Aug 28, 2015 3 min read

The gazebo has a new home, but the duck is still waiting.

An easement agreement between Washington city officials and the owners of a lot on which a parkette was being constructed has been terminated. As a result, a gazebo was moved from the East Wheeling Street lot to Washington Park on Thursday.

Several picnic tables and planters already were moved from the site.

The community development project was funded by the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation, which gave a $175,000 grant to nonprofit WashArts to redevelop blighted public space. In a collaboration among the city, WashArts and Western Area Career and Technology Center students, a mural, bird baths and placement of a student-made duck sculpture were in the works.

“The duck is still being stored at WashArts,” said volunteer Steve Leonardi.

Several sites are being considered for another urban oasis.

“The city has terminated the agreement, so Mr. Richman can do whatever he wants,” Mayor Brenda Davis said.

The city became embroiled with lot owners John and Shirley Richman, who put the space up for sale and contested the city’s right to take over the property in July. The Richmans signed a three-year easement agreement with city officials in 2014 to allow improvements to be made and to grant a permanent easement for the park once it was completed.

“I let people use the property for three years as an easement. They took it as I gave them the property. I did not give them this property,” John Richman said in July. “They just think it’s theirs. It isn’t.”

Davis said the Richmans donated the property in good faith but did not want to continue the partnership because of “uncertainty of the city and not seeing what direction the city would be taking.”

Davis’ term as mayor ends this year. She is set to be replaced by Scott Putnam, who secured the Democratic nomination in the primary and received the Republican write-in nomination. Two city council seats also are up for grabs.

“Unfortunately, (Mr. Richman) is just not happy with the election results,” she said.

After the controversy, Leonardi is not as optimistic about the project.

“But I think (the city) is still fully invested in creating an urban-area park,” Leonardi said. “I’m hopeful.”

In addition to a gathering space for residents, the parkette was to be used for community events and as an exhibit space for local artists.