Flat surfaces in the near Southeast area are a vanishing breed. The new ballpark is filling the area between South Capitol, First and N streets and Potomac Avenue. Two super-sized, mixed-use projects are in the works nearby: 40 acres at “The Yards,” south of M Street (M to the river, First Street to the Navy Yard); and 33 acres at "Capitol Quarters," north of M Street (Third to Fifth streets, Virginia Avenue to M). In addition, three office buildings were recently completed, and another 13 buildings – office, residential and hotel – are planned or underway. Also proposed is a new headquarters for the Metropolitan Police Department's First District at 225 Virginia Ave. SE, with additional surface parking.

Amid this sea of construction, three slim blocks along Canal Street between I and M streets are slated to become Washington Canal Park. The 1.8-acre park is to be funded by a donation from JBG Companies, who developed the US Department of Transportation headquarters just across M Street. The three blocks have been dubbed – from north to south – “Convey,” “Celebrate” and “Collect” by the competition-winning proposal from Gustafson Guthrie and Nichol. “Convey” will connect the park with the “larger pedestrian context of Capitol Hill, the redeveloped Anacostia Waterfront and the Nationals Baseball Stadium,” GGN says; “Celebrate” connects the site's water to the surrounding community; and “Collect” allows runoff water to be filtered and recycled.

The Anacostia Waterfront Corporation calls the park “a centerpiece for the Near Southeast waterfront neighborhood” and a focal point for the “emerging, high-density, mixed-use” development that surrounds it. As the only public space – and the only green – planned for blocks around, Canal Park is prized by the community. So when it appeared that this space might be included – even temporarily – among the 13 lots under consideration for temporary surface parking for the baseball stadium, objections abounded. Concerns surfaced in advance of the National Capital Planning Commission's July 12 meeting, which was scheduled to include consideration of the zoning text amendment permitting surface parking.

In response to concerns raised to his office, Ward 6 Councilmember Tommy Wells contacted NCPC and the relevant departments in the mayor's office to clarify that the parkland should not become parking.

“It is crucial that creation of temporary surface parking lots does not impede or slow down the progress of Canal Park,” Wells wrote to NCPC. “While game-day parking plans are very important, we must not lose sight of the greater community and context. Planned amenities for the neighborhood should not be de-prioritized for the sake of creating additional game-day parking."

NCPC ruled July 12 that the proposed text amendment permitting temporary parking lots would “not adversely affect identified federal interests,” provided several conditions were met. These included a 75-foot setback from the Anacostia Waterfront, a provision that parking lots not be eligible for special exception to remain after April 1, 2013, and the removal of US Reservation 17, parcels B, C and D – “which are the location of the planned Washington Canal Park” – from the list to be available for surface parking.