Kennedy Recreation Center Playground Set to Re-open

The ground that the Kennedy Recreation Center is built on has a long and storied history, that goes back to 1852 when it was the 18th Century version of Old City Farm & Guild. Through the years it has been the site of a Civil War Barracks, an outdoor market (replacing Mount Vernon Squares Northern Liberties Market) an elementary school and a health clinic. In 1964, then Attorney General, Robert Kennedy dedicated a Children's Playground in the name of John F Kennedy. Since then it has been down and up, the riots and crime left the area in poor shape until the 1990's when the Friends of the Kennedy Playground stepped in to reclaim and return the park into a community asset for the Shaw neighborhood. With the help of, the then Washington Bullets, Clark Construction and the Ruppert Landscape Co. a new park and recreation center was completed. The latest iteration of the Kennedy Recreation Center, that we all know now, was opened in 2003. Now we have a new chapter in the parks history - the new Children's Playground, which will open in the next week or so.
The Playground is separated into 2 segments, a playground for 2 - 5 year old's,  and a playground for older children. It is a colorful space filled with apparatus that will make any child goggle-eyed. Parents are going to really enjoy the green space of the playground and park, and that their kids are going to be fully occupied with all of the goodies. For Shaw, Mt Vernon and surrounds, this could well be "the center" for family fun and activities.
Parents, here are some photographs that tell their own story;

FOR THE OLDER KIDS

 

FOR THE 'TODDLERS' (2 - 5 yrs)

 

I will keep an ear to the ground for an opening date and upgrade this post as soon as I know