Bill > PR24-0314

This Resolution, titled "Sense of the Council Supporting the Establishment of Amigos Park Resolution of 2021," expresses the Council's support for creating a public park at the intersection of Mount Pleasant Street, N.W. and Kenyon Street, N.W., a location historically known as "La Esquina" and a significant gathering place for the Central American immigrant community, particularly Salvadorans, who have shaped the Mount Pleasant neighborhood since the 1970s and 80s. The resolution highlights the long-standing advocacy by residents and organizations like Amigos Park and Green Spaces for DC for this space, noting its current underutilization and issues with a fenced-in planting area, with a portion of the land belonging to a private owner of a 7-11 store and the rest being public parking managed by the DDOT (District Department of Transportation). Despite the low cost to the District and the willingness of the private owner to collaborate, the Department of General Services and the Department of Parks and Recreation have been hesitant to proceed due to the space's size and lack of a designated client agency, prompting this resolution to urge the District government to use existing resources to negotiate a lease or agreement to transform the area into a park, thereby honoring the community and improving a vital neighborhood spot.