Summer is officially here, and the park is looking better each day! Â We have a few updates to share as we head into Jul:
Independence Day Cleanup July 5th
We're excited that July 4th celebrations will seem a bit more normal after two years of COVID restrictions. Of course, we also expect that the Park will look a little worse for wear after the festivities conclude. We will hold our annual Independence Day Cleanup as usual:
Tuesday, July 5, 9:00am
We'll clean up after the Independence Day revelers, and may do a bit of light landscape maintenance. The cleanup should take an hour or less. Sign up on our Events page to join us!
Spring Landscape Maintenance
A small and dedicated team of volunteers completed several landscape maintenance tasks in the Park: trimming rose bushes, performing restoration pruning of the azaleas along the promenade, moving bulbs from the planters to the demonstration garden, and sprucing up the planters. Many thanks to Paddy Katzen for leading the landscaping tasks, and all of the volunteers for helping out!
We often have small tasks to do, like the ones listed above. Unless it's a big job, we don't post these as formal events on the website.  Sign up to be on the Landscape list, and we'll contact you when help is needed. Â
Slowly but surely….
The tile work has been slowed by weather and other emergency needs in the National Mall and Memorials Parks. Skilled masons at NPS expect it to be about another month before the South Activity Well is completed. The work will include grouting the tiles that have already been set, and restoring the final section of the Activity Well. Let's hope for some dry days so we avoid more weather delays!
Signs, Signs
We’ve had our initial meeting with NPS to understand the approval and funding process for adding signage in the Park.  The first step in the process is to have an overall signage plan and get that approved through NPS and the Fine Arts Commission.  Then NPS can work on sign design as the Friends raise the funds we need. The current estimate is that it will take 1 - 2 years before our first sign is placed.  We’ll keep working with NPS and let you know as we make progress through each step.
We've had to say goodbye to two Board members: Claire Adrian-Tucci and John Kircher. We really appreciate all that they both did while on the Board, and wish them well in their future endeavours!
We are pleased to introduce new Board member Richard Helke. Already a Friends volunteer for a few years, Richard helped with many aspects of the Titanic 110th Anniversary, and we are so pleased he has joined us on the Board!
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Corinne Irwin, Chair
Friends of Titanic Memorial Park
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Proud partner of the National Park Service