Help make "Open Streets" great for your community -- volunteer!
/The Open Streets project put together by the Mayor’s office and DDOT will be closing Georgia Avenue to cars from Barry Place up to Missouri Avenue NW on October 5th (10am-2pm) . Only pedestrians, scooters and bicycles will be allowed on the street. The goal is to bring car-less use to city streets, a concept utilized by many cities around the country and the world.
Volunteer!
The 3-mile event will feature some outdoor events to promote healthy activities and such along the route. To facilitate a great day for the community, they’re looking for volunteers to help with setup and take down and work at booths along the route. You’ll score some “Open Streets” swag and know that you’re helping to create an event to benefit your neighbors. Plus, you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy the event.
You can sign up to volunteer on their website. Volunteers get a free annual Capital Bikeshare membership (an $85 value!) after the event, along with some other exclusive volunteer swag!
Note: Readers might remember that Petworth News pushed back on DDOT pretty hard for not originally including the impacted communities and businesses in any discussions before the street closure was announced. DDOT was not going to allow businesses to take advantage of the closing to reach out to local residents. After our articles, DDOT made some positive changes, reached out to Advisory Neighborhood Commissions and organized meetings with businesses. Hopefully this event will be a strong learning opportunity for DC gov and DDOT, and future events will include impacted communities and businesses sooner. Afterall, opening up streets to less cars and creating safer, healthier routes across the city is great — as long as it’s inclusive.
This could be a great event for DC and our neighborhood — especially with YOUR help when you volunteer!
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