(Washington, DC) Today, after participating in the annual Palisades Fourth of July Parade, Mayor Bowser celebrated the opening of the $9.5 million Palisades Recreation Center in Ward 3. The Mayor was joined by Ward 3 Councilmember Mary Cheh, Department of General Services (DGS) Director Greer Gillis, Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) Director Keith Anderson, and representatives from the Palisades Civic Association.
“This time last year, we broke ground on the new Palisades Recreation Center—a community-driven project that was focused on building an inclusive and sustainable facility that will meet the needs of Washingtonians for generations to come,” said Mayor Bowser. “Today, we are proud to deliver a facility that brings to life the vision of the Palisades community.”
Mayor Bowser broke ground on the Palisades Recreation Center on July 4, 2017. The new facility replaces the previous recreation center, built in the 1936, while maintaining the historic charm of the community.
The newly modernized Palisades Recreation Center is designed to meet LEED Gold Certification and includes:
- interior and exterior upgrades,
- all new windows and doors,
- new half-court gymnasium,
- expansion of the multipurpose space,
- fitness room,
- gathering spaces for teens and seniors,
- new administration space, and
- access to connect a generator, allowing greater usability in times of emergency or crisis.
“The Department of General Services is proud to be the design and construction team for the environment-friendly recreation center at Palisades Park,” says DGS Director Gillis. “We could not have accomplished today’s goal of a newly modernized facility without the support of Mayor Bowser, DPR, and the community.”
The renovated facility also includes newly installed fire alarms, fire sprinklers, and ADA compliant public restrooms.
“This is a modernization worthy of celebration, and we look forward to offering exciting and quality programming to the community at this historic facility,” said DPR Director Keith A. Anderson.