in the neighborhood that would love to be able to walk their children to a Montessori school.  In fact some neighbors have moved because of the lack of quality schools in our neighborhood.  While there is a whole separate debate about charter schools and what they mean for our school system I do not feel the need to engage in that and simply want to support what is best for our community.  A great school that we can walk to would be a terrific amenity.  That said the push should be to get a great school and then to ensure that there is a neighborhood priority for enrollment.  It does us no good to get a great new charter school and then be unable to get neighborhood children enrolled in it!!

There was also a lot of loud opposition to a charter school and talk of use of the building for a recreation center.  The idea of making a community center (one that I have been advocating for over the years) out of the building that includes DPR use as well as nonprofit use and programming would be a community amenity whose value would be immense if run properly.  But if that cannot be done as there may be a new school going into the school building then the community needs to come together and demand that we still get an improved recreation center and programming.  There is no reason that we cannot have both a great school and a new recreation center.  The land use for the Edgewood neighborhood is poorly designed and maintained with proper planning we could keep our outdoor space and create a new recreation center with indoor space as well.  Within the past five years there was $14-15 million in the DC budget to do just that but that money was moved to another community.  We need to fight to get the money back in the budget and create the space that can be enjoyed by all ages.

I did hear the people in the front of the meeting say they need to hear from the community about what we want-  my thoughts on this is that they are just not listening!!  For years many different people and groups, myself included, have been advocating for improved recreational facilities and programming in the Edgewood neighborhood and it is time the city takes action! 

Please contact CM McDuffie and ensure that he is taking action and supporting our needs!  He needs to be a leader on this issue!

Big Week for Edgewood

Tonight is the meeting for the surplusing of the Edgewood Shaed Elementary School Building.  It is important that everyone attend to give their input of what happens to the building.  I have been advocating for turning it into a Recreation Center/Nonprofit building which would host classes and activities for the community.  Others in the neighborhood would like it to become a charter school and with all the new children in the neighborhood that idea has merits as well especially if a quality school would like to open. 
The meeting is at the Edgewood Recreation Center hosted by DGS.

For those of you that do not follow me on Twitter-  I wanted to add a blog post about the starting of construction of the pedestrian bridge for the Metropolitan Branch Trail to the Rhode Island Avenue metro station.  Ever since I moved to Edgewood over 5 years ago now I have been following the developments around this much needed bridge and how it will change the daily lives of so many of my neighbors for the better!  I have been pushing DDOT, the DC Council members and mayor for a start date and this week it is happening!  The bridge should be completed by December 2014/February 2015.  The project has its own website so we can follow the progress -   http://rhodeislandavepedbridge.com/_layouts/15/start.aspx#/SitePages/Home.aspx

Two of the biggest issues in Edgewood are moving forward this week which is really exciting! 

Art on 8th: Dance Place continues its series of free creative events throughout September, 2013

Dance Place in partnership with CulturalDC and Monroe Street Market expands its indoor dance performance series with interdisciplinary arts events entitled Art on 8th, which include events in the NE and NW quadrants of Washington, DC. 

Art on 8th is designed to bring people of all ages, backgrounds and interests together to enjoy and experience interactive programs of music, dance and visual arts.

All events are free, open to the public. September 2013 events in the Art on 8th NE program take place on 8th Street North East on the Arts Plaza and Dance Place’s Studio 21 on the Arts Walk at Monroe Street Market and at Dance Place, 3225 8th Street NE.

 

Art on 8th NE September Calendar

September 5 at 6:30pm: Freddie Dunn Quartet: Live Jazz Quartet
September 6 at 7:00pm: DC Casineros: Cuban Salsa
September 7 at 12:30pm: Arts and Crafts with Luis Peralta

September 12 at 6:30pm: Leonardo Lucini: Brazilian Jazz
September 13 at 6:30pm: Coyaba Dance Theater: African Dance
September 14 at 12:30pm: Arts and Crafts with Luis Peralta

September 19 at 6:30pm: Duende Quartet: Smooth Latin Jazz
September 20 at 6:30pm: DC Casineros: Cuban Salsa
September 21 all day: Brookland Arts and Family Day

September 26 at 6:30pm: Vibe Collective: Afro-Cuban Improv Jazz
September 27 at 5:30pm: Freddie Dunn and Carla Perlo: Live Jazz and participatory hooping
September 28 at 12:30pm: Arts and Crafts with Luis Peralta

Art on 8th NE continues until October 26, 2013, featuring music on Thursday evenings, interactive dance concerts with dance sessions on Friday evenings and arts/crafts workshops on Saturdays.

Art on 8th NW continues on October 26,2013 with activities supporting the forthcoming Dancing the Dream exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery.

 

About the Art on 8th Program

The Art on 8th program is made possible by funding from the National Endowment for the Arts Our Town program, as well as partnerships with CulturalDC, Monroe Street Market (Bozzuto Group/Abdo Development), the National Portrait Gallery and the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities.

Dance Place's Art on 8th is part of the organization's Program Enhancement Fund, a $500,000 multi-year initiative to offer expanded free community arts and cultural programming. The Program Enhancement Fund is an integral aspect of Dance Place'sMoving Forward campaign, which also includes renovations the Dance Place's facility and enhanced operational reserves. 

 

About Dance Place

Founded in 1980, Dance Place builds a community of artists, audiences, and students through high quality performances, commissions, training and educational program. We are committed to enriching the field of dance locally, nationally and internationally. Our thriving arts campus serves as an anchor in the development of our Brookland neighborhood in Washington, DC.

From August 2013 until March 2014 the Dance Place theater on 8th Street NE will be closed for major renovations. During that time Dance Place’s performance program will continue in other venues around DC, including Monroe Street Market Arts Plaza, the National Portrait Gallery, Atlas Performing Arts Center, the Arts Club of Washington DC and the Betts Theatre at the George Washington University. Dance Place will maintain its full program of adult and kids dance classes at the Brookland Artspace Lofts, and The Edgewood Arts Building on the corner of 8th Street NE and Monroe Street.     

 

WHAT: Art on 8th NE September Calendar of Events
WHO: Dance Place in partnership with CulturalDC and the Monroe Street Market
WHEN: Every Thurs – Sat during September 2013
WHERE:  Various locations on 8th Street NE. Check the schedule for exact location of each event.
TICKETS: All events are free and open to the general public.

For more information visitwww.danceplace.org or call (202) 269-1600

Edgewood Neighborhood Cleanup Tomorrow

Just wanted to send out a reminder that tomorrow is the Edgewood Neighborhood monthly cleanup. The group meets in front of the Edgewood Rec Center at the corner of 3rd and Evarts NE at 10:30 a.m. The cleanup is sponsored by the Friends of Edgewood Recreation Center and occurs the first Saturday of every month same time and location. The group picks up trash around the neighborhood including the rec center and has a cookout afterwards.

This is a great way to meet your neighbors and show pride in our neighborhood!

If you cannot come try and cleanup around your block today or tomorrow morning so we can cover more areas!!!