最新蜜桃影像

The DowntownDC Foundation last month that Amazon will be the official sponsor of Franklin Park. Local activists criticized privatization of this public space, but visitors voiced support for investment in the community.听

The announcement comes after the reopening of Franklin Park because of their restrictions toward unhoused people in the park. Franklin Park had previously been home to many unhoused people before the renovations last year.听

The recent upgrade to this 5-acre space in the heart of the downtown neighbourhood听. It is a 10-minute walk from听听metro stations, Metro Center, and has seating space, a children’s playground and will have a restaurant for residents and workers to enjoy.

Aaron Hao, a local advocate, said the restrictions against camping 鈥渁re really separating the homeless people and homeless services鈥� from the park. The park is also enforcing a rule that any gathering of over 25 people must apply for a permit, which limits local organizations in their ability to set up donation events.听

Amazon will sponsor Franklin Park鈥檚 Greenery and Beautification projects for the first year of operations. The company鈥檚 responsibilities include tree maintenance, lawn and turf care, seasonal plantings, and community programming.听

Despite repeated requests from 最新蜜桃影像, the DowntownDC Foundation, the Franklin Park manager, and Amazon failed to provide a specific figure of what this sponsorship cost Amazon or any terms that were agreed to.

In the announcement, Rachel Rose Hartman, executive director of DowntownDC Foundation, said, 鈥�it鈥檚 the success of public-private partnerships such as this anchor support from Amazon that will ensure Franklin Park’s future for all to enjoy.鈥�

Privatizing public spaces comes with . Many parks benefit from funds that otherwise the city would not be able to drum up on its own, and the parks are often better maintained and more frequently visited as a result. However, inviting private interests into public spaces can also mean they have their own expectations when it comes to recognition and accountability.听

Amazon has been criticized for the for long hours, warehouse employee injuries and insufficient pay.

鈥淎mazon is bad. I don鈥檛 think we need any of Amazon鈥檚 money in our public spaces,鈥� Hao said in an interview. They have also been vocal about this issue on Twitter, expressing outrage at the announcement.

DowntownDC BID Announces Amazon Sponsorship for Franklin Park

Privatized parks. Anti-homelessness. Aggressive security. Permits. No mutual aid. Sanitized consumption spaces.

This is the future they want. Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) are poison.

鈥� Aaron the Anthropologist (@Anarchopology)

Some visitors are supportive of the project since it brings in investment to public spaces.

Anna Solidair, an Amazon user and Franklin park visitor, said, 鈥淚鈥檓 pro businesses coming and helping the community, especially underserved communities like there are here in D.C., Black, people of color鈥� I think everybody should.鈥澨�

最新蜜桃影像 Amazon, she said, 鈥淚 know there鈥檚 good and bad like anything. But I mean, that鈥檚 a good thing that they鈥檝e invested in the park.鈥�

The supports the DowntownDC BID by connecting private interests with philanthropic missions in the downtown area. Amazon has been expanding its connection in the DMV since the to build its second headquarters in Arlington, Virginia. Jeff Bezos, the executive chairman of Amazon, also 最新蜜桃影像ington Post, 听located directly across the street from Franklin Park. The Franklin Park sponsorship is the most recent investment that Amazon is making to strengthen their involvement in the DMV community.听

In the announcement, Brian Kenner, director of public policy at Amazon, said, 鈥�We鈥檙e growing roots here in the DC region and in partnership with the DowntownDC Foundation, we鈥檙e excited to support the improvement of Franklin Park for all the members of our community.鈥�

Kenner in the mayor鈥檚 Planning and Economic Development office. The decision to build a second headquarters in Arlington , and Kenner was brought into Amazon in mid 2019.听

Hao, who has been a critic of BIDs in D.C., said it is unusual that a large company like Amazon is sponsoring a project like this; it is 鈥渘ormally local companies within the BID boundary鈥� that are involved in deals like this.听

Park visitor Karen Mankin said she would have assumed investors in public parks would be local businesses, but it doesn鈥檛 change her mind about Franklin Park.

鈥淚t鈥檚 still to the benefit of the community, so I guess if they鈥檙e going to sponsor something, why not a park?鈥� Mankin said.听

Private investment in public parks has been successful in other cities. Atlanta鈥檚 Piedmont Park with private investment. Before the investment, the park was serving only local residents. Since investment, visitation has gone up every year. In 2019, 4.3 million people from all over Georgia visited the park.听

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