Save the date for Breakfast with Santa on Dec 14th at Volta Park!
Friends of Volta Park Fall Festival - October 5, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Volta Park’s Fall Festival is back on Saturday, October 5, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Families and friends come together each year for food, fun and friendly faces! This year we will be adding a few new fun activities and will continue with our tradition of carnival games, face painting, and more!
We’re looking forward to seeing you for this neighborhood favorite that will be part of your family’s fall tradition every year.
There’s a lot going on at Volta Park, and we want to make sure you don’t miss a thing!
Moving forward, we will be parking—get it? It’s park humor—past issues of our newsletter on this page to make sure you’re always in-the-know.
Read our Sept 2024 Edition 015 here.
Read our May 2024 Edition 0014 here.
Read our February 2024 Edition 0013 here.
Read our November 2023 Edition 0012 here.
Read our August 2023 Edition 0011 here.
Read our May 2023 Edition 0010 here.
Read our March 2023 Edition 009 here.
Read our November 2022 Edition 008 here.
Read our October 2022 Edition 007 here.
Read our August 2022 Edition 006 here.
Read our March 2022 Edition 005 here.
One of the very first friends of Volta Park, Nina Leake Richardson, of Washington, D.C. passed away on February 7, 2024, at the age of 79, following a two-year battle with glioblastoma. She is survived by her husband of 42 years, John Dennett Richardson, son Scott Richardson, daughter-in-law Nicole Richardson, grandsons John “Jack” Richardson and Maclean Richardson, sister Nora “Tooey” Cameron, niece Nora “Nonie” Cameron, nephew Roderick “Rory” Cameron, nephew Nicholas Richardson, niece Rachael Brewer, and four great nephews and great nieces.
Nina was born in New York, NY, on September 11, 1944, to Eugene Walter Leake, Jr. and Nora Bullitt Leake. She grew up in Louisville, KY, and attended Louisville Collegiate School before going to boarding school at The Shipley School in Bryn Mawr, PA, where she graduated in 1962.
Nina moved to New York, where she studied at Parsons School of Design and began work in publishing, which included stints at Vogue Magazine and National Geographic. In 1969, Nina moved to Washington, D.C., where she would live the rest of her life. She opened a photography studio with Lisa Berg and continued taking photos for many years.
In 1981, she married John, of Providence, RI, and in 1984, they welcomed their only child Scott. Nina went back to school in her late 40s, ultimately obtaining her college degree from American University in 1997. She could be found well into her 70s auditing classes at Georgetown University and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at AU. She served as a member of the boards of the Initiative to Educate Afghan Women and the Friends of Volta Park, and spent time volunteering at a women’s prison in Maryland and making short videos for nonprofit organizations.
Along with her husband John, she was instrumental in the formation of the Friends of Volta Park.
In 2018, Nina became “Nana” to Jack, a role that she cherished. She was able to meet and hold her second grandson Maclean, who was born in December 2023. Nina was a member of the Sulgrave Club and the Chevy Chase Club, and she was an avid golfer and fierce bridge player. Nina will be missed terribly by her family and friends throughout Washington, Kentucky, Rhode Island, and elsewhere. She will be remembered for her kindness, humor, and appetite for learning and seeing the world.
A sold-out crowd gathered at the GeorgeTown Club on June 1 to hear from Mayor Bowser and Councilmember Pinto all benefitting the park. Guests sipped on signature cocktails and nibbled delicious hors d’oeuvres while catching up with neighbors and enjoying live music.
As the source for the majority of our contributed donations and funding each year, this event is always a must-attend for all of our Volta Park supporters and this year's record-breaker was a fantastic success.
Thank you to our sponsors the Carl M. Freeman Foundation, Little Folks School, Seoul Spice, Washington Fine Properties, Chevy Chase Trust Investment Advisors and Georgetown University.
Background
For several years, the Friends of Volta Park has been advocating diligently to secure funding in the City's budget for and gain a commitment from the Mayor and City Council to restore Volta Park's field.
In 2022, we were pleased to learn that the Mayor committed and City Council approved $700,000 to make the needed repairs to the field and drainage system. Ever since, our community has eagerly awaited word on when work would begin.
In November 2023, the DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) and the DC Department of General Services (DGS) held the final meeting for the community to see the revised baseball renovation plan, hear about the scope of work, and review the project timeline. The city’s presentation and a link to the video can be found here.
For more information about the project, please visit the project website at https://dgs.dc.gov/page/volta-park-baseball-field-restoration.
Should you have any additional questions or concerns please feel free to call DPR Customer Care Center during normal business hours at (202) 673-7647 or send an email to dprcustomercare@dc.gov.
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We know you have questions, as do we, and have included below a Q&A with the information that is available.
What is the Friends of Volta Park’s role in the renovation of the field?
The renovation of Volta Park’s field is a D.C. government project. The Friends of Volta Park’s role has been in advocating with the City to address the failed drainage system that has caused extensive runoff and pooling of water, large areas without grass, and safety issues on the baseball diamond.
With funding now secured, the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) and the Department of General Services (DGS) are the agencies leading the project.
Is the Friends of Volta Park partnering with the City on the project?
The renovation project is solely a City project. The Friends of Volta Park only receives information on the project along with the public. The primary source for information on the project is on the DPR website under the project name, Volta Park: Baseball Field Restoration.
Is the Friends of Volta Park taking a position on the specifics of the City’s project?
The mission of the Friends of Volta Park is to partner with the D.C. government on the general landscape maintenance of the park’s grounds and gardens, and to foster a place for the community to enjoy by providing opportunities for the neighborhood to gather.
While individual members of the board are making their position on the project known to the government through the appropriate channels of public comment, they are doing so as private citizens, not in their capacity as members of the board of directors of the Friends of Volta Park, which is not an advocacy organization.
How can I provide input on the project?
The D.C. government has said it is committed to working with the community as it advances the project. Input can be provided to DPR directly through Christopher Dyer.
DPR and DGS also need to apply for a variety of permits. As it proceeds through the permit process at the Department of Buildings (DOB), the first stage is with the Historic Preservation Office (HPO), which is requiring an archaeological study that is currently underway. Further requirements from DOB will require submission of project specifics to the Old Georgetown Board (OGB), Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) and National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC). We understand that the community can provide input to those agencies throughout the permitting process as well.
Where can I find project updates?
Please visit the City’s project website for complete information about this project.
Visit Our Brick Garden Paths
The Friends of Volta Park is deeply grateful for the Georgetown community that rallied around the park to help with fundraising during the COVID-19 pandemic. Unable to hold events due to pandemic-related health and safety concerns, the park lost our main avenue for fundraising. Fortunately, friends, neighbors and parkgoers came together to support our brick fundraising program, providing the park with a source of incoming funds during a very trying time.
The community embraced this program, and, as part of our landscaping design, we now have an array of beautiful bricks donated by neighbors that not only make the paths more beautiful, but also make traversing the gardens safer for little ones who were previously inclined to stumble on the large stones that preceded the evenly spaced bricks.
While we are still installing many of the bricks, we encourage you to visit these new garden paths to look for the name of a favorite dog who frequents the park, a neighbor, a friend or a local school. Or walk the paths in search of the “wishing brick” that just might make your wish come true. Find the brick that promises to bring you good luck if you hop on one foot. Or pause at the brick that encourages you to reflect on all of the things for which you are grateful. Volta Park is certainly grateful to be set in the midst of such a caring community.
For questions about the brick program, please send an email to fovpBrickProgram@gmail.com
The Friends of Volta Park is grateful for all of our generous donors. Our organization funds all of the landscaping and beautification of Volta Park, along with holding community events and activities, and could not do so without your support.
A special thank you to the Carl M. Freeman Foundation, Little Folks School, Washington Fine Properties’ Liz D’Angio and Nancy Taylor Bubes, SeoulSpice, Georgetown University and Chevy Chase Trust’s Claire Voorhees for supporting as sponsors of this year’s Annual Cocktail Party and Fundraiser, which will be held June 1, 2024.
Make a donation on our Donate page.
The Volta Park Playground
No area of Volta Park is more beloved that our beautiful playground, which is run and managed by the D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation.
The playground was renovated in 2013 and features play equipment for younger and older children, swings, a slide, monkey bars, PebbleFlex safety surfacing, and a sand box. Exciting climbing and spinning features let kids move in fun ways.
The Volta Park Recreation Center and Facilities
The Volta Park Recreation Center is a small 2-story cottage-style building, mainly home to DPR's Cooperative Play & Summer Camp programs, nestled in the midst of a myriad of outdoor opportunities which include a playground, a baseball field, an outdoor basketball court and tennis courts, in addition to the pool.
So grab a ball, racket or bat and some friends, and join us at the park!
Your Community Gathering Place
Families celebrating together.
Schools looking for an open, safe space for students to play.
Book lovers seeking a peaceful place to enjoy a novel.
Dog lovers enjoying a spot to throw a ball with Spot.
No matter who you are or what you love, there’s a place for you at Volta Park.
Georgetown’s Nature Oasis
From Dogwood to Red Maples, Hydrangea to Roses, Daylily to Bluebells, dozens of varieties of trees, annuals, perennials and shrubs come together in a beautiful greenspace right in the heart of Georgetown. Each season a new part of the landscape comes alive, bringing natures joy to the city throughout the year.
The Friends of Volta Park, which is entirely funded by donations from our community, is responsible for all landscape maintenance of the park’s grounds and gardens.
Volta Park Easter Egg Hunt
In the Spring, even the Easter Bunny has been known to enjoy some time at Volta Park.
Egg hunters who are in-the-know hop on down to Volta Park for a lively egg hunt, decorate eggs, and play traditional children's games.
Above all else, bring your camera because this is one of the Easter Bunny’s favorite events and he loves to get his picture taken.
Note: this is not an annual event so please be sure to check our “Events” section for upcoming dates.
It’s fun for the whole family!
The Volta Park Pool
Our community pool is the perfect place for friends and neighbors to cool off during the hot summer months.
Run by the DC Department of Parks and Recreation, this small pool is set between the quiet streets of Georgetown, just one block off Wisconsin Avenue. If you want to join is for summer fun, please note that a valid, government-issued photo ID (driver's/non-driver's license or passport) is required to enter all DPR aquatic facilities.
Volta Park Fall Festival
On Saturday, Oct. 21, Georgetowners, their families, neighbors and friends came out for a beautiful day of carnival games, bounce houses, face painting, popcorn and more at the Friends of Volta Park's Fall Festival.
Live music from bluegrass band Split String Soup entertained attendees, while they enjoyed food prepared by the Georgetown University Grilling Society, played carnival games, jumped on two bounce houses, had their faces painted, and more!
A special shoutout to our sponsors: The Little Folks School and Washington Fine Properties’ Liz Dangio.
We’re already looking forward to seeing you next year!
Santa Returned to Volta Saturday, Dec. 9
The Friends of Volta Park welcomed more than 300 neighbors to the park for our annual Santa Event and the Big Guy didn’t disappoint!
The event, chaired by Friends of Volta Park board members Liz D’Angio and Alison Garback, featured a snow globe craft table, a station to write letters to Santa, a doughnut truck, a bracelet table featuring bracelets from SunsetBeadedXO, hot chocolate, coffee, Christmas music and an opportunity for a picture with Santa. Washington Fine Properties collected coats for those in need.
A fantastic time was had by all and Santa noted that everyone in attendance with was on his “nice” list.
In conjunction with our tree lighting tradition, in 2020 we began another new tradition: offering Volta Park tree ornaments!
We still have 2021 ornaments available, which feature the Friends of Volta Park logo and is available for $8 each; please email voltaparkholiday@gmail.com to place your order. All proceeds go directly to the maintenance of the park.
We plan to create a new ornament each year so don’t forget to add to add to your collection!
