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Washington
Monument to Reopen May 12
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Washington,
DC – March 2014 / Newsmaker Alert / The National
Park Service (NPS) announced that the remaining scaffolding surrounding
the Washington Monument
will begin to come down this week in preparation for the Monument’s re-opening
on May 12 after a 32-month closure due to damage from an earthquake. The
National Park Service and the Trust for the National Mall will host a re-opening
ceremony at 10 a.m. that morning; details of the ceremony will be forthcoming.
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Public
tours of the Monument on the day of the reopening, May 12, will begin at
1:00 p.m. The tickets will be available on a first come-first served basis
starting at 8:30 a.m. that day at the Washington Monument Lodge, located
on 15th Street, between Madison and Jefferson Drives. Tickets for tours
on May 13 and all future dates will be available on the NPS reservation
page, www.recreation.gov, starting on April 16, at 10 a.m.
“We
are delighted to be in the homestretch with the repairs to the Washington
Monument almost complete, and we look forward to the re-opening on May
12 so we can once again welcome visitors to this iconic monument to our
nation’s first President,” said National Park Service Director Jonathan
B. Jarvis. “We are grateful for David Rubenstein’s generous donation that
funded half of the $15 million repair bill. David’s support of the national
parks and the work of the National Park Service sets a high standard for
park philanthropy nationwide and is appreciated by every visitor who will
learn something about President Washington or simply enjoy the view from
the top.”
“The
National Park Service has done a spectacular job of repairing the monument,
and I hope as many people as possible will soon be able to see the unique
view from the top,” said philanthropist David M. Rubenstein.
Mr.
Rubenstein donated $7.5 million to the monument’s restoration via the Trust
for the National Mall, matching the public funds allocated by Congress.
“We
are grateful for Mr. Rubenstein’s generosity and the National Park Service’s
diligent work. Thanks to this successful public-private partnership, visitors
can once again experience the full grandeur and history of the National
Mall,” said Caroline Cunningham, president of the Trust for the National
Mall.
Because
of the closure of the Monument, the National Park Service will begin extended
operating hours on May 12. The Monument will be open from 9a.m. until 10p.m.
until the end of summer.
The
Washington
Monument has been closed since August 23, 2011, due to damage received
in a 5.8 magnitude earthquake. It is now in the final stages of the restoration,
which included repairs to more than 150 cracks in the structure.
About
the National Park Service
More
than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 401 national
parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local
history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Visit us at
www.nps.gov,
on Facebook www.facebook.com/nationalparkservice,
Twitter www.twitter.com/natlparkservice,
and YouTube www.youtube.com/nationalparkservice.
Contact:
National
Park Service
Mike
Litterst / 202-208-6843 |