The Japan Times - Fans of historic DC park wary of Trump plan to 'beautify' city

But some regulars fear the weekly event could come under threat amid US President Donald Trump's program to make the District of Columbia "safe and beautiful."

Meridian Hill Park, also known to locals as Malcolm X Park following the Black nationalist leader's assassination in 1965, has been undergoing major renovations for years.

Much of it is now freshly reopened, but with Trump in office, residents still fear its history will be whitewashed.

"It gives us this anxiety... if they close the park, where can we go to express ourselves and have a community like this, where can our community exist?" said Jalisa Settles-Bey, a 36-year-old mother of six and a street vendor who uses the park.

Settles-Bey sways to the rhythm of the bongos on a recent Sunday in the park -- but nerves are still frayed.

"We're definitely a little worried about Trump trying to come in and mess up this park," said Jesse Bogdan, one of the organizers of the Keep Malcolm X Open Coalition.

Mikey, who is originally from Ethiopia, is one of about 15 musicians gathered on this particular Sunday. He explains how Meridian Hill Park was historically a place for the city's Black community to gather, and still is, despite rapid gentrification of the area.

"It's important for the people to gather here and maintain the tradition."

- 'Sanitizing the space' -

Trump's plan to restore Washington's parks and give its monuments a bit of a glow-up coincides with the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States on July 4. Billions of dollars have been earmarked for it.

For supporters, it is a long overdue mission to restore the capital's luster. But for many residents, it feels like Trump is putting his personal stamp on the city, from his plans for a triumphal arch to a new gilded White House ballroom.

Nearly 90 percent of green spaces in Washington are under federal control, meaning the president has almost free rein to change them to his liking.

Large barriers in the park read: "We are making DC safe and beautiful."

Setha Low, the director of the Public Space Research Group at the City University of New York, says that in urban areas, "revitalization and beautification has often meant sanitizing the space or making it more secure."

That can also mean "reshaping who gets to be seen, who gets to gather, and which stories are allowed," Low told AFP.

Bogdan fears that by cleaning up Meridian Hill Park -- which is managed and maintained by the National Park Service -- its history as a place of Black protest and community will be anesthetized.

Bogdan said his group fears that the park's informational signage could eventually be redone to eliminate elements of its history, as the Trump administration moves to remove "divisive narratives" from national sites.

"You don't make a city safe and beautiful by excluding its people!" he said.

Bogdan's coalition has gathered 4,000 signatures so far on a petition that slams the lack of public consultation about the Meridian Hill Park project and the possible cancellation of summer events due to construction.

Meridian Hill Park notably has a monumental cascading fountain that has been in disrepair for years and only just reopened.

But the area where the drum circle usually takes place is still not finished.

- 'Necessary' work -

So far, Washington's outgoing Mayor Muriel Bowser has walked a fine line between defending the city's interests and cooperating with Trump on certain projects. Some residents say there is federal overreach.

"The fountain was out of order and the lawns were bad -- it was necessary," says 40-something neighborhood resident Dina Smith.

"But many believe this investment would never have happened if certain people in positions of power hadn't wanted to make things look good for the 250th celebration."

The National Park Service (NPS) "understands how much the community values Meridian Hill Park," a spokeswoman told AFP.

The NPS also said the renovations already completed had helped improve security and cleanliness.

Bogdan's coalition says it hopes in the meantime to cover the official banners about beautifying the city with "artworks reflecting the diversity of the park's community."

K.Yoshida--JT