Mayor Vince Gray and other notables today dedicated Chuck Brown Memorial Park, a new park designed as a tribute to DC's "Godfather of Go-Go." Aug. 22 would have been Brown's 78th birthday.
The park was carved out of a portion of Langdon Park in Northeast. A wooden bandshell that suffered from drainage issues was replaced by a large plaza and seating area and a mosaic celebrating Brown's life. A large sculpture of Brown welcomes visitors to the park from the east side and a small percussion play area for kids links the existing Langdon playground with the new features. Permeable concrete and rain gardens stocked with low-maintenance, native plants address the drainage and flooding issues.
As the
Post reports, the plaza and mosaic, when viewed from above, resemble a guitar pick.
The original plans for the park included a 900-seat ampitheatre, which was scrapped after neighbors expressed concerns about noise. Instead, the plaza has room for a portable, removable stage that can be brought in for smaller events.
Local firm Marshall Moya Design created the park which was announced at Brown's funeral in 2012.