DORCHESTER, MASS. (WHDH) - Boston Mayor Michelle Wu celebrated the official opening of a newly renovated park in Dorchester Thursday.

The improved Ryan Playground at 960 Dorchester Avenue features a new play structure and a water feature to help families beat the heat in the summer. The park also has a new half-court basketball hoop.

Mariama White-Hammond, the chief of environment, energy and open space with the city, said at the ribbon-cutting that the new features can help combat urban heat islands in the city.

“The Parks Department has made a deeper investment in water features as a way of supporting communities where we know heat is a real challenge,” White-Hammond said. “Unfortunately, due to climate change, heat is going to be even more of a challenge for our city, so we are really committed to making our parks a place where people can gather, meet their neighbors and also get cool and beat the heat.”

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