The DC Court of Appeals notified us that it will hear our oral arguments concerning a demolition permit for the McMillan site that DCRA issued in 2019 to the developers. The Friends contend that DCRA’s action was not done legally or in compliance with the Court’s instructions. Oral arguments before the Court are scheduled for Tuesday, October 26th at 9:30 AM. The Court’s scheduling notice indicates that this hearing will be virtual. We will share with you the link to that session when we receive it.
So much time has elapsed since the District government issued a demolition permit for the site on August 16, 2019, that you may wish to see our June 6, 2021 email, available HERE, or visit the FOMP web page HERE to refresh your memory regarding how we got to where we are today. We are optimistic and hopeful that we have prepared a successful case seeking to invalidate the demolition permit.
Although the pandemic has caused huge delays in this process of challenging the demolition permit, we’ve been working with our legal counsel throughout. We have filed 27 briefs/motions and have argued our case at 7 court hearings since the demolition permit was issued in August 2019. All this effort has severely depleted our legal fund, which needs a major infusion of money. To help address this need, we hoped to have an in-person fundraising event of some kind this fall, before the October 26th Court hearing date, but the Delta variant of the virus is causing us to rethink the wisdom of that. We are now interested in doing what we can online while waiting for better days and an in-person gathering event. We eagerly accept donations, all of which is used to pay the legal costs of our work on the court cases. We accept donations via GoFundMe (aka CrowdRise) HERE, PayPal HERE, and we also have an account through which you can donate shares of securities (information on request). Of course, we accept cash and checks as well (see contact information below).
In this effort to replenish our diminishing funds to continue this legal battle, would you consider contacting your friends through e-mail, Facebook, or other social media to help this effort? If so, here is sample language you might consider sending to friends with a personal request to encourage helping the Friends of McMillan Park:
Dear friend,
I have long been a supporter of efforts to revitalize our McMillan Park and to stop the District’s plans to demolish most of it for a development for which we see little or no support. Friends of McMillan Park (FOMP) is returning to the D.C. Court of Appeals on October 26th with the most recent court challenge to the District’s plans to demolish McMillan, without ever having taken seriously community-led suggested alternatives, and without even an open bidding process. Will you join me and consider making a donation to Friends of McMillan Park, an incorporated 501(c)3 non-profit dedicated to revitalizing and against demolishing this priceless historic park? FOMP accepts donations via GoFundMe, PayPal, and checks/cash sent to FOMP’s treasurer, Kirby Vining, at restoremcmillan@gmail.com or 202 213 2690. Please join me in helping support these continuing legal efforts!
A personalized request to friends is often the most effective fundraising effort. Please help us spread the word.
Thank you for your continued interest and support!
If you have any questions, please contact restoremcmillan@gmail.com or call 202.213.2690.
Friends of McMillan Park is a 501(c)3 educational non-profit. Donations to this cause are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law.
Friends of McMillan Park is now a part of the Amazon Smile program, allowing you to directly and automatically donate to the Friends of McMillanPark when you shop on Amazon.com. See this link for more information: https://smile.amazon.com/ch/46-0977224
To donate to our legal fund, please click:https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/save-mcmillan-park
To obtain a letter confirming your donation and the tax-exempt status of your donation, please contact Friends of McMillan Park Treasurer, Kirby Vining, at 202 213-2690 or at restoremcmillan@gmail.com.
