In November 2006, I wrote a short piece, conveying a request from the U.S. National Park Service for input from the American public about “how to tidy up the vast and grassy park in the center of the nation’s capital”.  That “vast and grassy area” is known to us who live around this area as simply “the Mall” – the Smithsonian one, not the shopping one.

Well, the Park Service did its work, collecting comments, and as a result has recently published a nice online brochure that describes three alternatives for what to do with the Mall, each with a different emphasis.  Plan A is a “Historic Landscape and Education” focus; Plan B is a Civic Space for Public Gatherings, Events, and High-Use Levels.” focus; and Plan C is an “Urban Open Space, Urban Ecology, Recreation, and Healthy Lifestyles” focus.

It is Plan C that includes a playground, near the carousel.  While the Plan doesn’t call it a “national playground,” we think that’s exactly what it should be.  Like everything on the Mall, it should showcase the best, a blend of what is, and what will be.

All three plans have great attributes, but obviously we’re biased: we want to see a playground!  Marching through majestic national museums is an incredible experience for our wee ones, but hey, let’s put up a place for them to climb and swing and process all that intellectual stimulation they are bombarded with indoors!

The National Park Service is asking for public comment on these thee options by January 15.  You can view a PDF brochure of the background and options (the options are on pages 8 – 12) at

http://www.nps.gov/nationalmallplan/Documents/Newsletters/News3_Nov07_post.pdf

You can then provide comments by e-mailing nationalmalllplan@nps.gov.  Tell our Park Service that we need a national playground on the National Mall.