Fenty Administration Breaks Ground on New Playground and Soccer Field at Hearst Elementary School and Recreation Center

Community and Student Body Celebrate Construction of New Joint-Use Facility

Washington, DC–Today, Mayor Adrian M. Fenty, Office of Public Education Facilities Modernization (OPEFM) Director Allen Lew and DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) Acting Director Ximena Hartsock, joined the Ward 3 community to break ground on a new playground and soccer field for students of Hearst Elementary School student as well as Hearst Recreation Center patrons.

“We are building this state-of-the-art playground with the finest upgrades,” said Mayor Fenty. "This is a terrific example of a dedicated community coming together and working with the District to invest in something that will benefit this student body and community for years to come.”

The new playground will be shared by both Hearst Elementary School and Hearst Recreation Center, and will be located next to the current play courts. It will feature a playground for children ages two to five years old, a playground for children ages six to 12 years old and a youth soccer field. The existing playground will be removed and replaced with a new picnic area.

"Today's groundbreaking is a true celebration of collaboration,” said DPR Acting Director Ximena Hartsock. “The Department of Parks and Recreation is proud to be a part of bringing a wonderful new playground to Hearst.”

The Hearst Playground Working Group, comprised of residents from the community and ANC Commissioners, worked with the District for several years in the initial design and developmental stages of the project. They were also instrumental in the selection of playground equipment.

“After eight years of advocacy, numerous design processes and many compromises, the community is thrilled to see ground breaking on a new playground at Hearst,” said ANC Commissioner and Hearst Playground Working Group member Susan Banta.

DPR and OPEFM will collaborate to design, construct and manage the new facility. OPEFM will provide construction oversight and management, while DPR will continue with programming and after hours management of the facility for community use.

“This is truly a remarkable project for both the community and school at Hearst,” said OPEFM Director Allen Lew. “We are pleased to work collaboratively to ensure that these facilities match DPR’s programming efforts in quality.”

The new play area will include the following upgrades:

• Playground for six to 12 year-old children with shade structures
  
• Tot lot for two to five year-old children with shade structures
  
• Four molded rubber mushroom steps of varying heights
  
• Free-standing outdoor chalkboard wall and art display boards to separate tot lot from basketball court
  
• Multi-use sport court sized to accommodate a high school regulation size basketball court with two full-size basketball hoops  
  
• Four additional child-sized eight feet tall basketball hoops for use during half-court games
  
• Small plaza area to separate the two playgrounds and provide seating
  
• Irrigated, natural turf soccer field sized to accommodate regulation games for children less than eight years of age
  
• Ornamental fencing along 37th Street