Exploring Improvements to the Fort Stevens Athletic Field
Exploring how the existing field could better serve public school students and the Ward 4 community
District of Columbia International School (DCI) is exploring potential improvements to the existing Fort Stevens athletic field and how it could work with DPR to strengthen this shared community resource. No specific improvement or design has been selected.
DCI is exploring whether it could invest its own resources. Fort Stevens remains a DPR site.
Our Focus Right Now
-

Listen to the Community
Understand how neighbors use Fort Stevens today, what they value most and what they would like to see improved or preserved.
-

EXPLORE POTENTIAL FIELD IMPROVEMENTS
Consider opportunities to improve the existing athletic field. No specific improvement or design has been selected.
-

Invest in a Shared Community Resource
Explore how DCI could invest its own resources in improvements that benefit both community users and DCI students.
DCI Students Today
1,600+ students – 1,000+ from Wards 4 and 5
51 athletic teams
Half-sized field on campus
201-seat gym
Students rely on Fort Stevens as their primary athletic field.
A Shared Community Resource
Fort Stevens is an important recreation space for neighbors, young people and DCI students. As we explore what could come next, our goal is to identify ideas that strengthen the field as a shared resource.
Potential improvements could help:
Support recreation and physical activity
Improve the usability of the existing athletic field
Support youth athletics and programming
Preserve meaningful community access
Promote health and wellness
Better serve both community users and DCI students
No specific improvements have been selected. Community input will help inform what options should be explored.
RESPONSIBLE Stewardship
The trees, green space and existing amenities at Fort Stevens are important to the community.
As potential field improvements are explored, DCI will consider environmental impacts, existing park uses and community priorities from the beginning of the process.
Any potential improvements would be developed in coordination with DPR and would need to follow applicable District and DPR requirements.
Community feedback will be an important part of identifying what should be preserved, protected and prioritized as options are considered.
how we are moving forward
DCI is continuing conversations with the DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) about Fort Stevens.
For now, DCI’s immediate focus is on exploring whether improvements to the existing athletic field could better serve both community users and students.
Before any specific improvements are advanced, we want to hear from neighbors and community stakeholders, better understand local priorities and explore potential options.
Our approach:
Listen first. Gather feedback from neighbors, community stakeholders and users of Fort Stevens.
Explore options. Consider potential improvements to the existing athletic field based on community needs, field conditions and student needs.
Share ideas. Bring potential options back to the community for additional feedback.
Determine next steps. Work with DPR and community stakeholders to determine what, if anything, should move forward.
PROJECTed TIMELINE
What Happens Next
1. Community Listening
Hear from neighbors, community stakeholders and Fort Stevens users about what is working, what could be improved and what should be preserved.
2. Explore Potential Field Improvements
Use that feedback to identify potential options for the existing athletic field.
3. Share Ideas & Gather Feedback
Bring potential ideas back to the community and continue the conversation before decisions are made.
4. Determine Appropriate Next Steps
Work with DPR and community stakeholders to determine whether and how potential field improvements should move forward.
There is no current construction timeline. Any potential next step would require additional community engagement, coordination with DPR and applicable review and approval.
previous concepts & Community Engagement
DCI has been engaging with neighbors and community stakeholders about Fort Stevens and has shared several concepts during that process.
Earlier materials included a broader concept involving improvements to the athletic field and a multipurpose recreation center. Those materials remain available below as part of the history of this community conversation, but they should not be read as DCI’s current plan.
After reflecting on community feedback, DCI is focusing for now on exploring potential improvements to the existing athletic field while taking additional time to consider the broader multipurpose recreation center concept.
June 9
Brightwood Community Association Meeting
Frequently Asked Questions
-
DCI is currently focused on exploring potential improvements to the existing Fort Stevens athletic field.
No decisions have been made about what those improvements might include. DCI wants to hear from neighbors and community stakeholders, better understand local priorities and identify ideas that could benefit both community users and DCI students.
-
DCI students have long relied on the Fort Stevens athletic field for school athletics and activities because DCI has limited athletic space on its own campus.
Because the field is an important resource for both students and the surrounding community, DCI is interested in exploring whether it can invest its own resources in improvements that provide broader benefits.
Any potential improvements should reflect the fact that Fort Stevens is a shared community resource.
-
No.
No decisions have been made about specific field improvements or designs.
The purpose of this next phase is to listen first: understand how the community uses Fort Stevens today, identify priorities and concerns, and then determine what potential improvements are worth exploring.
-
No decision has been made about turf or any other specific field improvement.
Synthetic turf has been discussed as one potential option in earlier concepts, but DCI is not beginning this next phase with a predetermined field design.
We want community feedback to help inform what improvements should be explored and what factors should be considered before any decisions are made.
-
DCI previously explored a broader concept that included both improvements to the existing athletic field and a new multipurpose recreation center.
After hearing and reflecting on community feedback, DCI is refining its approach.
For now, we are focusing our efforts on exploring potential improvements to the existing field while taking additional time to consider the broader multipurpose recreation center concept.
Previous presentations and materials will remain available on this website so community members can see the history of the conversation.
-
Yes. Fort Stevens is a shared public recreation resource, and maintaining meaningful community access is an important part of DCI’s approach.
Any potential future arrangement would be developed in coordination with DPR and would need to take the needs of community users into account.
-
DCI currently relies on Fort Stevens for student athletics and other school activities.
The purpose of exploring potential field improvements is not to turn Fort Stevens into a DCI-only facility. The field would continue to serve the broader community, and any future scheduling or use arrangements would be coordinated with DPR.
Under the current arrangement managed by DPR, DCI has priority access during designated school and athletics periods. The field remains available for community use at other times.
-
DCI is interested in exploring the use of its own resources to support potential improvements to the existing athletic field.
Because no specific improvement plan has been selected, the scope and cost of any potential investment have not yet been determined.
-
The trees, green space and existing amenities at Fort Stevens are important to the community and will be considered as potential field improvements are explored.
No design has been selected. Environmental considerations, existing park uses and community priorities will be part of the process from the beginning.
Any future improvements would also need to comply with applicable DPR and District requirements.
-
There is no current construction timeline.
DCI is focused first on community engagement and exploring potential improvements to the existing athletic field. Potential ideas would need further discussion, community feedback and coordination with DPR before decisions about implementation or timing could be made.
-
DCI has limited athletic space on its campus and has explored a number of ways to address its long-term facility needs.
Fort Stevens is already an important athletic resource for DCI students as well as a community recreation space. DCI is now focused on exploring whether investment in the existing field could provide meaningful benefits for both students and the community.
-
We want to hear from you.
Community members can complete our short survey to tell us how they use Fort Stevens, what they value about the site, what they believe could be improved and what should be protected or preserved.
You can also sign up for project updates and information about future opportunities to participate.
YOUR VOICE MATTERS
Your input will help shape what DCI considers next.
We want to hear how you use Fort Stevens today, what you value most about the site, what you believe could be improved and what should be protected or preserved.
Your feedback will help inform the ideas DCI and the community explore together.