Volta Park Opens New Playground

Georgetown’s Volta Park officially opened its new playground July 22 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and visit by Mayor Vincent Gray, Ward 2 Councilmember Jack Evans, other local politicians, Parks & Recreation employees and friends of the park. After less than two months of construction, kids are already meeting playmates and enjoying play dates.

“I think it’s really great…and a good investment,” Laura Pesty said, as she pushed her 15-month-old baby on the new, four-seat swing set.

The renovated playground, located on Q Street between 33rd and 34th Street within the park, also features a jungle gym, rope structure, sand pit, plastic climber with an attached slide and see saw. A new PebbleFlex surface covers the ground, protecting children from scraped knees and other injuries.

“I love the surface because it looks very safe for my active grandson,” said Jane Holloway during an afternoon visit. Pesty agreed, “The ground is very soft, and I appreciate that.”

The playground also has benches and picnic tables for parents, grandparents and babysitters to sit and watch their children.

Part of the Play D.C. initiative, the Volta playground is a product of a partnership between the Department of Parks and Recreation, Department of General Services and the Georgetown community. Play D.C. describes itself as a project that “will improve and renovate an unprecedented number of play spaces during the 2013 fiscal year…[and] prioritize maintenance and capital improvements.”

The community-based nonprofit Friends of Volta Park Georgetown raised and contributed about $40,000 to buy most of the equipment, and the city covered construction costs. The DPR paid for the park’s “demolition and prep, equipment installation and delivery, the purchase of the new swing set, safety surface, benches and refurbished sandbox,” according to a DPR press release.