Briefing from Rosedale Rec. Ctr. Kick-off Meeting

Below is a briefing from last week’s Rosedale Recreation Center (RRC) Kick-off meeting with representatives from the Mayors Office, DCPR and Parks Planning Commission.

It appears the meeting was scheduled to announce that a new Rosedale Recreation Center will be constructed in 2009, with ground-breaking scheduled for May 2009! This moves the reconstruction schedule forward by 2 years! Previously, the RRC was scheduled for the 2011 construction season.

Per Council Member Tommy Wells, the proposed budget is currently $14 million for an approximately 16,000 sq.ft. facility. It appears, from the meetings discussions, the new RRC will be modeled after the recently constructed Riggs LaSalle Community Center in Ward 4 (501 Riggs Road, NE). Note Riggs LaSalle is called a COMMUNITY CENTER and not a recreation center.


Riggs LaSalle Community Center


Riggs LaSalle Community Center Athletic Field

Click HERE to visit DPR’s Riggs LaSalle Community Center website. And, click HERE to visit DPR’s Riggs LaSalle Community Center “Premier Athletic Field”.

Below are a few listed features of Riggs LaSalle Community Center:

Designed and constructed as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building
Full-size Indoor Gymnasium
Game Room
Computer Lab
Fitness Center / Weight Room
Multipurpose Room
Arts and Crafts Room
Restrooms with showers and lockers
Kitchenette
Dedicated parking for car pools and bicycles
Outdoor Spray Park
Outdoor Patio Seating

As for the inclusion of a new library with proposed RCC facility: Currently, the $14 million is budgeted only for a new RRC facility. A proposed library would have a separate budget line-item and will not be factored into the planning budget for the new facility.

Mr. Ellis (marcus.ellis@dc.gov) will coordinate all RRC programming issues/plans/concerns and will schedule community meetings in the near future.

Meeting attendees included:

DC Government
Chris Taylor (Mayors Office Community Relations Services)
Forest Hayes (Mayors Office Community Relation Services)
Jessie Rounds (Mayors Office Community Outreach)
Marcus Ellis (DPR Programming Director)
Tony Robinson (Mayors Office Director of Communications)
Gail Ward (DPR-Ward 6 Manager)
Brian Williams (Rosedale Recreation - Site Manger)
Tommy Wells (Ward 6 Council Member)
Charles Allen (Chief-of-Staff, Ward 6 Councilman Tommy Wells)
Gladys Mack (ANC 7A06)

Community
Rosedale Youth Institute {RYI}
Rosedale Citizens Alliance {RCA}
DC Acorn
Rosedale Grassroots Organization {RGO}
Other Rosedale Recreation Center friends & neighbors