WASHINGTON — One day after a double shooting at DC's Marvin Gaye Park a council member said cleaning up crime, can begin with cleaning up our parks.
Police say 64-year-old Dwain Francis Day of Southwest was shot and killed inside the park on Foote Street, NE just after 4:30 Wednesday afternoon. Less than 24 hours later, Councilmember Janeese Lewis George joined nature advocates from all 8 Wards at the nearby Marvin Gaye Rec Center to highlight a growing problem in our green spaces
"When we have these areas that are unkept they breed criminal activity that lends itself to the crime crisis we have in the District," explained CM Lewis George. “It’s also a community issue when the community is not taken care of and neglected by their own government it also feeds into poverty and the way people feel about the spaces they’re in.”
In fact, the Councilmember said a gun was recently found inside the forest of brush and weeds next to the rec. It's become such a public safety issue she said that instead of cleaning it up, the city locked it up cutting off the path and access to the creek and bathrooms at the rec center on the other side.
"Five agencies surrounding saying it's their responsibility, it's their responsibility, it's their responsibility and pointing fingers," said the Councilmember.
So, Lewis-George is proposing a bill to create a brand new office within the Department of Energy and Environment to take responsibility for maintaining our parks.
"It's a real quality of life issue for all the people around it,” said Liz Crawford with Shepherd Park Weed Warriors.
"We find in disfavored communities especially East of the River we're on life support and as a result of that our forest in on life support as well," added Brenda Richardson of Anacostia Parks and Community Collaborative.
"A man was killed just blocks from where we're standing next to a huge grove of invasives that's been there for years,” said Steve Coleman Director of Washington Parks and People.
Coleman said DC is the greenest major city in North America with 500 acres of forested areas.
“But we are not investing in it, we are not taking care of it and most importantly we are not helping it serve our peoples' most urgent needs," he said.
"As a result of this legislation not only can the community heal, but we can also start using our forest patches as means to heal the community that is often traumatized by gun violence," Richardson added.
The Councilmember will introduce the bill which has nine co-sponsors. And while funding a new office even though the councilmember has nine co-sponsors on the bill, she said funding the new office in the 2025 budget may be a challenge. But she said the bill would start the discussion.