Our park improvement efforts

As part of our mission to provide a safe space for every dog in the neighborhood, we are working actively with our government representatives to set a plan for a meaningful park update.

In May 2022, we worked with Council Member Charles Allen to secure $1.25 million for a park improvement project.

At this time, we are actively working with Commissioners Gove and Wethington and Councilmember Allen to advance the project with the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) and the Department of General Services (DGS).

On April 23, 2024, DPR and DGS held a community meeting at Rosedale Rec Center to present a design plan and collect community feedback. Kingsman Bark and park pals were joined by Council Member Allen and ANC Commissioners Gove and Wethington. The city presented a design that would update and change the park’s surface/groundcover and fix drainage issues. The city will also install new trach cans, poop bag dispensers, water fountains, benches, and gate latches. They have not yet decided on the surface cover, though they are primarily considering synthetic turf or engineered wood fiber and took input from us and the community about both options. We expressed that a key factor in determining the final ground cover should be the cost and time commitment required of the community for ongoing maintenance. The design presented would not change the current footprint or layout of the park, but it will offer much needed enhancements throughout the dog park, basketball courts, and adjacent recreational field.

The city intends to hold one more community meeting in the fall to present the final design before the construction kickoff. If things progress as planned, they anticipate breaking ground in the winter time with completion expected in spring 2025. We don’t yet know the extent of park closures for construction.

The city wants the park to work for our community and they solicited and were receptive to our concerns and ideas for ways to ensure it is a safe, sanitary, and reliable place for park pals to enjoy year round.

For additional information about the project, please visit:
https://dgs.dc.gov/page/kingsman-field-basketball-courts-and-dog-park

To sign up for updates about this project, please visit
http://dpr.dc.gov/stakeholder

We look forward to working with our city partners to further engage the community in the coming months.

How you can help now

As Kingsman Bark pushes the project forward with the city, we always need help caring for the park in its current state. While you are in the park, take a few moments to help with ongoing maintenance.