During Demolition - 17th & Gales Sts.
Before Demolition - 17th & Gales Sts.
*************** More Photos Follow ******************
And here is a post from the RCA listserv that says it all -
"Demolition has begun. A new Recreation Center will rise. A library will be be built where there hadn't been one before. And we all did it together. All of us.
RCA. RYI. RGO. All worked hand-in-hand. Rosedale neighbors got themselves down to the District Council over and over again. Our mayor pitched in. Tommy Wells helped at crucial times along with Charles Allen, his chief of staff.
Councilman Thomas and his key staff Council Staff member, Neil Rodgers, were surprised and responsive because we were always at Council meetings. And that "we" meant the Rosedale Community...men and women, multi-racial, different ages. We could always count on Councilmembers Alexander and Kwame Brown, too. The whole council listened and supported us.
RYI, with its orientation on sports, sent coach John Cotten to meetings where the community could speak out about the field and design of the building. RCA president, Nikki Bowens, was there carefully keeping us on track. RGO leader Sondra Phillips Gilbert added her voice to the chorus. Willie Smith brought his vision for area youth and the creation of H.O.O.D. to the table. ANC6A members never wavered. Members from Pilgrim church gave testimony at the Wilson Building. Despite our different backgrounds or because of them...we ordinary people were awesome and relentless.
District planners paid attention to the Rosedale community because we learned to work together by touring Rec Centers and Community Centers all around the District. We got to know several of the DPR people, including Bridget Stesney, and the architects. Brian Williams, Rosedale's tireless manager, literally steered us around town us on those tours. Sometimes we purred. Often we pouted. There days when we shouted. We weren't playing. We were working. And no one suggested that we stop.
I repeat that we, the people of Rosedale, were all amazing. All of us tore down the past to build the future. And I am proud to know so many of us."
Brit Wyckoff
RCA Outreach Committee Co-chair
**************** More Photos ****************
During Demolition - Gales St, looking west
Before Demolition - Gales St, looking west
During Demolition - West Side of Rec. Center, looking east
Before Demolition - West Side of Rec. Center, looking east
During Demolition - Courts, looking southwest
Before Demolition - Courts, looking southwest
During Demolition - Driveway, looking south
Before Demolition - Driveway, looking south
During Demolition - Fields & Back of Rec. Center, looking west
Before Demolition - Fields & Back of Rec. Center, looking west
Demolition photographs taken on August 22, 2010. Before images have been extracted from Google Street View.
4 comments:
It sounds strange to say 'congratulations' on a demolition, so I'll wait to say it until the new center is built and is a vibrant part of the community.
The demolition was really something. It's impressive how quickly they brought the building down. Let's hope that speed continues into the construction phases.
When I first read it I thought that the recreation center is gone forever but I'm glad that it has been demolished, because a new recreation center will be made. And I think that if all recreation centers in the world will be regularly maintained, all the guests will keep on coming back into those parks. Like for instance in Denver, Colorado, recreation centers has undergone into maintenance to ensure the guests' safety and for it to become more beautiful. Denver parks and recreation centers is one of my favorite parks here in our town and every weekend, my family would go there and have some quality time.
Does anyone know when this building is scheduled to be done? I'm relatively new to the neighborhood, but, judging from what I see there today (1/19) and from those 5-month-old pictures, it does not look like they've done anything. Has construction been suspended? I thought I had read somewhere it was supposed to be done in the spring...because that's obviously way off. Thanks.
Anon -
Below are two RCA blog posts with some relatively current information on why there is no visible construction movement.
http://rosedalecitizen.blogspot.com/2010/11/alarming-update-on-rosedale-community.html
http://rosedalecitizen.blogspot.com/2010/11/rosedale-community-center-library.html
But, it is time the community asks for an update from CM Wells and DPR. When we do get an update, we'll post.
If you see or hear anything, please let us know.
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