...thanks to the support and contributions of association and community garden members. Perhaps we can build upon this success with additional requests in the coming years. Following is the content of the award notification letter:

Arlington County, Virginia
Park and Recreation Commission
#1 Courthouse Plaza
Suite 414
2100 Clarendon Boulevard
Arlington, Virginia 22201

February 9, 2007

I am pleased to inform you that the Park and Recreation Commission is recommending an expenditure of $3,658 for the installation of a field stone stepper path to strengthen the pedestrian connection to the existing bench located to the north of the [Key Boulevard Community] gardens. The grant award will also fund the installation of a new park identification sign at the North 19th Street entrance.

The Commission's recommendations for this year's grant recipients will be presented to the County Board for approval on Saturday, February 24, 2007. Once approved by the County Board, completion of your project is anticipated by the end of the 2007 calendar year.

The Commission appreciates your participation in the Park Enhancement Grant Program. Thank you for taking an interest in improving our parks and community.

Sincerely,

/s/ Tobin L. Smith
Tobin L. Smith, Chair

On Monday, August 13, Lois Barb (Park Supervisor), and Patrick Wegeng (Landscape Designer) will be at the park area to identify the scope of the services we had requested and establish a timeline for completing the improvements. I've asked to meet them at 9:30 a.m. If Association members would like to participate in this meeting, you are warmly welcome.

On August 13, Maggie Whitman and I met with Lois Barb, Parks Department designate for this project, and Patrick Wegeng, who is charge of the county's Landscape unit. I have no specifics to report. Ms. Barb and Mr. Wegeng did examine the area and discussed plans. Yesterday (August 22), Ms. Barb said she was "planning to go ahead and order the sign for the park." Hopefully, more news and a timeline will come shortly.

Today's update from Lois Barb:
[S]taff on site by the end of the week for taking down the two trees, pruning and general tidying up....the layout of the potential fieldstone path, by Monday.

The county has suggested "KEY BOULEVARD COMMUNITY GARDEN 1601 KEY BLVD" for the sign for the park and offered either a 3-line or 4-line layout. The sign will be nailed to the mulch bin wall facing 19th Street. Personally, I don't think that wording indicates that the park/green area is available to the community. The garden is a distance away, contained behind the chain link fence.

I've responded by asking if the county could use wording more specific to the park location, e.g., "19th Street Park." Any thoughts, suggestions?

Many thanks.

How about Colonial Terrace Park (because of the neighborhood, and more specific than 19th St. or Key Blvd)?

Another thought might be to rename both the park and the community gardens:

North Rosslyn Community Gardens and North Rosslyn Park

I like 19th Street and Colonial Terrace and Key Blvd as ideas for names, but those are all street names where North Rosslyn is our community name.

Or we could shorten to just Rosslyn Park and Rosslyn Community Gardens.

from Lois Barb:
"Unfortunately this area is not designated as a park and we have to use the official name for the area on the signs. I will talk to my Manager and Carol Ann to see if we can add any wording. I will get back to you next week."

from Lois Barb:
The landscape team removed the two [dead] trees and the dead shrubs from the lawn area. Some pruning was done on the silver maple next to the sidewalk. Dead branches were pruned out of the willow oak.

Today, Patrick [landscape designer] headed out to two stone center companies to select a fieldstone that can be used for the garden pathway. He hopes to have it delivered by the end of the week and begin installation the first week after labor day. Installation will only take one day.

Check out the improvements to the mini-park at the north end of the Key Blvd. Community Gardens. Arlington County Parks completed the installation of the flag stone steps today. So with the landscape improvements and the steps, we now have a small haven of green grass and trees with a resting bench for the community to enjoy.

A BIG thanks to Evelyn Chervenic who wrote the grant proposal and worked with the county to get this project approved and completed and to Lois Barb, Randy Randall, Patrick and all the staff at Arlington County Parks for planning, scheduling and completing the work.

Lois Barb has provided the final wording for the sign. She explained "we cannot reference this area as a park being that it is not officially park property. In my discussions with our Planning Department staff this is what they agreed could be used for signage."

Here 'tis:
KEY BOULEVARD
COMMUNITY
GARDEN
AND
GREEN
1601 Key Blvd