Mayor Vincent C. Gray cordially invites you to attend the
New York Avenue Recreation Center and Playground
Ribbon Cutting
Please join Mayor Vincent C. Gray, Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie, DPR Director Jesús Aguirre, DGS Director Brian Hanlon and the Ward 5 community to celebrate the opening of the New York Avenue Recreation Center and Playground
Wednesday, August 8, 2012, 10:00 a.m.
at the New York Avenue Playground
1st and O Street, NW
Bates Area Civic Association 
It may be a typo, the playground is: 1st & N Streets, N. W.
Thank you. This was posted exactly as it what was provided by the President of the Hanover Civic Association and DPR.
Unfortunately, I was unable to attend this. I am a stay at home mom and will never take my child to this playground. I live a few buildings down from it and see all the bums that hang out there, all the trash and broken glass beer/liquor bottles, and who knows what else goes on there. I wanted to question Mayor Gray about when the closed/abandoned Sursum Corda Library building would be demolished. It serves as a “great” screen. No one can see the playground from NY Ave. Whatever anyone does on that playground is concealed from the street. Until that building comes down, that playground will go back to being a dangerous dump unsuitable for children.
Couldn’t agree more – the playground, even after it’s been modernized, is a magnet for negative activities. If it were more visible, and more frequently used, all that would change. Unfortunately the District just wants to lease the library kiosk short-term to anyone who’s interested: http://dgs.dc.gov/DC/DGS/Opportunities/Short+Term+Property+Use
Now in my opinion, that dilapidated structure should be torn down and replaced with a dog park, which will keep more eyes on the playground throughout the day and night, and eliminate the tension over dogs on the athletic field. Win-Win.
Jon – the city has approved the budget to revitalized the club house at the park. A dog park is something that unfortunately a lot of neighbors opposed. For a dog park to take place, the neighbors interested in doing so can form a Friends of the Park and raise the money for it; the city will support it IF the funds are raised but the City will not pay for it. The same issues were true for the Florida Avenue Park but that is changing. Since the park was renovated, we have organized community events, including Movies Night at The park, which have helped changed the dynamics of the park. So my challenge to my neighbors in the Hanover Neighborhood is took take charge of the situation and start doing some community programs to change the people using the park. I would be happy to share some of the things we have done with the Florida Ave. Park.