Hill Talk: The Making of Capitol Hill Town Square
On behalf of a task force that has been studying ways to improve the Eastern Market Metro Plaza, designer Amy Weinstein will host a community meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the basement of St. Peter’s Church, 313 Second St. SE.
She will present three alternatives for the open area between Seventh and Ninth streets on Pennsylvania Avenue Southeast, according to task force Co-Chairman David Perry. The area is “enormously important— as the fulcrum between the Barracks Row and Eastern Market commercial areas, he said.
The design study began last October under the guidance of architects and designers. After soliciting ideas and looking at issues such as the quality of the space and pedestrian safety, they brought three ideas back to the task force last week and made adjustments based on feedback. After the Wednesday night meeting, the ideas will be made available at CapitolHillTownSquare.org, and interested parties will have 45 days to submit their comments.
Perry said he hopes to build a consensus around one idea by early fall and take it to the requisite government agencies then.
O, Canada! EmbassyReady to Celebrate
On Wednesday, break out your red maple leaves and watch some hockey — it’s Canada Day. The Embassy of Canada will also mark 20 years “as the only Embassy between the White House and the Capitol,— according to a news release.
Starting at 11:30 a.m. in the embassy’s courtyard, invited guests can watch a broadcast of the Canada Day festivities in Ottawa, including a performance from Canadian singer Sarah McLachlan, on a Jumbotron.
If you weren’t invited to the embassy’s party, the Web site CanadaDayAcrossAmerica.com can help you find parties near where you live, and you can tweet the end of the sentence “You know you’re Canadian when …— to #CanadaDayUSA. You can even submit a video showing how you celebrate Canada Day.