(Washington, DC) The District Department of Transportation (DDOT), Ward 8 councilmember Marion Barry and community leaders held a ribbon cutting ceremony today to celebrate the restoration of Old Market House Square in historic Anacostia. The small park - in the median on 14th Street, SE between U and V Streets – now boasts new lighting, benches, paths, handicap ramps, grass and trees. DDOT also installed new sidewalks and curbs and repaved the roadway around the square.

“It is really amazing to be here to see the transformation of the park from what it was when this project started to what it is today, said Donald Cryer, the Senior Warden at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church which fronts the square. “It is hard to believe this could be done.”

The restoration of Old Market House Square was spearheaded by a small group of church patrons, historians, community advocates, business district leaders, long-time and new residents. They formed the Friends of Old Market House Square Park and brought the project to fruition under the leadership of their very determined project manager Marie Zackrie.

“DDOT has become my DDOT,” Ms. Zackrie said at today’s event. “It can be done and you’ve shown us how. Please continue to partner with communities around the city.”

DDOT did much of the work, but as Deputy Chief Engineer Muhammed Khalid acknowledged, most of the credit belongs to the community. “We really take pride in partnering with the community on projects like this,” he said, “because the community knows more about what they need than we do.”

The restoration cost $480,000 and was funded in part by DDOT, Earmark funds provided by Councilmember Barry, and a grant from the TKF foundation of Maryland.

This median park was renamed John A. Logan Park in 1908, but the community has requested that it once again be known by its historic name, Old Market House Square. Some of the new features include chess tables, a meditation and reading area, and a bench made from recycled wood from 200 year old pickle barrels.