Evans Honors District's  

First Responders 

 Evans joins Councilmembers Mendelson and Cheh to honor  

DC Fire Chief Kenneth Ellerbe and members of the  

DC Fire Department. 

Councilmember Evans recently joined Councilmembers Mendelson and Cheh at Ward 2's Engine 16 firehouse to honor the first responders who protect and serve the District's residents every day.

Joining Evans were DC Fire Chief Kenneth Ellerbe, President of Local 36, Ed Smith, and members of Engine 16, located at 1018 13th Street, NW. Engine 16 protects Ward 2's downtown, the John A. Wilson Building, and the White House.

"While it is easy to remember the sacrifice of our first responders on the anniversary of the September 11th attacks, we should be thankful everyday for their service," said Evans. "Engine 16 is one of the busiest in the District and the importance of their work cannot be overstated."

Evans also presented Chief Ellerbe with a Council resolution in honor of the men and women of the District's fire department.

Evans addresses attendees at the park's grand opening.

 (Photo: Lauren Sausser, Georgetown Patch) 

After decades of perseverance, the Georgetown Waterfront Park is finally complete and open for all to enjoy. Situated along the Potomac River, the park stretches from the Washington Harbour complex (on K Street, NW) to the Key Bridge. 

"I almost can't believe my eyes," said Evans. "The completion of this park has been a long time coming, and would not have been possible without the tireless work of the Friends of the Georgetown Waterfront Park.  This park is truly a treasure and a tremendous enhancement to the shoreline of our city."

The construction of the park was accomplished through funding from the National Park Service, the District Government, and private donations.  The park is managed by the National Park Service.  

Features of the park include walkways, benches, overlooks, large open green areas, and a labyrinth on the western section (K Street between Wisconsin Avenue, NW and the Key Bridge).  A low arcing fountain, steps laddering down to the river, and a wide walkway make up the park's eastern section (K Street between 31st Street to Wisconsin Avenue, NW).  The park was designed by Wallace, Roberts and Todd.

Ruth Werner is Evans' Georgetown liaison.

Councilmember Evans recently joined with residents and business owners of the Foggy Bottom and West End communities in celebration of the long-awaited Whole Foods Market at Square 54. Square 54 is the former site of George Washington University hospital. Whole Foods will join an array of restaurants, shops, residences, and office space in the new development.

"Over the years, I have been approached by many residents about bringing a grocery store to this area," Evans said. "I couldn't be more pleased with the end result and am happy to welcome Whole Foods to the neighborhood."

The new Whole Foods is located at 2201 Eye Street, NW.

Sherri Kimbel is Evans' Foggy Bottom & West End liaison.

Mark your calendars for September 24 as Art All Night, an all-night exploration and celebration of contemporary art, comes to the Chinatown and Shaw neighborhoods.

As part of the event, indoor and outdoor venues will showcase work by artists in a diverse range of media including visual arts, street performances, live music, and DJs. With this inaugural festival, the District joins a global network of arts events that started in Paris in 2002.

"The arts are such an important part of our city and neighborhoods," said Evans. "I hope everyone takes the opportunity to check out what is sure to be a great event."

Art All Night DC was founded by Ariana Austin and is being curated by a diverse list of cultural partners. The festival is presented by Shaw Main Streets, Inc., the commercial revitalization and historic preservation organization serving the Shaw neighborhood, immediately north of Chinatown/Gallery Place. The event is supported by a Festivals DC grant from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities.

For additional information, please click here.

Dupont Circle Village, a non-profit neighborhood organization that connects aging residents to services and activities, has announced a lecture on in-home care as part of its Live and Learn series. The lecture will take place on Monday, September 26 from 3:30pm-5:00pm at the American Geophysical Union (2000 Florida Avenue, NW).

Do you need someone to help with personal care at home? Around-the-clock or just for an hour? At this lecture, Duane Rollins will explain how you or a loved one can stay at home with inspired, innovative in-home care. Mr. Rollins is the Regional Executive Director of HouseWorks. His extensive background is in hospital administration and community service.

"Dupont Village continues to be a great asset to the Ward and city," Evans said. "What they do is essential to helping our aging population stay in our neighborhoods where they can continue to contribute to the community."

For reservations or additional information, please contact Linda Harsh, 202-234-2567, or lindajkh@mac.com. The lecture is free for Village members and $10 for others.

More information on the work of Dupont Circle Village can be found here.

Andrew Huff is Evans' Dupont Circle liaison.

The historic O Street Market in Shaw, which is in for a major facelift and when completed will include a brand new Giant, will get underway with major construction in the next two months. Because of the upcoming construction, the Giant store at 1414 8th Street, NW has closed.

To serve the Shaw community, Giant has arranged for a free shuttle bus service to their Columbia Heights store. The shuttle bus is scheduled to pick up customers at 1330 7th Street, NW and Asbury Dwellings at 7th & Rhode Island Avenue, NW and will take them to the Tivoli Store at 14th & Park Road, NW in Columbia Heights. Shuttle service began on September 8.

The free shuttle will pick-up residents 1330 7th Street, NW and Asbury Dwellings on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9:30am, and Sundays at 12:00pm before making its way to the Tivoli Giant. It will then make return trips from the Giant on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 11:30am and Sundays at 2:00pm.

Speaking at the September 7 meeting of Advisory Neighborhood Commission 2C, Roadside Development, the project developer, stated that the former Giant will have 24-hour security and that the site will be remain clean and safe for the community. Roadside has also contributed $30,000 to pay for seniors and those with disabilities who need their groceries delivered. This process is being administered by Emmaus Services for the Aging.

"I am grateful to both Giant and Roadside Development for stepping up to the plate as construction gets underway," said Evans. "This project has been in the making for some time and we are excited to finally see it moving forward."

Clark Construction will begin work on the site in the next 2 months with demolition, removal of windows, and facade bracing on the existing O Street structure. Major excavation and foundation work is scheduled to begin in November.

For updates and additional information on the O Street Market, please click here.

Windy Abdul-Rahim is Evans' Shaw liaison.