Cherry trees

[from Carol Herwig]

It's official. Petworth has been awarded a grant of three cherry trees. The planting date is 9am April 2, with a potluck luncheon to follow at Carol Herwig and George Morgan's home.

The details: Three cherry trees are to be planted at the triangle park off the south side of Grant Circle (at Upshur and Illinois). It's being done in conjunction with the National Cherry Blossom Festival, working with DC Greenworks, which will give us a tree-planting demonstration before we start digging. Planting, speeches, ceremonies, etc. should take about 3 hours.

We'll be passing out flyers to invite everybody in the area -- volunteers to help out are appreciated. We'll be sending invitations to people like Merrit Drucker, Councilmen Fenty and Mendelson, our friends at the ROC and our ANCs and all the media. We want this to be a community event, so turn out even if you have never held a shovel. Experienced tree-planters will be on hand.

Carol.

Comments

[Joseph Martin]

Question for Janis Williams and Timothy Jones: Specifically what beautification projects are you proposing for the neighborhood, where, and how can people work with you on them?

I would love to help. I am certain others would, too. Let us know how we all can join in. Petworth is full of a lot of resourceful people with a superb array of talents, perspectives, love for and dedication to our neighborhoods.

[Joseph Martin]

First, my thanks to Carol. She's doing the neighborhood a great service. I and neighbors in the immediate vicinity of the spot in which the trees will be planted happily signed the petition for getting the trees. I and other neighbors who live within a block of the park have agreed to help maintain the trees.

I will happily support efforts by Ms. Williams for other beautification and clean-up projects and hope that Ms. Williams will become an active partner in regularly cleaning up and beautifying the 200 block on Upshur, an area sorely needing much attention.

I work from home and pass by the triangular park on the south side of Grant Circle several times a day on foot and when driving. In my two years living a block from that park, I have never seen children playing there, probably because it's so small it would be a dangerous place to play touch football or similar games. The ball would inevitably and routinely land in the busy surrounding streets. By contrast, Grant Circle is routinely used by neighborhood kids.

There's plenty of room in Petworth for a lot of beautification projects. One specific project where it would superb to find someone to take the lead is in ensuring that the fields in the lower section of the Soldiers Home are turned into a park rather than developed.

Hats off, again, to Carol. Great job!

Joseph Martin
ANC Commissioner 4C09

[Mariama]

Haha, go Kevin!! Just also wanted to say thanks to Carol for her all her efforts.

[Kevin Morton]

I am very concerned about the leaf issue too. Those little buggers get wet, you know, and somebody could easily slip and fall. Might even take an eye out! In the interest of public safety, I propose we cut down every tree in the neighborhood.

[AJS]

The whole issue of leaves falling from trees does seem problematic. Perhaps we have some neighborhood scientists who can help create hybrid trees?

[Jason]

I would also like to thank Carol for her work that benefits everyone in the neighborhood -- even the kids. I see no reason to think that she wishes to block anyone from initiating or participating in beautification projects.

There are already trees on that site. Are their leaves a problem?

[Karen W. Archer]

Thought you would like to know.

I'd like to first thank Carol for working on this grant and for making it happen.

I think its a wonderful thing, however not everyone feels the same way. I have heard from Ms. Janis Williams, a former ANC Commissioner, and now President of a new community organization, and she is not happy with this project. Ms. Williams stated that Ms. Herwig has received grants from the ANC in the past for beautification projects and she needs to let others have an opportunity to do beautification projects. She also stated that her organization had plans for the space but she was not specific about those plans. Ms. Williams also stated that kids play in this space and the Cherry Blossom trees might get in the way of that. In addition to Ms. Williams, Commissioner Timothy Jones also expressed concern about the trees being planted stating that he has heard from a resident that is concerned about who will rake the leaves that drop from these trees.