(Washington, DC) – Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser joined District leaders and community members to cut the ribbon on the new Stead Park Recreation Center, the District’s first Net Zero Ready recreation center. As a Net Zero Ready building, the Stead Park Recreation Center will generate enough renewable energy to offset its annual energy consumption using solar panels and geothermal wells.
“You can see the care that went into preserving the history of the space. But when you learn more about the construction of this facility, you also can appreciate how this is a fantastic example of the work we are doing to take our buildings into the future by making them greener, more resilient, and more sustainable,” said Mayor Bowser. “Projects like this are good news for the environment, good news for taxpayers, and will build on Stead Park’s legacy of serving the community and residents of all ages.”
Developed through a $15.4 million District investment and a $500,000 gift from local organization Friends of Stead Park, the new recreation center will feature a new fitness center, multi-purpose rooms, demonstration kitchen, basketball court, playground, and spray park. In completing the project, DGS employed nearly 100 DC residents and spent almost $4 million in contracting Certified Business Enterprises, a designation reserved for DC-based businesses.
Building off DPR’s Ready2Play Master Plan, a number of innovative features were incorporated to make Stead Park the Department of Parks and Recreation’s (DPR) first Net Zero facility, including the construction of geothermal wells, the implementation of a high-performing renewable energy system, and fixtures for a future solar canopy. The solar panels are expected to be installed this fall. Other Net Zero Ready District buildings include Benjamin Banneker Academic High School, Bard High School, John Lewis Elementary School, and Raymond Elementary School.
“Ensuring the District has access to modernized, state-of-the-art recreational facilities is at the heart of what the Department of General Services does. With Stead Park Recreation Center, we are building not only for today but for the future. This $15.4 million restoration project, delivered ahead of schedule, will be the first Net Zero Ready recreation center in DPR’s portfolio,” said Department of General Services Director Delano Hunter. “DGS is proudly committed to our long-standing goal of sustainability, and Stead Park Recreation Center is just the latest – joining other Net Zero projects DGS has delivered.”
“We are proud to reintroduce the community to this spectacular, revitalized gem,” said DPR Director Thennie Freeman. “We look forward to programming this space with as much innovation and creativity as its design, ensuring Stead Park will continue to serve as a community hub for decades.”
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