Parks & People has been the proud owner of the Riverside Healthy Living Center since Spring 2004. The Center has become a hub of activity in the park, and it is now also home to DC’s first comprehensive community food hub. Together with our partners at DC Parks and Recreation, DC Department of the Environment, DC Urban Greens, and the UDC College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability, and Environmental Sciences (CAUSES), we operate a model urban farm and native reforestation nursery around the corner at the Marvin Gaye Community Greening Center.

Riverside programming includes fitness and healthy cooking classes, in-season farm market, youth arts and dance classes, town hall meetings, films, forums, service learning, and park revitalization and urban forestry job training with our DC Green Corps.

The historic site of Marvin Gaye’s professional singing debut in the old Crystal Room nightclub, Riverside features a 2,000-square-foot assembly space, a brand new 1500-square-foot commercial kitchen and cafe, a bike repair station, and an indoor growing place now home to 560 organic produce seedlings. A community-wide public arts project called Art on the Block decorates the walls and curbs surrounding our center with mosaics to honor the history and heroes of this stream valley.

Book the Riverside Center

The Riverside Healthy Living Center is an ideal spot for community gatherings, events, and meetings. We love to host special events for members of Washington Parks & People (Not a member? Join today!). Contact [email protected] to book the Parks Center today.