Yards Park, courtesy of TommyWells.org.
On Friday, Councilmember Wells handed out the Brickies, otherwise known as the Livable Walkable Awards. The awards recognize individuals, organizations, businesses and spaces that make Ward 6 a desirable environment for all manner of people and uses. This is the first year that Ward 6 includes the Shaw neighborhood, so Wellslandia has crept further into Northwest, spreading our utopian lifestyle.
This year’s recipients range from neighborhood fixtures to a relatively new business and a sparkling new (continually evolving) park. The Neighbor Award went to Anwar Saleem, Executive Director of H Street Main Street. Saleem is synonymous with H Street, and his work with business owners and city planners has led the renaissance of the city’s longest commercial corridor and sparked a transformation in nearby real estate. Shaw’s City Blossoms received the Community Organization Award for their initiatives working with more than 3.000 school children on gardening projects. Empty lots and neglected spaces throughout Shaw have been transformed, all while educating local children and youths. BicycleSPACE won the Business Award for their efforts to create not just a bike shop, but to promote cycling as a lifestyle. Their shop, opened in 2010, goes beyond gear heads by creating a community around cycling and acting as an advocate to make DC the nation’s top city for biking. John Thomas from DDOT’s Urban Forestry Administration was honored with the Public Service Award for his work on the neighborhood’s tree canopy. Thomas leads the city’s team of arborists responsible for the street trees that make our sidewalks such pleasant places to stroll. Last but certainly not least, the Civic Pride award was given to Yards Park, the space that has help regenerate the nearby Anacostia waterfront. It is a space unparalleled for its quality and variety as a draw for individuals and families during all season of the year.
As you move about the neighborhood this week, take a moment to appreciate its benefits and think of the great work of these awardees.