Steven C. Doulis, AIA, Architect
4007 Ellicott Street
Alexandria, Virginia 22304
703.671.7424
sdoulis@comcast.net
steve_doulis@nps.gov
March 17, 2009
Dear Mayor Euille, Vice Mayor Pepper, Councilmen Gaines, Krupicka, Lovain,
Smedberg and Wilson, City Manager, Staff of the Alexandria Recreation,
Parks, and Cultural Activities, and Fellow Alexandrians:
I appreciate this opportunity to provide public comment concerning the City's plans at Fort Ward Park. I echo many of the sentiments of people like me, and appreciate their research to document and highlight many of the historical aspects of the Park which have long been unrecognized.
Alexandria, rich in her history, is what attracted my wife, Sophia and I to move to Marlboro Estates in 1991, (re)establish roots and raise our children in this great City. Sophia, being a native Alexandrian and former President of the Alexandria Dental Society, has strong ties both personally and professionally to the many people and places that make this City so unique. Our catharsis with Fort Ward Park, its environs and our neighbors are thus equally strong as you might imagine.
I have had the opportunity to work with the National Park Service (NPS) over the past 26 years. The NPS mission to "preserve and protect our natural and cultural resources while providing facilities for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations" has a shared meaning in the context of our City and Regional Parks, particularly where planning remains to be done. Fort Ward is no exception as the challenge to balance protection of resources and provide facilities is a formidable one. Due process in my capacity with NPS has necessitated project presentations for park planning and development before the National Capital Planning Commission, the Washington Commission of Fine Arts, the Corps of Engineers, House and Senate subcommittees, as well as state and local agencies and Friends' groups. In that public service work, transparency and accountability throughout the planning and development process have been cornerstones of successful project implementation. It was disheartening to learn that these things were not happening all along for Fort Ward Park.
I am not writing in an official capacity but as a concerned citizen with something to offer in support of a proactive process to preserve and protect the Fort’s extant and yet undiscovered features.
March 17, 2009 - Doulis Letter
It is no secret that the Park Service and the City share many common interests. Each body has had a long history of cooperation with citizens and partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource stewardship. Therefore, Ft. Ward Park, a National Register property, is "an opportunity in our own backyard" to demonstrate that type of cooperation through due process, and due diligence. Through development of the October 2008 plan without much-needed public input, cooperation is unfortunately something that has been exposed as lacking until recently. Fort Ward Park, and her sister Fort Circle Parks throughout the District, Virginia and Maryland, deserve nothing less.
We are fortunate that the overwhelming majority of the City's residents who have gone public on this issue have embraced the protection and preservation of the Park, with comments expressed in phone calls, emails, memoranda and throughout deliberations at public meetings. It should be clear to all by now that this is more than just about public permits, decibel levels of amplified music, property values, ignored gravesites, tramped archeological sites, trash, alcohol, drugs, and law enforcement. While all of these issues and others remain extremely important to all of us, a Master Plan for short- and long-term use of the Park is what is desperately needed.
Perhaps the process begins with a detailed survey of the Park, its boundaries, topography, salient features and a first-phase archeological study. While budget cuts are a reality, this is not about what the City cannot afford to do, but rather, what we cannot afford to let happen! The toll of unplanned development and uncontrolled "site improvements" would result not only in irreversible damage to the site and heritage resources, but also represent a disconnection with the community at-large.
We have placed our trust in you, our elected officials and park managers to do the right thing, which we trust you will. To that end, I thank you as a fellow public steward, in advance, for working closely with all stakeholders to effect a long-term solution for Ft. Ward Park. Ideally, this entails a solution that protects and celebrates the legacy of the Fort's place during the Civil War, of a culturally diverse community, and of affording future generations the opportunity to experience Fort Ward Park unimpaired.
Sincerely,
/s/
Steven C. Doulis, AIA
Architect / Sr. Project Manager
National Park Service
National Capital Region
Washington, DC
4007 Ellicott Street
Alexandria, Virginia 22304
703.671.7424
sdoulis@comcast.net
steve_doulis@nps.gov
March 17, 2009
Dear Mayor Euille, Vice Mayor Pepper, Councilmen Gaines, Krupicka, Lovain,
Smedberg and Wilson, City Manager, Staff of the Alexandria Recreation,
Parks, and Cultural Activities, and Fellow Alexandrians:
I appreciate this opportunity to provide public comment concerning the City's plans at Fort Ward Park. I echo many of the sentiments of people like me, and appreciate their research to document and highlight many of the historical aspects of the Park which have long been unrecognized.
Alexandria, rich in her history, is what attracted my wife, Sophia and I to move to Marlboro Estates in 1991, (re)establish roots and raise our children in this great City. Sophia, being a native Alexandrian and former President of the Alexandria Dental Society, has strong ties both personally and professionally to the many people and places that make this City so unique. Our catharsis with Fort Ward Park, its environs and our neighbors are thus equally strong as you might imagine.
I have had the opportunity to work with the National Park Service (NPS) over the past 26 years. The NPS mission to "preserve and protect our natural and cultural resources while providing facilities for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations" has a shared meaning in the context of our City and Regional Parks, particularly where planning remains to be done. Fort Ward is no exception as the challenge to balance protection of resources and provide facilities is a formidable one. Due process in my capacity with NPS has necessitated project presentations for park planning and development before the National Capital Planning Commission, the Washington Commission of Fine Arts, the Corps of Engineers, House and Senate subcommittees, as well as state and local agencies and Friends' groups. In that public service work, transparency and accountability throughout the planning and development process have been cornerstones of successful project implementation. It was disheartening to learn that these things were not happening all along for Fort Ward Park.
I am not writing in an official capacity but as a concerned citizen with something to offer in support of a proactive process to preserve and protect the Fort’s extant and yet undiscovered features.
March 17, 2009 - Doulis Letter
It is no secret that the Park Service and the City share many common interests. Each body has had a long history of cooperation with citizens and partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource stewardship. Therefore, Ft. Ward Park, a National Register property, is "an opportunity in our own backyard" to demonstrate that type of cooperation through due process, and due diligence. Through development of the October 2008 plan without much-needed public input, cooperation is unfortunately something that has been exposed as lacking until recently. Fort Ward Park, and her sister Fort Circle Parks throughout the District, Virginia and Maryland, deserve nothing less.
We are fortunate that the overwhelming majority of the City's residents who have gone public on this issue have embraced the protection and preservation of the Park, with comments expressed in phone calls, emails, memoranda and throughout deliberations at public meetings. It should be clear to all by now that this is more than just about public permits, decibel levels of amplified music, property values, ignored gravesites, tramped archeological sites, trash, alcohol, drugs, and law enforcement. While all of these issues and others remain extremely important to all of us, a Master Plan for short- and long-term use of the Park is what is desperately needed.
Perhaps the process begins with a detailed survey of the Park, its boundaries, topography, salient features and a first-phase archeological study. While budget cuts are a reality, this is not about what the City cannot afford to do, but rather, what we cannot afford to let happen! The toll of unplanned development and uncontrolled "site improvements" would result not only in irreversible damage to the site and heritage resources, but also represent a disconnection with the community at-large.
We have placed our trust in you, our elected officials and park managers to do the right thing, which we trust you will. To that end, I thank you as a fellow public steward, in advance, for working closely with all stakeholders to effect a long-term solution for Ft. Ward Park. Ideally, this entails a solution that protects and celebrates the legacy of the Fort's place during the Civil War, of a culturally diverse community, and of affording future generations the opportunity to experience Fort Ward Park unimpaired.
Sincerely,
/s/
Steven C. Doulis, AIA
Architect / Sr. Project Manager
National Park Service
National Capital Region
Washington, DC
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