Media Contact: John A. Stokes, (202) 673-2195
Last night, representatives of the DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) hosted a community meeting to discuss athletic field permitting for the upcoming 2009 Spring - Summer permit season. Held at the Banneker Community Center, 2500 Georgia Avenue, NW, DPR staff presented information on changes and updates to the field permitting process.
Important information from the meeting can be found below:
Important Dates for 2009 Permit Calendar
- Early Bird Permit Application submission December 29, 2008 - January 23, 2009: Customers can submit 2009 Spring - Summer athletic field applications.
- February 9 - February 13, 2009: Permits will be issued.
- February 27, 2009: All issued permits need to be Paid in Full by this date.
- Sunday March 1, 2009: All fields go live.
Fields to be Under Construction in 2009
- Banneker - Lower field, until mid-March.
- Fort Stanton - Until mid-March.
- Fort Reno - Until mid-May.
- Emery - Until mid-June.
- Mitchell Park - Until mid-September.
- Chevy Chase Field
DPR Permits Officer Antoine Green took the following questions from members of the audience during a question and answer period.
Question: What is the list of priority for fields?
Answer: DPR Programs, DCPS, DPR Partner Programs, Non-DPR Youth Programs, Adult Programs, Non- Resident Youth and Non- Resident Adult.
Question: How is priority given for field users?
Answer: Fields are assigned on a first come, first served basis.
Question: What does it mean when DPR requests that groups not “block out time"?
Answer: When a group "blocks out time" that they are no longer using, they prevent other would-be permit holders from access to that field. To remedy this concern, DPR will have Park Rangers monitor fields to ensure groups who have reserved time are actually using the field. Please let us know if you see anyone not using a field they have reserved so we can address the situation. DPR reserves the right to and will pull any permit through which the holder is blocking a field not in use.
Question: Is there a complete list of all DPR permitted fields?
Answer: Yes. A complete list can be found on our website at dpr.dc.gov
Question: Can DPR split large fields in half to accommodate more users?
Answer: Yes, this can be done on a case-by-case basis.
Question: What kind of renovation is happening at Mitchell Park?
Answer: The field is undergoing re-sodding and irrigation.
Question: Does DPR permit indoor facilities at DCPS locations?
Answer: No. Please contact the Athletic Director for DCPS.
Question: What are the dates for the Spring and Summer seasons?
Answer: March 1 – August 31
Question: Will Fort Reno be an artificial playing surface when complete?
Answer: No. DPR will construct a competition-quality natural turf baseball 90-foot diamond, a full-size soccer field, and a small practice soccer field which can also accommodate two U-6 soccer fields.
“Tonight’s meeting gave DPR the opportunity to inform all field permit holders of DPR projects in progress and our goal to more efficiently run the permitting process, said Antoin Green. “Users were also able to meet a handful of the many DPR staff members who work so diligently to make their sports season successful.”
In addition to these questions, Green told those gathered that lighting and maintenance contracts are in place to fix all broken lights and ensure grass is cut and maintained during the field season.
For more information regarding athletic field permitting for 2009, contact the DPR Permit Office at (202) 673-7667 or visit the "Permits and Reservations" section on DPR's website, dpr.dc.gov.