Dear Ward 5 neighbors,
Tomorrow, the community will come together to cut the ribbon at Ward 5’s newest park, pool, and recreation center! This is an exciting day, and one made possible only by neighbors’ consistent advocacy around the development at the former McMillan Sand Filtration Site. I hope to see you there! The event will include live entertainment, games, food trucks, and more.
The Mayor has introduced legislation to name this park and recreation center Reservoir Park, and that legislation is currently pending a hearing. I have shared with surrounding neighbors that I am committed to engaging the community on naming this new public space. I have heard that some feel as though there wasn’t sufficient engagement before offering a name. My hope is that additional engagement will make a consensus clear, and that this new park and recreation center will bear a name that truly represents our history and community well. Also, neighbors will have the Council’s public hearing on the legislation to share their thoughts. Stay tuned!
This week was important as the Council took its second vote on the FY25 budget. I am proud of the additional wins we were able to secure for Ward 5—including expanding Safe Passage to include a new Prioirity Area for the Brookland-CUA Metro Station and increasing housing support. You can read a more detailed recap in the FY25 Budget – Second Vote section below, including a reflection on my proposed amendment to the District’s sports wagering plan.
Remember that this coming Wednesday, June 19, is Juneteenth. As we celebrate the announcement of emancipation that finally arrived to enslaved people in Galveston, TX on June 19, 1865, there will be modified government services. While the executive has not yet released a full list of impacted services, past years indicate that neighbors can expect there will be no houeshold trash and recycling collection on Wednesday, with collections sliding one day for the rest of the week into Saturday, and closures at public facilities like DC Public Libraries, the Department of Motor Vehicles, and others. I will be sure to share the full announcement on my social media (X, Instagram, and Facebook) when it becomes available.
This edition of the Ward 5 Weekly newsletter also includes public safety updates, information about WMATA’s Better Bus Discovery Tour, including an event in Ward 5 on Monday, June 17, and a Public Hearing on June 20, a link to sign up for my office’s next Healthy Communities Spring Cleaning in Michigan Park on June 22, a Ward 5 Community Design Workshop for a commemorative work in our community on June 22, the Street Designation Ceremony for Dorothy Celeste Boulding Ferebee Way in Bloomingdale on June 27, Notices of Intent modifying traffic/parking requirements in Ward 5, and several community events across the city and in Ward 5 including lots of Juneteenth celebrations! Keep reading for more.
