A coalition of D.C. activists and politically connected residents is urging the recently fired director of the District’s parks department to run for a citywide D.C. Council seat next year.

Roughly 90 individuals, some fairly well known, have joined to form the Draft Clark Ray for D.C. Council organizing committee. The group wants Ray, former chief of the Department of Parks and Recreation, to challenge three-term Democratic Councilman Phil Mendelson for his at-large seat in 2010.