In an email from DPR to Geovani Bonilla, Commissioner Bradley Thomas and Council Member Thomas dated May 3, 2011:
Good Evening All,
Bids have been received from potential contractors for the 1st & Florida Ave Park project. The selected contractors’ proposal is being prepared for submission to the City Council for review and approval. We anticipate having the package to the City Council the week of May 16, 2011.
Review by the City Council is a necessary step because contracts exceeding $1M must be reviewed and approved by the Council.
Once the contract is approved a detailed project schedule will be developed and shared with the community. Our goal is to have a DPR sponsored community meeting in early June 2011 with the selected contractor and construction starting soon after.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide you with an update on the project. If you have any additional concerns or questions feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
Jackie Stanley
DPR Capital Project Coordinator
202-671-0421
Bates Area Civic Association 
Sorry to say, this whole renovation is a joke and waste of taxpayer money. Redesign the place all you want, it’s not going to change the fact that a housing project virtually surrounds it and a liquor store is across the street. If you want the place to really change, then change the clientele, not the design.
There was discussion a few meetings ago w/ a parks rep to see what could be done about the problems during the redesign. Improving sight-lines from the street, moving the entrance away from Sunset, etc.
Geovani, correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe most of the problem individuals in that park are not from this neighborhood, so the co-op doesn’t factor in much. The time while the Park is closed for renovation presents an opportunity for the neighborhood to assert who truly owns the park and ensure that it remains nice after its gates re-open.
The children in the neighborhood need a place to play. The playground as it is lacks a lot of equipment and it needs better ground cover. In addition, that is not a housing project next to the plaground. It is a co-op.