It was great to see some Friends at the Southwest Neighborhood Assembly (SWNA) Picnic in Titanic Park at the end of September. We have several updates to share with you for October:
Work Party, October 19, 2019
Our next work party is scheduled for:
Saturday, October 19
9:00 - Noon
Meet at the Titanic Memorial
We’ll paint benches, plant bulbs, and do additional weeding and clean up as needed. Get more information and sign up on our Events page.
Halloween Party at the Duck Pond, October 31, 2019
Once again, the Southwest Business Improvement District (SWBID) is hosting a Halloween party:
October 31, 2019
5:00pm - 7:00pm
Southwest Duck Pond
The Friends have a new costume and fun activity planned for kids of all ages. Come by and see us!
James Pierce honored by the Washington Nationals
Friends attending the Nationals Wild Card Game on October 1 were thrilled to see Army Staff Sergeant James Pierce throw out the first pitch! James has coordinated all of our Work Parties to spruce up the Park in his role as Volunteer Coordinator for the entire National Mall and Memorial Parks region.
Before becoming a Park Ranger with the National Park Service in 2013, James served in the Army from 2001 - 2012, completing multiple combat missions and receiving the Purple Heart. The Nationals created a wonderful video tribute that they've allowed us to share with you. Please watch it! And thank James for his service to our country the next time you see him.
Tiles in the Play Areas
The tiles in the North Play Area were restored this year, and they look great! We've seen more people using the play area for Yoga and other exercise, and good old-fashioned child's play. NPS has the tiles on hand to restore the South Play Area, and are planning to do this work in the Spring of 2020. If the weather stays nice into early Winter, they may be able to get the work done before the Winter freeze.
Did you know? Trees!
As documented in the historic design plans we found in the National Archives, Titanic Memorial Park used to have many more trees than we see today. Most of the missing trees are "understory" trees such as Crape Myrtle, Dogwood, and Star Magnolia. We are working with the Park Service to develop a plan for tree restoration over the next few years. Take a look at the historic plans, and stay tuned as we work out plans to restore our trees.
Hope to see you in October!