On March 27, 2014, the District of Columbia celebrated the opening of the Turkey Thicket newly renovated playground and recreation center in the city. In keeping a promise to open 40 newly renovated playgrounds for children, District of Columbia Mayor Vincent Gray has made the District one of the most accessible playground cities in the nation.

Gray was joined by Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie; Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) Interim Director Sharia Shanklin; Department of General Services (DGS) Director Brian Hanlon; Office of Planning (OP) Interim Director Rosalynn Hughey; ANC 5B05 Commissioner Jenese Jones and Brookland Neighborhood Civic Association (BNCA) Representative Debee Yamamoto.

Turkey Thicket community members and students from the Brookland Educational Campus at Bunker Hill School celebrated the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the newly renovated Turkey Thicket Playground. At the event, Mayor Gray will announced the vision for the Play DC Master Plan - a long-range plan for the District’s parks and recreation resources.

The Turkey Thicket Playground design centers on two themes: transportation and a “mini-village.” The transportation component includes trains, cars and boats; the mini-village component includes mountains, play houses and a farmers’ market.

Other new features of the center include sensory play equipment, a community garden, seating, a splash pad with a lighthouse and boat, a climbing hill, musical instruments, shade structures, a movie wall, and a walking track.

Four years ago on April 2, 2010, Turkey Thicket & North Michigan Parks joined forces to give the city the great Spring Fling Extravaganza. Today, Turkey Thicket has been renovated like new.

The Play DC Master Plan effort is led by DPR, DGS, OP and 25 stakeholders as the District defines a path for improving parks and services in a dense, fast-growing city. Thousands of children in the District of Columbia in search of a good and safe place to play have ample choices because of the leadership and service of Vincent Gray.

The Turkey Thicket Recreation Center is located on 1100 Michigan Avenue, NE, near the Brookland-CUA Metro Station.