District of Columbia Department of Parks and Recreation facts for kids
D.C. Dept. of Parks and Recreation logo in 2010
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| Agency overview | |
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| Formed | 1790 (legal predecessor) 1989 (current agency) |
| Jurisdiction | Washington, D.C. |
| Headquarters | 1275 First Street, NE, Washington, D.C. 20002 38°55′0.2″N 77°1′44.1″W / 38.916722°N 77.028917°W |
| Employees | 574.8 full-time staff |
| Annual budget | $48,095,331 |
| Agency executive |
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| Website | http://dpr.dc.gov |
The District of Columbia Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) is a government agency in Washington, D.C.. It is part of the city's executive branch, which means it helps carry out the laws. DPR is in charge of planning, building, and taking care of public places for fun and sports.
These places include athletic fields, community centers, parks, playgrounds, swimming pools, and tennis courts. DPR also runs sports leagues for kids and adults. They offer outdoor activities like boating and camping for all ages.
DPR manages about 900 acres of parks and 68 recreation places. This includes 25 outdoor pools, eight spray parks, and 10 indoor pools. All these are free for people who live in D.C. In 2011, the department planned to save money by reducing some staff. They also added funds for summer health and safety activities for young people.
Contents
How D.C. Parks and Recreation Started
The history of DPR is long and a bit complex. This is because of the special way Washington, D.C. was set up. The department's story goes back to the first leaders of D.C. in 1790. Over time, it changed names and roles many times to become what it is today.
Early Days of Parks in D.C.
When D.C. was created in 1790, its first leaders were called Commissioners. They were in charge of all public lands in the new federal city. Many areas were bought and turned into parkland. Parks were a key part of the city's original design, known as the L'Enfant plan from 1791.
An office was created to build public buildings and parks. After the War of 1812, when the British burned city buildings, this office changed. Later, in 1849, the United States Department of the Interior took over D.C.'s city parks.
In 1867, the United States Army Corps of Engineers became responsible for city parks. They even created a "Park Commission" to plant thousands of trees. For a while, the city leaders and the Army Corps shared park duties. But by 1898, the Army Corps had full control over all D.C. parks.
Planning for D.C.'s Future Parks
By 1900, people realized there was no clear plan for D.C.'s parks. The United States Senate formed the McMillan Commission in 1900. This group created the McMillan Plan in 1901. It was a big plan for how D.C.'s parks should grow.
The plan suggested turning areas like Anacostia Park and East Potomac Park into parkland. These areas were made from dirt dug out of the Potomac and Anacostia rivers. New groups were also set up to help design and build parks. These included the Commission of Fine Arts (1910) and the National Capital Parks and Planning Commission (1924).
In 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt moved the federal park office into the new Office of National Parks. This office later became the "National Park Service" (NPS) in 1934. The NPS was a federal agency that managed national parks, including many in D.C.
In 1942, a D.C. Recreation Board was created. This board was part of the local D.C. government. While the federal government (NPS) still built and cared for parks, the new board was in charge of recreation programs in local parks.
Local Efforts for Recreation
Even as the federal government managed many parks, D.C. leaders wanted more local control. In 1911, Congress allowed D.C. to create a Department of Playgrounds. This department ran programs at playgrounds.
Later, in 1915, the Community Center Department was formed. It offered activities for adults. In 1939, these two departments joined to become the Community Center and Playgrounds Department.
At this time, the National Park Service still controlled most D.C. parks. This caused problems between D.C. residents and the NPS. President Roosevelt tried to transfer some parks to city control, but it didn't happen.
Ending Segregation in Parks
For a long time, parks and recreation places in D.C. were kept separate by race. This was called segregation. For example, some pools were only for white people.
But in the early 1950s, things started to change. In 1951, the first public playground was desegregated. After the United States Supreme Court ruled in 1954 that public schools could not be segregated, D.C.'s parks and recreation programs quickly became open to everyone.
D.C. Takes Control of Its Parks
Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, there was a big push for D.C. to govern itself. This was called "home rule." In 1967, President Lyndon B. Johnson changed D.C.'s government. He appointed a mayor and city council.
Because of this, federal agencies started to give control of some services to the city. In 1968, all recreation places used only by local residents were given to the new D.C. Department of Recreation. Parks that served only local needs went to the D.C. Department of Public Works. This was the first time the city had full control over its own local parks and recreation.
Changes After Home Rule
The D.C. Department of Public Works managed city parks until 1989. The Department of Recreation handled recreation facilities and programs. But it faced many challenges.
In 1988, the D.C. City Council passed a law to combine these efforts. City-run parks moved from the Department of Public Works to the Department of Recreation. The agency was then renamed the Department of Recreation and Parks. In 2000, D.C. Mayor Anthony A. Williams renamed it the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR).
These changes didn't immediately fix all problems. Mayor Williams tried to improve the department. But it struggled with maintenance and spending its budget. In 2000, the DPR Director resigned due to issues with funds and not paying workers.
Neil O. Albert became the new director. He made big improvements. Many projects to fix and build new facilities started. He also got approval for a large spending plan for new projects. DPR's programs got much better. By 2003, DPR helped provide many meals to children in need.
When Adrian Fenty became Mayor in 2007, he wanted DPR to open more recreation centers and parks. Clark E. Ray became the new director. Under his leadership, D.C. opened many new basketball courts, baseball fields, dog parks, playgrounds, pools, and soccer fields. He also got a lot more money for new construction. However, Mayor Fenty later fired Ray, wanting even faster program growth.
After some challenges, Jesús Aguirre became the new DPR Director in 2009. He continued in this role under the next mayor, Vincent Gray.
How DPR Works Today
As of 2010, Jesús Aguirre was the Director of DPR. The Department of Parks and Recreation has four main parts:
- Programs: This part plans and runs all the activities and programs DPR offers.
- Parks & Facilities Operations and Maintenance: This part builds and takes care of all the buildings and outdoor spaces DPR manages.
- Human Capital Management: This part handles all staff needs, like hiring, training, and helping employees.
- Office of the Director: This part oversees everything, plans for the future, manages the budget, and handles communications. It also helps with technology, customer service, and working with other groups.
The Programs division is the largest. It includes many activities for different age groups. For example, there are programs for:
- Community Recreation: Supervised activities for everyone.
- Aquatics Programs: Swimming lessons and pool activities.
- Sports, Health and Fitness: Organized sports and fitness classes.
- Youth Development: Programs for young people at risk.
- Urban Camps: Day and overnight camps in the city.
- Children's Programs: Fun activities with a learning part.
- Teen Programs: Activities for teenagers, including summer jobs.
- Senior Services Program: Activities, learning, and transport for older adults.
- Therapeutic Recreation: Activities for people with disabilities.
- Nutritional Services: Providing free meals to kids in DPR programs.
The Parks & Facilities Operations and Maintenance Division keeps everything running smoothly. It has two main areas:
- Operations: This includes managing sites, providing safety at pools, park rangers, and maintaining athletic fields.
- Facilities: This handles cleaning, pool maintenance, and technical support for construction projects. It also oversees workers who maintain DPR buildings and landscapes.
This division usually renovates about eight playgrounds each year. In 2012, the city announced plans to renovate 32 playgrounds in one year. This was possible because they found unused funds.
The Human Capital Management Division handles the agency's finances and administrative support.
See also
