Editor’s note: Below find a special report about Church Hill’s ongoing l’affair pétanque. If you haven’t yet, please consider upgrading to keep independent journalism about your neighborhood free for all to read. Here’s how to submit tips, documents, correspondence, etc. with The Lookout for editorial consideration. Check the liveblog for reporting odds-and-ends about this controversy.—Dave.
Flyers printed up by Community for Chimborazo Playground. | Dave Infante
Roughly a day after some 40 people descended on Chimborazo Playground to debate the sudden addition of two large plots designated for the French bowling game pétanque, construction on the controversial project has been halted, The Lookout has learned.
“Just letting you know that Councilwoman Newbille and Chris Frelke, the Director of Parks and Rec spoke with the President of the Church Association today and they will be attending the Church Hill Association meeting on the 19th,” Sam Patterson, the liaison to the longtime 7th District rep, said in an emailed statement. “Also a Construction work Pause [sic] has been done for the project.”
Via text midafternoon Monday, Church Hill Association (CHA) president Jake Naugle confirmed that the buildout—which has caused considerable consternation in Church Hill over botched bureaucratic outreach and appropriate land use since bulldozers arrived to break ground on the small park’s eastern lawn last Tuesday—is on hold.
This morning, he said, Newbille called him directly to relay that the project “has been paused until further notice.” Newbille also told Naugle she and Department of Parks, Recreation, and Community Facilities (DPR), Christopher Frelke, will be in attendance at the CHA’s monthly meeting on May 19th to discuss l’affair pétanque in more detail.
Ross Catrow, the director Office of Strategic Communications, did not immediately respond to a request for confirmation that DPR had thrown the brakes on the construction.
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🕰️ Get caught up
Check The Lookout’s L’Affair Pétanque Liveblog for the latest reportage.
This has been a Lookout special report. Regular programming resumes next week. Please submit tips, photos, etc. about the East End for editorial consideration.
