May 14, 2008
Gasp! Fort Reno Park Closed!
Potentially terrible news for local music fans: The Going Out Gurus are reporting that Fort Reno Park, the site of D.C.'s beloved outdoor summer concert series, has been closed indefinitely after United States Geological Survey satellite imaging reports found high levels of arsenic in the soil there. We've since heard from readers who said they saw the park service today in the process of putting a fence around the entire park to ensure no one enters it.
We had just been waiting to hear back from Fort Reno Summer Concert Series master of ceremonies, Amanda MacKaye, on her need to do some more fundraising this year to make sure all the planned concerts went off without a hitch. Amanda quickly emailed us to confirm that she first learned of the park's closure from David Malitz at washingtonpost.com, and that she is at this very moment trying to get confirmation on whether the closure affects the area of the park where the stage is erected. We'll update as soon as we hear back from her. In the meantime, the local music scene is holding its breath, and we're wondering why this arsenic wasn't discovered earlier, like when it was found down the street at AU in 2001.
Photo by Alan Cordova
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Not Fort Reno! My baby hates disco as much as her old man, and she's still pissed that she can't get into Pancake Mountain. As a show of solidarity with the 0-5 set she marks big X's on each hand, abstains from smoke, drink and drugs, and acts sanctimonious like her diapers don't stink.
Straight-edge to the point of basically being mormon or not, those Fort Reno concerts are fun. I, for one, am crossing my fingers that they can continue some way or another.
What about the tennis courts? You know, for the majority of us who could care less if 17 year old punk / ska bands are foced back into their parents garages on thursday nights.
Wow -- that's harsh. I have good memories of seeing Dismemberment Plan, Fugazi, Mary Timony, Ted Leo, and many others at Fort Reno.
Who plays tennis?
What about the Districts high point? What will the nations highpointers do? This could move DC above Rhode Island in difficulty.
Really ksamm? Tennis courts? I mean because obviously those are the only tennis courts in the city and playing at those tennis courts is a thirty year old tradition and an integral part of Washington, DC's culture.
"All you crazy whippersnappers and your loud rock and roll music! Cut down that racket, me and Roger Federer are trying to play some serious tennis over here. Grrr, now I guess we'll have to go to one of the millions of other tennis courts located throughout the area. You bastards!!!"
1)fort reno has been hosting concerts since 1968.
2)you can't have alcohol because of national park rules, not because of anything having to do with the sXe scene. Not that there's anything left of it.
3) i'm pretty sure the tennis courts/soccer fields/ baseball diamond/concert meadow are all included in the closing. i haven't seen it with my own eyes yet.
High arsenic levels in the soil? Good thing there's a reservoir embedded in the hill...
Who cares about the music or the tennis, I'm worried that with Fort Reno out of commission, DC will be lowering its defenses to Confederate attack. Or at least a re-enacted Confederate attack.
WTF is up with all the buried arsenic in DC? If it ain't that, it's all the goddamned mercury and anthrax in the soil. I guess maybe that's why my prizewinning begonia ate the homeless guy who used to sleep in the ally. Serves him right for peeing on little Audrey.
I blame it on all those straight edge kids. They excrete arsenic.
My baby hates disco as much as her old man, and she's still pissed that she can't get into Pancake Mountain.
When is Pancake Mountain on around here? I can never seem to find it, even with the help of TiVo.
Any chance of relocating this series to Carter-Barron Amphitheatre?
It's one of the most beautiful concert venues I know of anywhere in the world, and has been sadly underutulized in recent years.