This long-time District resident remembers when Franklin Square Park was a beautiful, desirable park to which people came from all over to sit, meet their friends, and socialize. It had grass and flowers. It was clean. People wanted to visit it.
Then people either forgot to or refused to pick up after each other and began treating the fountains like bathtubs. So the city cut the water off. Then the rats came. Then the more the park personnel cleaned the park. Then more people thought of it as a hotel.
I want the new Franklin Square Park to be as beautiful as its predecessor. I want the flowers, the trees, the grass, and the fountains. I also think the city should consider closing the park after dark. That would help everyone respect the new park like we did the old one for so long.
[Read More: Franklin Park to reopen in August]
Jackie Turner is an artist and vendor for Street Sense Media.
