WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump says renovations to East Potomac Golf Links will close the park for 15 months beginning in November, raising concern that a major redesign could restrict access to Hains Point, a popular public waterfront used by residents and visitors throughout the year. Trump has proposed combining the park’s three historic golf courses into one 18-hole, championship-style course. A rendering he posted appears to cover the peninsula, including a playground and picnic area, and shows no perimeter road. The administration has not clarified whether those features would be removed, and federal lawyers said in court Monday that they were not aware of a final plan. The uncertainty matters well beyond golf. Hains Point’s Ohio Drive is a roughly three-mile loop used by runners and cyclists, while the park’s river views and trees draw birders, anglers and families. Congress set aside the area in 1897 as a park “for the recreation and pleasure of the people.” Trump has said the redesigned course would remain open to the public and could host major tournaments, including the U.S. Open and PGA Championship. But residents and advocates worry a high-end course could change the character of a public space and make it less accessible, even if visitors are technically allowed in. The National Park Service cut down 430 trees at the golf course earlier this month, with less than a day’s notice. The government says the work followed recommendations in a 2019 landscaping report. Critics fear the clearing is the start of a broader overhaul. U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes held a hearing Monday on the tree removal and whether further work should be blocked. A group called Hains Point Runners argued in court and in a written brief that federal law requires the Park Service to consider the corridor’s established recreational uses and ways to limit harm before making changes. The group’s lawyers said that consideration had not occurred from the running community’s perspective. The potential disruption reaches beyond daily visitors. Hains Point is part of the Marine Corps Marathon route and the annual Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10-mile race, which draws about 20,000 participants. Race director Rob Wolfe said organizers are exploring backup routes for next year in case the renovations affect the course. “If this roadway goes away, hundreds, thousands of people on a daily basis would lose out,” Wolfe said, while stressing that protecting the park matters more than a single race day. Residents describe the point as a rare patch of open space close to the National Mall but removed from its crowds and traffic. Elizabeth Kiker, executive director of the Washington Area Bicyclists Association, called it an important part of the region’s fabric. Runner Ashley Hawkins, who lives in Prince George’s County and runs there daily, said the route supports her mental health and offers a sense of calm she has not found elsewhere nearby. Birders also fear losing habitat and access. María-Elena Montero, president of the D.C. Bird Alliance, called a possible closure a major loss for both birds and people. The alliance plans daily bird walks, while the bicyclists’ association has organized rallies and rides. A local nonprofit, Save East Po, and the D.C. Preservation League are also working to preserve the park’s existing public uses. The preservation league and two local golfers sued the federal government in February, alleging an unlawful takeover of the public course. The dispute follows months of uncertainty: Trump announced that architect Tom Fazio would design a new course and that work would begin Sept. 1, but later statements shifted the expected start date. Advocates say improvements such as repairing the deteriorating seawall and adding benches could address problems without putting the road, recreation areas and public access at risk. For now, visitors have no settled answer about what parts of Hains Point will remain available if the work proceeds. Hawkins says she intends to keep running there until she is told she cannot.