Upgrades at "Needle Park" - Washington City Paper

Upgrades at “Needle Park”

by Ruth Samuelson July 28th, 2009September 29th, 2020

D.C. history lesson time!

What sweet urban oasis was dubbed “Needle Park” due to rampant drug use? Our east-of-the-river expert doesn’t know.

But apparently it’s Marvin Gaye Park, formally Watts Branch Park, in Northeast.

The park is currently undergoing a huge revitalization, including “state-of-the-art playground equipment, a Marvin Gaye Amphitheater, the restoration of Watts Branch stream and 1.6 miles of newly-rebuilt hiker/biker trails.”

Earlier this year, a street nearby was also renamed for Marvin Gaye, a native son to the Deanwood area. A special ribbon-cutting event for the new playground equipment is planned for next month, August 20.

Image by Permanently Scatterbrained, Flickr Creative Commons

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