In late January, the Post reported on a planned H Street NE Heritage Trail and uncovered a little gem—Pat Collins, the widely loved NBC4 reporter, is an H Street native. Collins has been among the people pushing for the 3.2-mile-long trail, which was put together by Cultural Tourism D.C. and will wind from Union Station to Gallaudet University and down to H Street NE. Once completed, it will be the 13th trail in the city.

This week, though, he sent Councilmember Tommy Wells (D-Ward 6) an email complaining of delays to the trail, which has been in the works since 2008 and is set to open in the spring. The text of the email is below, and yes, it reads much like the way Collins does his legendary on-air reports:

COUNCILMAN WELLS:

I AM WRITING TO YOU AS A REFUGEE OF H STREET NORTHEAST.
I AM A FOURTH GENERATION WASHINGTONIAN.
I GREW UP ON H STREET.
I LIVED IN THE HOUSE WHERE MY FATHER LIVED.
UNTIL THE RIOTS, HE HAD A MEDICAL OFFICE ON H STREET.
FOR DECADES H STREET HAS BEEN TREATED AS THE STEPCHILD OF THE CITY.
AFTER THE RIOTS THERE WAS LITTLE HELP TO RESTORE NORMALCY TO THAT ONCE THRIVING CORRIDOR OF COMMERCE.
THERE WAS NO REEVES CENTER BUILT ON H STREET…THERE WAS NO VERIZON CENTER BUILT ON H STREET.
NOW SOME 40 YEARS LATER SIGNS OF PROMISE ON H STREET.
BUT THERE IS YET ANOTHER DISAPPOINTMENT.
NO HERITAGE TRAIL ON H STREET.
IT’S FINISHED, I’M TOLD, AND READY TO GO.
BUT THE CITY HAS YET TO INSTALL IT.
WHY?
FULL DISCLOSURE…MY FATHER AND MY FAMILY ARE FEATURED ON ONE OF THE PLACARDS.
I AM PROUD OF THAT.
BUT I AM DISAPPOINTED THAT THE STREET OF MY YOUTH IS AGAIN GETTING COAL WHILE OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS IN OTHER WARDS GET THE GOLD.
IS THERE SOMETHING YOU CAN DO?

REGARDS,
PAT COLLINS

According to people in the know, a dispute over payment for the signs that will mark the trail delayed their production. That’s been resolved, though, said John Lisle, spokesman for the D.C. Department of Transportation, which is responsible for installing the signs along the trail. He told us that the signs went into production in late February and will be ready and installed within 90 days, so by May Collins should have his heritage trail.