Thanks to everyone who came out for Family Fun Day!  What a blast it was, and perfect weather!  A very BIG thank you to Charlie Saxton of Office Caterers and his wife Kim, Channce Allen   (Hamilton Site Manager), Dan and Maria Barry, Audrey Nwanse, Brendan Fitzsimmons, Sean Wieland and ANC Commissioner Janet Myers and the entire Friends of 16th Street Heights Board for all the donations and help you contributed to make the day a success.  We look forward to hosting another  fun day in the park and remember to come on out and PLAY! 

We are also gearing up for DPR Beautification Day on June 13 from 9-12 in both Upshur and Hamilton Parks.  Hope to see you there!

APRIL 18 HAMILTON TOT LOT DESIGN MEETING–GWU, Alexandria. VA
11:00 am, Old Town Alexandria at the GW Center
As many of you may know the Friends of 16th Street Heights Parks group has raised $40,000 in private funds to build a new tot-lot at Hamilton Park (build date for this August!)  The group reached out to the GW School of Landscape Architecture and their students have agreed to take this on as a class project–designing the new tot lot.  We need interested community members, green gurus, landscapers and parents (especially those with 2-5 year olds) to come on out!  
 
This client meeting with the Friends of 16th Street Heights Parks folks (that is us!), DPR and the graduate students will be THIS Saturday, April 18 at 11:15 am in the GW Center in Old Town Alexandria.  Please RSVP to mariabarry@gmail.com if you would like to attend and or if you have any questions or need more information. 

This past Sunday the Friends of 16th Street Heights Parks and the 16th Street Heights Neighborhood Association sponsored a very successful Easter Egg Hunt for neighborhood families.  The weather didn’t cooperate on Saturday, but Sunday was a beautiful day to spend at the park.  We had over 50 kids hunting for eggs, many in their Easter finery.   A special thanks goes out to Charlie Saxon of Office Catering who provided muffins, bagels, fruit, coffee, and hot dogs for the event.  Thanks so much Charlie, you are too generous. 

We would also like to thank all the parents/grandparents and other adults who pitched in to make it all happen.  It is wonderful to see such community spirit.  Can’t wait until next year!

Save the date!  Hope you can make it to Hamilton Park for Family Fun Day on Sunday May 31 12-14!  We’ll play field games, bbq crafts and more.  Bring a side dish and dessert to share. We’ll have the drinks and griallables!  Please email mariabarry@gmail.com if you can volunteer or would like to make a donation to this great community event!

It’s time for the annual

EASTER EGG HUNT

SATURDAY, APRIL 11, 2009

11 AM – 1 PM

UPSHUR PARK

4300 ARKANSAS AVENUE

sponsored by the:

16^th Street Neighborhood Association

Friends of the 16^th Street Heights Parks

Upshur Recreation Center

Bring the kids to hunt for candy with

friends and neighbors

Ages infant to 12 years welcome!

We will have bags to decorate and hunt with

or bring your own bag or basket

Snacks provided!

Rain Date:  Sunday, April 12 from 1:00pm-3:00pm

The Friends of 16th Street Heights Parks and the 16th Street Neighborhood Association and invites you to our neighborhood’s Annual Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 11th from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm at Upshur
Park!

We need volunteers! 
In preparation for the Easter Egg Hunt, we are seeking volunteers to fill plastic eggs with candy.  We will provide 100 plastic eggs – you provide the candy and the labor.   If interested in filling eggs, please e-mail John Roane at johnroane@yahoo.com.  (Please use wrapped candy.)

We also will need volunteers for the day of the Easter Egg Hunt. Please e-mail John Roane if you are interested in helping with any of the following:

Set-Up:         9:30 – 11:00
Working the Event:      11:00 – 1:00
Face Painting:          11:00 – 1:00
Clean-Up:               1:00 – 2:30

Muffins, pastries and beverages will be provided for volunteers by neighbor and local caterer Charlie Saxon, who owns Office Catering.

Thanks for your interest and support!  We look forward to seeing you on April 11th!  Come one come all!

Tomorrow at 10:00am at the John A. Wilson Building, the DC City Council will take up FY 2010 Budget for the DC Department of Parks and Recreation.  It would be wonderful if we could have some representatives available from the our Friends of 16th Street Heights Parks group attend the hearing and to testify.  If you are interested in attending or testifying on behalf of our group and our partnership with the DC DPR please let me know.

To sign up to testify, please contact Susan Nix, Legislative Assistant, at 202-724-8107 or snix@dccouncil.us

Looks like the registration system is up now for soccer at Hamilton and Upshur Parks.
(http://dpr.dc.gov/dpr/frames.asp?doc=http://registration.dpr.dc.gov/RegistrationMain.sdi&dprNav=|32353|).
 
T-Ball is still not listed for Hamilton.  T-Ball will be THURSDAYS at Hamilton at 6:00 pm–starting this week.  Ages 5-7 (if you have a 4 year old with aptitude they can also play!)  Please contact Mike Thompkins at Hamilton Recreation Center to sign up–his email is mike.thompkins@dc.gov or just come on by!

We are excited that DPR is hosting a variety of spring sports programs for youth. Unfortunately the online registration system is currently unavailable at this time, and work is still being done to correct this.
 
All interested individuals are encouraged to come to the recreation center(s) and register or just show up on the first day and register that day. The start date for the soccer program on Tuesdays is March 31, 2009 at Hamilton and on Thursdays at Upshur April 2nd 2009, 6:00 pm start time at both parks.  The start date for T-ball at Hamilton is MARCH 19, 2009
 
HAMILTON PARK
Field Hockey        Mon/ Wed       5pm to 6pm       10-12 year olds
Tiny Tots Soccer   Tuesdays       6pm-6:45pm       3-6 year olds
Tee-Ball                Thursdays      6pm-7pm            5-8 year olds (STARTS MARCH 19!)
 
If you have any questions please feel free to contact Mike Thompkins at Hamilton at 202-576-6855.
 
UPSHUR PARK
Teeny Tiny Soccer 2-3 year olds–Check with Ms. Nickens at Upshur for details
Tiny Tots Soccer    3-6 year olds–THURSDAYS, starts APRIL 2

Saturday, March 28
Hamilton Park Clean-up 10:00am-12pm (coffee and muffins provided) (Hamilton St. between 13th & 14th St.)
Friends of the 16th Street Heights Parks Community Board Meeting 12:00pm-1:00pm (directly following the clean-up, lunch will be provided)

Tuesday, March 31
2nd Master Planning Meeting for Upshur and Hamilton Park with the DC Department of Parks and Recreation 7:00pm, at Hamilton Park

Saturday, April 4
Upshur Park Clean-up:  10:00am-12pm (coffee and muffins provided)

Saturday, April 11
Annual Upshur Park Easter Egg Hunt:  11am-1:00pm
This event is sponsored by the 16th St. Neighborhood Association and The Friends of the 16th Street Heights Parks.  We will be looking for volunteers to help the week before the event and on the day of the event.  Please let us know if you would like to volunteer.

Please mark your calendars for March 25th
10:00am on Wednesday, March 25th, the DC City Council will be holding hearings on the Department of Parks and Recreation FY2010 Budget.  The budget will likely impact the installation of a new playground at Upshur Park that was designed last November and December.  It could also impact development money for other park improvements that will be part of the master plan we are currently working on.  We will be calling on neighbors to join us at the John A. Wilson building to show support for our neighborhood parks. 

We Need More Board Members!
The Friends of the 16th Street Heights Parks is also looking for more board members.  If you are a park enthusiast and want to join our board, we would love to have you.  You can contact me, Jean Badalamenti at jnfz@starpower.net for more details.