What's in Play For Recreation Department

On a new, brightly covered rubber surface Monday afternoon, D.C. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty was tossing footballs to celebrate the reopening of the Girard Street Playground in Columbia Heights.

The playground, in the 1400 block of Girard Street, was once ground zero for illegal drugs and other crimes. But this week, Fenty (D), D.C. Council member Jim Graham (D-Ward 1) and officials from the District's Department of Parks and Recreation held up the refurbished playground as a source of pride.

"This is one of our first-rate playgrounds, and I wanted to be here," Fenty said, just before he cut the ribbon on the $330,000 renovation, which includes a seesaw, swings, benches and a 9,500-square-foot rubber surface that says "Welcome" in six languages.

The playground might be Fenty's example of what is going well in the recreation department, but council member Harry Thomas Jr. (D-Ward 5) has been working to bring attention to some things that he says aren't going so well. He recently convened a hearing on the council's committee on libraries, parks and recreation, during which residents complained about the city's decision to reduce the number of early-child-care programs from 17 to 13.

"The mayor is trying to do this even though in our parks and recreation budget, we allocated $6.6 million for the department, and they are claiming that they only have $4 million," Thomas said. "We recently held a hearing where we heard from parents from the day-care centers, who talked about the need to keep the facilities open."

Fenty challenged Thomas's claims. "It is all about better management," the mayor said. "We need to have great programs in these centers. If there is something we can do to take some of the other things that aren't as germane to parks and recreation, like having a day-care center there, then we plan to do that, as well."

The council passed emergency legislation last week that requires the city to present a financial analysis to support the mayor's actions, but Clark E. Ray, director of the Department of Parks and Recreation, said his agency is trying to be financially responsible.

"This is all about providing quality day care to the residents of the District of Columbia," Ray said. "What we had were some sights that were underenrolled, so we consolidated some sites so that we could bring enrollment in line and continue to provide quality services to the residents of the District."

Bar Hours and Home Rule

The D.C. Council and Mayor Adrian M. Fenty are facing another battle over home rule.

Two U.S. senators involved in the planning of President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration have objected to the emergency law approved by the council that will allow bars and nightclubs to stay open all night during inauguration week, warning that the plan could strain law enforcement resources.

In a letter to city leaders, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), chairman of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, and Sen. Robert F. Bennett (R-Utah), a committee member, said they are "deeply concerned" about the council's move last week to allow nightclubs, bars and restaurants to serve alcohol until 5 a.m. and remain open around the clock from Jan. 17 to 21.

"There is great cause for celebration at this historic event," the senators wrote. "But we believe that the benefits of this emergency legislation, passed with little public notice, are far outweighed by its possible consequences."

Fenty (D) objected to including nightclubs in the council's legislation, but he has said he will sign the law. However, Congress has the final say over D.C. matters under the 1973 Home Rule Act, which gave the District some self-governing authority.

At the Notebook's press time, Fenty and council Chairman Vincent C. Gray (D), who voted in favor of the law, could not be reached for comment.

Council member Mary Cheh (D-Ward 3), who supported the legislation, noted that Minneapolis allowed bars to serve alcohol for two extra hours, until 4 a.m., during the Republican National Convention.

"The prediction of dire consequences is a little over the top," she said.

"We're the site of lots of demonstrations, celebrations. We know how to do this. I respect their view, but we should be the best judge of what happens locally."