CCA Advocates for Redevelopment of the Peirce Mill Tennis Center, by Peter Richman, Issues Team Lead (issues@crestwooddc.org)
As you head south on Beach Drive or east on Park Road, you may notice
road signs pointing to a tennis facility. But follow those directions and you won’t find a spot for your next match. Instead, the signs lead to a set of neglected clay courts overgrown with weeds and strewn with debris.
The site, known as the Peirce Mill Tennis Center, is owned by Rock Creek Park and sits off of Park Road by the southwestern corner of Crestwood. The National Park Service, which administers Rock Creek Park, previously maintained the courts through the same contractor who manages the Rock Creek Park Tennis Center at 16th and Kennedy Streets NW. However, the service was discontinued several years ago and the courts have since fallen into a state of disrepair.
A number of Crestwood residents recently took an interest in the site due to its proximity to the neighborhood. At the October meeting of the Crestwood Citizens Association (CCA), neighbors approved a general resolution to support redevelopment of the facility. Julia Washburn, Superintendent of Rock Creek Park, also attended the meeting and shared her enthusiasm for the rehabilitation of the center.
The CCA is currently working to develop a more specific redevelopment proposal to present to Superintendent Washburn and the National Park Service. At the October meeting, neighbors expressed support for a picnic grove with a pavilion, picnic benches, grills, outdoor fitness equipment, and a grassy field.
Another proposal under consideration is the rehabilitation of the tennis courts – either as clay courts or by conversion to hard courts. The CCA proposal will also include suggestions for safe access to the facility, such as a pedestrian crosswalk over Park Road, better linkage to the Meadowlink Trail, improved lighting, and removal of the site’s parking lot. Superintendent Washburn shared a number of parameters that must be considered in development of the site, such as budget, ongoing maintenance requirements, and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The CCA invites all neighbors to share their ideas for the Peirce Mill Tennis Center with Issues Team Lead Peter Richman by e-mail at issues@crestwooddc.org.