parks

There was a time… photo from 2007 by Chris Campbell

Rough report from Politico:

“Nearly 780 people were fired at the National Park Service, said one person briefed on the administration’s call with park superintendents. The NPS may have to cancel tours and possibly close visitor centers if they don’t have probationary employees in place on Monday, this person said.”

Don’t think that bodes for finding funding to fix the fountain :(

I guess we better enjoy that new armillary sphere…

From the office of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton:

“Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) introduced a bill to expand the mission of the National Park Service (NPS) to include active use of NPS parks in urban areas in addition to preservation. The idea for the bill came from a George Washington University report that examined strategies to create a more activated park system in D.C., which noted that NPS parks in D.C. are “inconsistently managed and inequitably maintained” and “do not meet the needs of people who both live near and experience the park system as a part of their daily lives.”

“NPS’s primary mission is to preserve spaces for the enjoyment of future generations. This noble mission was crafted for the purpose of wilderness preservation, allowing nature to remain untouched by time. However, this mission is ill-suited for the unique needs of NPS neighborhood parks,” Norton said. “This bill would expand the mission of NPS to include the promotion of active use of its parks located in urban areas. Active use prioritizes current enjoyment by people and improves quality of life, including with playgrounds, pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly infrastructure, sports and recreation facilities, community events, and programming for public holiday celebrations.”

Norton’s introductory statement follows. (more…)