COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
OFFICE OF COUNCILMEMBER BROOKE PINTO
THE JOHN A. WILSON BUILDING
1350 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, N.W., SUITE 106
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20004
February 20, 2025
Nyasha Smith, Secretary
Council of the District of Columbia
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20004
Dear Secretary Smith,
Today, I, along with Councilmembers Mathew Frumin, Christina Henderson, Robert C. White, Jr.,
Janeese Lewis George, Anita Bonds , and Wendell Felder, am re-introducing the “Expanding
Community Access to Safe and Clean Recreational Space Act of 2025.” I previously introduced
identical legislation in Council Period 25, B25- 477.
This bill would require the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) to establish a program in partnership with District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) to expand safe and sanitary community access to recreational facilities in every ward on evenings and weekends, outside of
the hours in which the facilities are in active use by the schools and student activities.
Recreational facilities at DCPS schools should be, and often are, utilized by the public during
evening and weekend hours, when not being dedicated to school- and student- related activities.
However, safety and sanitation concerns can deter use or, in some cases, lead school administrators
to close access outside of school- and student-related activities. School administrators have
expressed the need for dedicated security and custodial services and personnel during public, non-
school hours, to ensure safe and sanitary environments and the ability to open recreational spaces
to the community.
Community use of recreational facilities at DCPS schools goes beyond the traditional scope of
responsibility for principals and school administrators, yet these facilities represent a valuable asset
to the surrounding neighborhoods if they can be used by the community. This program would
alleviate the unfair burden placed on schools when they are asked to function as a community
recreational facility, and indeed want to allow community use, but must absorb the costs of doing
so from school funds.
The Expanding Community Access to Safe and Clean Recreational Space Act of 2025 requires
DPR to enter into an annual agreement with DCPS to determine the hours of community use at
participating DCPS sites, at times that would not interfere with school- and student-related
activities. Critically, DPR will also commit to provide security and custodial services as necessary
to allow the safe and sanitary use of recreation amenities.
In selecting participating schools, DPR will consider sites that would increase access to
recreational space for communities that have experienced historical disinvestment, high levels of
traffic incidences, crime and public safety challenges, and high rates of weight-related chronic
disease; are located in recreational facility gap areas; could serve as flexible use space during
renovations of other nearby recreational facilities; and are nominated by residents or school
leadership for participation in the program (however, nomination is not a requirement).
Additionally, DPR would be required to establish at least one site in each ward.
Should you have any questions about this legislation, please contact my Committee and Legislative
Director, Linn Groft , at lgroft@dccouncil.gov.
Thank you,
Brooke Pinto
____________________________ _____________________________
Councilmember Matthew Frumin
Councilmember Brooke Pinto
_____________________________ _____________________________
Councilmember Robert C. White, Jr. Councilmember Christina Henderson
_____________________________ _____________________________ Councilmember Anita Bonds Councilmember Janeese Lewis George
_____________________________
Councilmember Wendell Felder
AN ACT 1
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IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 5
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To require the Department of Parks and Recreation to establish a program in partnership with 9
District of Columbia Public Schools to expand safe and sanitary community access to 10
recreational facilities in every ward on evenings and weekends, outside of the hours in 11
which the facilities are in active use by the schools and student activities. 12
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 14
act may be cited as the “Expanding Community Access to Safe and Clean Recreational Space 15
Act of 2023”. 16
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Sec. 2. Establishment of Partnership between DPR and DCPS for Security and Custodial 18
Services during Hours of Community Use. 19
(a)(1) The Department of Parks and Recreation (“DPR") shall establish a program 20
in partnership with District of Columbia Public Schools (“DCPS”) to expand safe and sanitary 21
community access to recreational facilities in every ward on evenings and weekends, outside of 22
the hours in which the facilities are in active use by the schools and student activities. 23
(2) Incorporating experience and lessons learned from implementing the 24
Community Access to Recreational Space Pilot Program funded in Fiscal Year 2024, DPR shall 25
enter an annual agreement with DCPS to determine the hours of community use at participating 26
DCPS sites, at times that would not interfere with school- and student-related activities. The 27
agreement shall address the following issues: 28
(A) Hours of community use at the site; 29
(B) Signage to be posted indicating community use hours; 30
(C) Communication process and procedures when a school needs 31
to hold a special event at the recreational facilities during the hours previously determined to be 32
open for community use; and 33
(D) Description of security and custodial services at the site to be 34
provided as described in subsection (b). 35
(3) In identifying participating sites, DPR shall: 36
(A) Establish at least one program site in each ward across the 37
District; 38
(B) Consider sites that would increase access to recreational space 39
for communities that have experienced historical disinvestment, high levels of traffic incidences, 40
crime and public safety challenges, and high rates of weight-related chronic disease; 41
(C) Consider sites located in Recreation Center Gaps, Playground 42
Gaps, Fields Gaps, Basketball Courts Gaps, and Tennis Courts Gaps, as identified by the 43
Ready2PLAY Parks and Recreation Master Plan or most updated Parks and Recreation Master 44
Plan; 45
(D) Consider sites that could serve as flexible use space during 46
planned renovations of other nearby recreational facilities, especially where renovations may be 47
extended and will create a temporary Recreation Center Gap, Playground Gap, Fields Gap, 48
Basketball Courts Gap, or Tennis Courts Gap; 49
(E) Establish a process by which residents and school leadership 50
may nominate sites for program participation; and 51
(F) Consider nominations by resident and school leadership, 52
provided that nomination shall not be a requirement for participation. 53
(b) During all evening and weekend hours in which the facilities are open to the 54
public, DPR shall facilitate security and custodial services as necessary to allow the safe and 55
sanitary use of public recreation amenities, either directly, through a District agency partner, or 56
through another third party. 57
Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement. 58
The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal 59
impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, 60
approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1- 301.47a). 61
Sec. 4. Effective date. 62
This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 63
Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30- day period of congressional review as 64
provided in section 602(c)(2) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 65
24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1- 206.02(c)2)), and publication in the District of 66
Columbia Register. 67
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