(Washington, DC) – Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser was joined by the Department of General Services (DGS), the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR), members of the Ketcham Elementary School community, and Ward 8 community members to cut the ribbon on the all-new Anacostia Recreation Center at Ketcham, marking the latest milestone in the Mayor’s 12-year commitment to delivering modern, world-class recreation facilities in all eight wards.
“This recreation center is an investment in Anacostia’s future, delivering world-class recreational space right where our families live and learn,” said Mayor Bowser. “I’m grateful to everyone who has helped us deliver on our promises to Ward 8, whether that’s at our rec centers, at the new hospital, at the St. Elizabeths East campus, with housing, and more. And we’re not done yet, so let’s keep pushing.”
The $16 million, 15,000-square-foot facility is an entirely new building that includes a fitness room, gymnasium, kitchen, multipurpose rooms, lounge, and more. Exterior work will be completed in early spring and will include outdoor covered seating, an entry plaza, new playgrounds, lighting, a natural grass field, and a walking and running path. The facility is also built with community resilience in mind and includes a generator that can power the building for up to 72 hours in case of power disruption.
“At DGS, we build what matters,” said DGS Director Delano Hunter. “Thanks to Mayor Bowser’s continued investment in recreation, we are able to deliver world-class facilities that create a lasting impact in the communities they serve.”
The new center is strategically located next to Ketcham Elementary School, allowing for a full continuum of opportunities for members of the community to learn and grow throughout their lifetime. In 2019, Mayor Bowser cut the ribbon on a new child development center at Ketcham Elementary School, which expanded the District’s portfolio of elementary schools that offer a high-quality early education program for infants and toddlers. Next school year, Ketcham Elementary School will undergo a major modernization, transforming the facility into an 81,000-square-foot school. The project will blend a renovation of the original historic structure with the demolition and reconstruction of portions of the existing building, and is expected to deliver in Summer 2028.
“Opening the Anacostia Recreation Center at Ketcham is about giving this community a space that feels welcoming, safe, and full of opportunity,” said DPR Director Thennie Freeman. “This is a place where young people can grow, families can connect, and neighbors can come together. This isn’t just a building — it’s a home, and we can’t wait to see it filled with life.”
Since 2015, Mayor Bowser has invested more than $600 million in recreation and aquatic center projects across the city, and over $100 million in Ward 8 alone. These investments have modernized, renovated, and expanded facilities such as the Southeast Tennis and Learning Center (2022), Barry Farm Recreation Center (2019), Anacostia Recreation Center (2019), Ferebee Hope Recreation Center (2021), and Bald Eagle Recreation Center (2017).
Projects currently underway or opening soon in Ward 8 include Fort Greble Recreation Center, Ferebee Hope Boxing Annex, and the Southeast Tennis and Learning Center expansion, all opening later this year. The Congress Heights Recreation Center is scheduled to be completed in spring 2027.
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