What's happening at East Po right now.

East Potomac Park belongs to everyone in DC. The perimeter loop, the waterfront, the picnic areas, the cherry trees, the mini-golf, and the open lawns — these are what make the peninsula one of the most-loved public spaces in the city.

We're not opposed to thoughtful updates to the golf course itself. What we're opposed to is turning the entire peninsula into a single-use, golf-only destination. Our priorities:

• The perimeter loop road and waterfront stay open to walkers, runners, and cyclists.
• Picnic areas, open lawns, and the rest of the park remain free and welcoming to the general public.
• The historic public golf course is preserved, with common-sense improvements — not a wholesale teardown.
• Any changes are modest and don't expand the golf footprint into the rest of the peninsula.
• East Potomac Park continues to serve every kind of Washingtonian — not just golfers.

For several years, the National Links Trust — a nonprofit — operated DC's three public courses with a mission of keeping the game accessible. In late 2025, the Department of the Interior ended that lease and announced plans to bring East Potomac in-house.

Reporting since then has described plans for a high-end, professional-grade course redesigned by architect Tom Fazio. Supporters frame it as a long-overdue upgrade. The concern from many neighbors is what happens to the rest of the peninsula around it.

On February 13, 2026, the DC Preservation League and a group of local residents filed suit (DC Preservation League v. Department of the Interior), arguing the project moved forward without the environmental and historic review process that federal law requires for changes of this scale on federal parkland.

The complaint also alleges that roughly 30,000 cubic yards of construction debris — pipes, wires, brick — was deposited on the park during the demolition of parts of the White House East Wing earlier in the term, without testing for pollutants near the Potomac waterfront. Those claims are being litigated and have not been ruled on.

• The perimeter loop road around Hains Point is generally still open to walkers and cyclists.
• The golf course, driving range, and mini-golf are entering a period of restricted access starting May 4, 2026.
• The administration has said it wants the area ready by the America 250 celebrations in July 2026, though pending legal challenges may affect the timeline.

Save East Po is a group of neighbors who want to make sure the next chapter of East Potomac Park keeps what made it special: a public, welcoming space for every kind of Washingtonian.

This decision is being made at the federal level, where local public-comment processes carry little weight. What does carry weight is grassroots support — visible, organized, and loud enough to show how much this park means to the people of DC. That's what we're building.