Parks and Recreation
Glover Archbold Park
A path leads from the green lot through the woods to the upper field.
Although Burleith is very close to the center of the city, a 5-minute walk into the park can bring you into the middle of the woods, with no houses in sight. Administered by the National Park Service, Glover Archbold Park borders Burleith on the north and west. Two sections of Glover Archbold Park are open areas that are special recreation areas for Burleith. The lower Green Lot is at 37th Street and Whitehaven Parkway, and the Upper Field is north of 39th Street, between Burleith, Hillandale, and Glover Park. Both spaces are popular for dog walking, but be aware that the Park Service requires dogs to be leashed. Trails through the woods link Burleith to the C&O canal towpath and to Rock Creek Park.
Georgetown University resurfaced the track in 2016
Ellington Field
Ellington Field is a safe, green, and enjoyable place for community residents to go for a run, kick around a soccer ball, or enjoy a lazy Sunday afternoon picnic. Local school teams and pick-up leagues also compete there, and the cheers of their supporters can be heard from blocks away. Access to the rubberized running track, playing fields, bleachers, and landscaped gardens is through entrances on 38th Street NW and 39th Street NW, between R Street NW and Reservoir Road NW.
In 2010, the Burleith Citizens Association established The Friends of Ellington Field & Gardens to spearhead the community's partnership with the Duke Ellington School of the Arts and DC Public Schools to renovate and rejuvenate Ellington Field. Later that year, the District government launched a massive renovation of the field, including new landscaping and the planting of thousands of new shrubs, bulbs, and some 100 new trees. The Friends serves as a steward of the field and as the community's link with the District and Casey Trees. If you are interested in joining or supporting the group's work, please email bca@burleith.org. (Please note that the BCA is not in charge of Ellington Field. A contact name for scheduling the field will be added as soon as it is available.)
Especially for Kids
parents and minders can watch their kids from the tot lot's picnic benches.
after working off some energy, try one of glover park's many restaurants.
The Tot Lot is a beloved local landmark located on 35th and S Streets NW next to the home of Halcyon Arts Lab (S&R Foundation's "arts incubator") at the former Fillmore School. Beautifully renovated by the former Corcoran School or Art + Design in 2000 and by the S&R Foundation in 2018–2019, it includes slides, swings, a playhouse, and a sandbox. The Tot Lot is also home to the annual Burleith Halloween Party.
Located in Glover Park, Guy Mason Recreation Center features a large new playground surrounded by grass, a tall twisty slide, spring toys, swings, and a big sandbox. Located at 3600 Calvert Street NW, just off Wisconsin Avenue, the center also offers the community a baseball field, classrooms and public programs, a pottery workshop, and an official dog park.
Offering a range of classes and athletics (including playing fields and an outdoor swimming pool), Jelleff Community Center at 3265 S Street is part of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington system and partners with the DC Department of Parks and Recreation. Discussions are currently underway with DPR on neighbor and stakeholder wishes for the facility as part of a scheduled renovation.
Mural at jelleff community center.