D.C.'s fast-growing downtown neighborhoods have new restaurants, offices and apartments—but few playgrounds. With thousands of children expected to be born in the District in the next five years, where will they all play?
An official map of D.C.’s parks blooms like a colorful garden, with the flower-shaped asterisks used to represent new playground projects forming a bright circle over the city. A second look, however, reveals a problem: the circle is more like a wreath, with park and playground improvements planned for the outer neighborhoods, and lots of blank spaces left downtown. There's parkland, but almost no outdoor play space for kids in the center of the District, and parents say this poses a challenge to the city’s livability.
"When you have a kid between 18 months and three years old, you suddenly realize that you need space for them to run and play," says Danielle Pierce, a playground advocate and co-founder of Downtown DC Kids, an online group dedicated to making D.C. accessible and livable for families. "You can’t just put a kid down on the ground in Dupont Circle and expect them not to eat condoms."
FULL STORY: How to fix DC's downtown "playground desert"
D.C. Tops the 2021 ParkScore List
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Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
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Seattle's Plan for Adopting Driverless Cars
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As Trump Phases Out FEMA, Is It Time to Flee the Floodplains?
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With Protected Lanes, 460% More People Commute by Bike
For those needing more ammo, more data proving what we already knew is here.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Smith Gee Studio
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City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
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