Next meeting: Tuesday, May 21, 2013, 7-8:30pm

The next monthly Meridian Hill Neighborhood Association meeting will take place on Tuesday, May 21, 2013, in the Greater Washington Sports Alliance, inside the Solea building, at 2300 14th Street, NW, on the northwest corner of 14th Street and Florida Avenue. 

YMCA Anthony Bowen of Metropolitan Washington, 1325 W Street, NW, Washington, DC (rendering)Join us in welcoming back the YMCA Anthony Bowen, the first African-American YMCA in the world, to 1325 W Street, NW [history] [tour]. Allison Jones, Vice President of Operations and Community Relations, and her teammates will discuss the Y's offerings. 

Architectural historian Kim Williams, of the DC Historic Preservation Office, who gave a widely-attended talk about the history of Meridian Hill / Malcolm X Park before MHNA in April 2011, will provide an update and ask MHNA to co-sponsor a proposed Meridian Hill Historic District. Agenda:

(1) Introductions

(2) Proposal to add one story to private residence on 15th Street, NW, across from the park  

(3) Proposal to promote local independently-owned daytime retail businesses (tentative) (postponed until June meeting)

(4) Presentation by the YMCA Anthony Bowen 

• Allison Jones, Vice President of Operations and Community Relations
• Vision of branch and Y Anthony Bowen: Gene Jones, Vice President of Operations
• Membership opportunities and programs: Kevin Correll, Vice President of Member Services
• Youth Development and the  YMCA Academy: Toni Chebou-Webb, Vice President of Youth Development 

(5) Designation of a Meridian Hill Historic District, request for MHNA to co-sponsor 

• Kim Williams, DC Historic Preservation Office

(6) MHNA's contingent in the Capital Pride Parade, Saturday, June 8, 2013 

• Matthew Abbruzzese 

Meeting location, Greater Washington Sports Alliance, 2300 14th Street, NW

Meridian Hill / Malcolm X Park to receive $50,000 grant. Thank you.

Photo of Dante statue in the park (who usually isn't smiling), courtesy of Beth Mullin, Rock Creek Conservancy, and Photoshop Special thanks to Jeff McElhaney and L. Ernest Springs for getting the word out on social media and for posting yard signs.

From the MHNA listserv: 

Hi everyone,

I just got back from the Partners in Preservation awards ceremony, where I'm excited to report that Meridian Hill won one of the largest grants -- $50,000 -- out of the available $1 million from American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. This is a huge victory for our beloved park, just $10,000 less than what was requested.

Although Meridian Hill came in 15th, it surged to more than double its total points in the final few days after the Park Open House. Members of the review committee told us that the passion of the park's supporters and the significance of continuing the park's restoration and revitalization for the benefit of the thousands of people who care about the ark swayed them to recommend major funding.

Other parks sites winning major grants included Dumbarton Oaks Park and the Carter Woodson Home. And two other nearby sites also won big grants- GALA Hispanic Theater and All Souls Unitarian Church.

THANK YOU all so much for helping to stand up for our long-forgotten park, which is anything but forgotten now!

Steve

-- 

Steve Coleman

Co-Founder, Friends of Meridian Hill

President, Washington Parks & People

Josephine Butler Parks Center

2437 15th Street, NW

Washington, DC  20009

www.washingtonparks.net 

(202) GO-2-PARK, ext. 11

(202) 234-3342 (fax)

Since 1990:  23 Years of Impact

A Rock, A River, A Tree... A Park For All People!

14th & U farmers market opens Saturday, May 4, 2013

This Saturday the 14 & U farmers market in front of the Reeves Center will be open from 9:00am until 1:00pm. From the MHNA listserv:

"Just a reminder that we are open Saturday and yes, we will have strawberries and freshly pressed cider and Fuji juice and pears and lots of green and purple asparagus.

A choice of 3 kinds of eggs: rich duck, huge goose and free range chickens.

All kinds of really fresh Spring salad and cooking greens - arugula, mesclun, lettuces, watercress, nettles, spinach, kale, mustards, Asian Greens, chard plus turnips, beets, radishes, sunchokes, potatoes.

Fabulous sweet and savory pies from WHISKED:apple frangipane, strawberry rhurbarb, asparagus quiche and kale and feta quiche plus all her cookies.

Pleasant Pops has joined the market and will be inaugurating their first visit with Strawberry Ginger Lemonade, Strawberries & Cream, Honey Lavender and Mexican Sweet Cream and Cinnamon pops.

Get an early start. Photo courtesy of Vegankind.Lois' Pumpkin Whoopie Pies that started the Whoopie Pie craze in DC.

Panomamas's new breads and French Pastries

Gorgeous cut flowers includiing those hip green ball viburnum, lilies, lilacs, ranunculus. lily of the valley plus hanging baskets and lots of annuals for your gardens. Dozens of herb and vegetable plants -- lots of tomato varieties.

And plenty of pastured pork and grass fed beef and lamb, duck and rabbit. And real French style goat cheeses.

Your votes = funding for needed restoration at Meridian Hill / Malcolm X Park

Meridian Hill / Malcolm X Park is open to and enjoyed by all.Recently American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation announced that Meridian Hill / Malcolm X Park was chosen to participate in Partners in Preservation, a contest that will award $1 million in grants to historic places in the Washington, D.C. metro areas. 

The historic place that receives the highest number of points is guaranteed to receive grant funding. 

Funds will help repair and stabilize the grotto at the 16th Street entrance, which now looks like this. 

Visit this site each day before May 10, 2013, to vote online and via mobile phone once each day, every day, share with friends via Twitter, check in on Foursquare, and take photos on Instagram.

Thanks to The Rock Creek Conservancy for alerting us to this competition.

Meridian Hill / Malcolm X Park is a part of Rock Creek Park.

The Mayor's FY2014 Budget Town Hall, Thursday, April 11, 2013

Join Mayor Vincent Gray for the FY2014 Budget Town Hall this Thursday, April 11, 2013, at the Columbia Heights Community Center, 1480 Girard Street, NW, at the corner of 15th and Girard Streets, NW, two blocks south of the Columbia Heights metro, at 6:30-8:30pm.

This is an opportunity for residents to learn about the city's Fiscal Year 2014 budget and voice their concerns. 

For more information, contact Juan Camilo Barragan, Executive Office of the Mayor; 202.538.0313, Twitter:@EOMONE1; JuanCamilo.Barragan@dc.gov

The FY2014 Budget Town Hall is being cohosted by the following organizations: 

ANC 1A
ANC 1B
ANC 1C
ANC 1D
North Columbia Heights Civic Association
Reed Cooke Neighborhood Association
U Street Neighborhood Association
LeDroit Park Civic Association
Georgia Ave Community Development Task Force
Strengthening Ward 1 Together (SWOT)
Meridian Hill Neighborhood Association
Pleasant Plains Civic Association
Georgia Avenue Business Alliance
Ward 1 Democrats
Ward 1 Republicans