Bates Area Civic Association

When: Monday, March 2, 2009, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Where: Mount Sinai Baptist Church, 3rd and Q Streets, N.W., Rooms 1 and 2

Agenda

• Remarks from Allan Fye, Ward Five Planner, DC Department of Transportation
• Remarks from Anise Jenkins, President, Stand Up! For Democracy In DC Coalition
• Updates on the following community concerns:

1. The lease arrangement between Metropolitan Baptist Church and the Community Academy Public Charter Schools.
2. The Residential Parking Program recently implemented in the neighborhood.
3. Resident interest in gaining reasonable access to the track and field at Dunbar Senior High School.
4. Removal of the Billboards at the corner of 4th and P Streets, N.W.

For more information regarding the meeting and/or the Association, contact J. Berry at (202) 387-8520 or at jamojam@msn.com.

Community Update and Reminder

Beautiful Streets Initiative: A neighborhood cleanup has been organized for this coming Saturday, March 28, 2009 by Bates Street resident Pete Balas.  The event will be held from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. and residents have been asked to assemble at the corner 3rd and Bates Streets, N.W. Cleanup equipment has been ordered from the DC Helping Hands Program but it still may be useful for residents to supplement these items with trash bags, rakes and gloves of their own.  If at all possible, residents are strongly encouraged to participate in this project.  As Pete indicates in his flyer, the event provides an ideal opportunity to meet new neighbors and to help beautify the neighborhood.

First Annual A-W-E Festival: a Celebration of Artists Writers, and Entertainers:
In recognition of Black History Month, the Bloomingdale Civic Association, and the Bates Area Civic Association cordially invite you to the First Annual A-W-E Festival: a celebration of Artists, Writers, and Entertainers.  This program will be held at St. George’s Episcopal Church, 160 U Street, N.W., on the afternoon of Saturday, February 28, 2009 from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm.  The afternoon program will include award winning photographer, Jason Miccolo Johnson, author, Natalie Hopkinson, artist, Sylvia Jackson, classical vocalist, Dimery Mowery, story-teller, Jennifer Ashburn, and musician James McKinney. Interestingly, several of the participants in the program have deep roots in our community.  Perhaps needless to say, we hope you will come out to support this activity!

Ward 5 Community Development Expo:
For those of you who are interested in “financial fitness” and economic development issues, please know that Ward 5 Council Member Harry Thomas, Jr. is hosting a Ward 5 Community Development Expo on Saturday, February 28, 2009, between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. at the Pryzbyla Center, on the grounds of the Catholic University of America, 620 Michigan Avenue, N.E.   The agenda for the day will include a presentation of “Financial Fitness Tips,” a panel discussion entitled, “Striking a Balance Between Development and Neighborhood Considerations,” a presentation of the results of the “Retail Action Study-Implications for Ward 5 Business Corridors,” and an “Expo of Ward 5 Development Projects.”

Petition for Resident Access to Track and Field at Dunbar Senior High School:
A petition has been developed that asks the DC Public Schools, Council Member Harry Thomas, Jr., and Mayor Adrian Fenty to help community residents to gain access to the Track and Field at Dunbar Senior High School for purposes of walking, jogging, running and other forms of exercise. Specifically, we would like to work out a written Community Agreement with Dunbar HS/DCPS whereby the general public could have access to this amenity during morning, evening, as well as weekend hours that do not interfere with the operations of the school.  If you support this initiative and are willing to help gather the signatures of your family members, friends and neighbors on the petition, please  let us know and we will forward an electronic copy to you.  Alternatively, if you call (202) 387-8520 arrangements can be made to have copies of the petition delivered to you.  In the event that you don’t have the available time to help with the circulation of the petition but still want to support the initiative, we ask that you send an email conveying that support to the following email address: jamojam@msn.com and that you encourage others whom you know that are similarly situated to do the same.