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Norton to Host Community Meeting on the Future of Organized Sports on the National Mall, June 18

June 13, 2018

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) will host a community meeting on National Park Service (NPS) policies affecting the ability of organized sports teams to reserve space and play games on the National Mall on Monday, June 18, 2018, at 6:30 p.m., in 2167 Rayburn House Office Building. Representatives from NPS, the District of Columbia Department of Parks and Recreation, DC Fray, District Sports and the National Mall Coalition will participate. Residents who attend will have the opportunity to be heard.

In November, Norton wrote NPS urging it to reconsider its proposal to permanently close the athletic fields on the grounds of the Washington Monument and to significantly increase the fees to reserve other fields on the National Mall. Norton said the community meeting is necessary because residents have not had ample opportunities to be heard on the specifics of the NPS plan.

"This community meeting is important to provide information to the public and include all stakeholders in this discussion," Norton said. "We are bringing the federal and local agencies involved in determining where teams can play and how much it will cost them to play while also hearing from major sports leagues in D.C. and the region. We want to facilitate a productive conversation and identify creative solutions that respect NPS's goals of protecting recent turf renovations on the National Mall, while also ensuring that the Mall remains open and accessible for engagement and activities. Questions and comments from the public will enhance our discussion and give us a deeper understanding of the potential effects of NPS's proposed changes."