Statement before the Alexandria City Council
On Fort Ward Park by Dennis S. Carroll
December 13,2008
My name is Dennis Carroll. My home at 401 8 Ellicott Street is
directly in back of Fort Ward Park's maintenance facility. I've
visited the park for 30 years and bought my home near Fort Ward
four years ago because I loved the park. Unfortunately, being
close to the park has not been pleasant. From a ringside seat, I've
discovered that the City has to balance the interests of homeowners
near the park, the park's recreational users, and the park's
preservation. In general, I think the City has failed to balance
these interests.
The City deserves an F for its treatment of nearby homeowners
until very recently. When I moved near the park, large trees
belonging to the park leaned on and crushed my fence. It took a
year of phone calls to get the city to remove the trees. By that
time, the fence was wrecked and cost $3,000 to replace. The city
also stuck two large dumpsters about 25 feet fiom my fence. The
dumpsters overflowed with trash and stunk so badly that my family
could not enjoy our backyard. Strangers working for the city stood
on top of the dumpsters to mash down the garbage. They could
stare over the top of my fence into my back windows at my
children. My protest got the city to wake up, remove the
dumpsters, and work with me instead of against me. It took three
years to reach this point of elementary competence and courtesy.
In balancing recreational uses with the concerns of homeowners,
the City has again earned an F. My family has been annoyed
repeatedly by the music of people partying for hours at a time. The
thump--thump--thump of bass beats has reverberated across a
thousand feet fiom near the amphitheater. I've visited the park
during these disco-style parties and seen hundreds of people
centered on speakers six feet tall. The speakers are powered by
SUVs or portable generators. Frankly, my wife and I felt
intimidated by one gigantic party of a thousand people as well as
by the litter, drinking, and a large tour bus parked and idling on
park grass for several hours. Events on this scale and raucous
music outrage residents as well as ruin the park in general.
The City has also earned an F for failing to preserve the park. The
City needs to respect the park as the City's Arboretum and a source
of history. Having visited the park for 30 years, I've come to
regret the lack of young trees and progressive deterioration. The
City needs to plant new trees and other vegetation to preserve the
park's beauty. Parallel to the neglect of the Arboretum is the
neglect of the history. Both of these values have suffered from a
lack of balance in managing the park.
What can be done to balance the interests of homeowners,
recreational users, and the park's preservation? One of the most
important steps the city can take is a total prohibition of amplified
music and alcohol by private parties. The city is considering such
a prohibition and should implement it immediately. Why would
this make a huge difference? Total prohibition of amplified music
and alcohol would be easily understandable and enforceable. It
would motivate big, noisy crowds to conduct their parties
elsewhere. It would send a clear message to everybody that Fort
Ward Park is NOT, repeat NOT, to be treated as a money-making
discotheque. Instead, it would show the City's support for Fort
Ward as a beautiful place where smaller groups can enjoy its
beauty free of alcohol and raucous music while respecting the
rights of nearby homeowners. Thank you for this chance to tell
you my concerns.
Statement
On Fort Ward Park by Dennis S. Carroll
December 13,2008
My name is Dennis Carroll. My home at 401 8 Ellicott Street is
directly in back of Fort Ward Park's maintenance facility. I've
visited the park for 30 years and bought my home near Fort Ward
four years ago because I loved the park. Unfortunately, being
close to the park has not been pleasant. From a ringside seat, I've
discovered that the City has to balance the interests of homeowners
near the park, the park's recreational users, and the park's
preservation. In general, I think the City has failed to balance
these interests.
The City deserves an F for its treatment of nearby homeowners
until very recently. When I moved near the park, large trees
belonging to the park leaned on and crushed my fence. It took a
year of phone calls to get the city to remove the trees. By that
time, the fence was wrecked and cost $3,000 to replace. The city
also stuck two large dumpsters about 25 feet fiom my fence. The
dumpsters overflowed with trash and stunk so badly that my family
could not enjoy our backyard. Strangers working for the city stood
on top of the dumpsters to mash down the garbage. They could
stare over the top of my fence into my back windows at my
children. My protest got the city to wake up, remove the
dumpsters, and work with me instead of against me. It took three
years to reach this point of elementary competence and courtesy.
In balancing recreational uses with the concerns of homeowners,
the City has again earned an F. My family has been annoyed
repeatedly by the music of people partying for hours at a time. The
thump--thump--thump of bass beats has reverberated across a
thousand feet fiom near the amphitheater. I've visited the park
during these disco-style parties and seen hundreds of people
centered on speakers six feet tall. The speakers are powered by
SUVs or portable generators. Frankly, my wife and I felt
intimidated by one gigantic party of a thousand people as well as
by the litter, drinking, and a large tour bus parked and idling on
park grass for several hours. Events on this scale and raucous
music outrage residents as well as ruin the park in general.
The City has also earned an F for failing to preserve the park. The
City needs to respect the park as the City's Arboretum and a source
of history. Having visited the park for 30 years, I've come to
regret the lack of young trees and progressive deterioration. The
City needs to plant new trees and other vegetation to preserve the
park's beauty. Parallel to the neglect of the Arboretum is the
neglect of the history. Both of these values have suffered from a
lack of balance in managing the park.
What can be done to balance the interests of homeowners,
recreational users, and the park's preservation? One of the most
important steps the city can take is a total prohibition of amplified
music and alcohol by private parties. The city is considering such
a prohibition and should implement it immediately. Why would
this make a huge difference? Total prohibition of amplified music
and alcohol would be easily understandable and enforceable. It
would motivate big, noisy crowds to conduct their parties
elsewhere. It would send a clear message to everybody that Fort
Ward Park is NOT, repeat NOT, to be treated as a money-making
discotheque. Instead, it would show the City's support for Fort
Ward as a beautiful place where smaller groups can enjoy its
beauty free of alcohol and raucous music while respecting the
rights of nearby homeowners. Thank you for this chance to tell
you my concerns.
Statement
No comments:
Post a Comment