I read with interest the April 15 Metro article regarding the restoration of the historic Dupont Circle fountain, “Fountain’s renewed flow delights residents,” only to learn that the fountain will again be shut down to waterproof its base. Did it ever occur to the National Park Service (NPS) staff that the pump and waterproofing repairs could have been performed simultaneously?
While we are on the subject of mismanagement, I was told by the superintendent of the National Mall and Memorial Parks that the NPS does not have the resources to restore the numerous burned-out streetlights that it maintains in D.C. Moreover, this is the same agency that was unable to refill the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in time for this year’s Cherry Blossom Festival and has yet to replace the balustrades on the Memorial Bridge that were damaged in September’s accident involving a pickup truck that jumped the sidewalk.
There are other examples of neglect in and around the Mall, but I think you get the picture. In its mission, the NPS “preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations.” Somehow I don’t think it is living up to its core values.
Lawrence R. Impett, Washington