The Restoration
Good news on the park front. Mr. Jose Sousa from the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) announced at the civic association meeting last night that Councilmember Jim Graham (D – Ward 1) insisted that DMPED restore the $200,000 in cuts to the park construction budget for LeDroit Park.
As we reported last month, the deputy mayor’s office had reduced the budget for the park from $1.7 million to $1.5 million as the result of citywide belt-tightening. The remaining $200,000 will be restored legislatively to be paid in the coming fiscal year, which begins on October 1, 2010. Though the park is still set to open in September, Mr. Sousa said that the remaining $200,000 could be spent right away in October to close up loose ends on the project.
In a month or so the design team will host a meeting to discuss additional design details for the park. We’ll keep you informed.
Thank you Councilmember Graham! After all we’ve been through with this park, the last thing we need is for the budget to be cut and the original vision to suffer.