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From the Washington Post

At D.C. Planetarium, See Stars in a New Light

By Jessica McFadden
Special to The Washington Post
Friday, March 13, 2009

George was a sturdy old workhorse, but it was time to pass the torch to his more high-tech little brother, Seymour.

At Rock Creek Park's Planetarium, the only planetarium in the National Park Service, the rangers recently retired George, the antiquated analog projector that had served the facility faithfully for 39 years. Two weeks ago, the planetarium unveiled the punnily named Seymour (as in "see more"), a state-of-the-art digital projector selected to exhilarate and educate star-seeking families through breathtaking images.
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National Park Service opens Phase 1 of Georgetown Waterfront Park; Largest National Park Built in Washington, D.C. during the last 30 Years

Washington, D.C. – The National Park Service (NPS) opened Phase 1 of the Georgetown Waterfront Park from Wisconsin Avenue to 34th Street with a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on Saturday, October 4, 2008.

The ribbon cutting ceremony celebrated the completion of Phase 1, the first of two construction phases of the Georgetown Waterfront Park. With the removal of a large parking lot and railroad tracks, Phase 1 has transformed approximately 3 acres of what had once been a heavily concentrated industrial site along the river’s edge into a beautiful multi-use urban park.
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Georgetown Waterfront Park:

Construction of the Wisconsin Avenue Plaza in the Georgetown Waterfront Park, which is managed by Rock Creek Park, in Washington, D.C., is one of 201 proposals National Park Service Director Mary Bomar and Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne announced at a press conference in Yosemite National Park today to celebrate the 91st anniversary of the NPS.

Bridging the Watershed Centennial Initiative

Expanding the hands-on Bridging the Watershed (BTW) education program throughout the National Capital Region (NCR) to underserved high school students is one of 201 proposals National Park Service Director Mary Bomar and Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne announced at a press conference in Yosemite National Park today to celebrate the 91st anniversary of the NPS.

Meridian Hill Cascades

Meridian Hill Renovation

Meridian Hill Park is currently undergoing a $6.2 million renovation which began in 2003 and will end in summer 2009. The work is being done is phases so that sections of the park can remain open to the public during construction.
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Final Rock Creek Park General Management Plan/ Environmental Impact Statement

The National Park Service (NPS) has issued a final decision on a General Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement (GMP) for Rock Creek Park and the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway. A notice in the Federal Register officially announcing the NPS “Record of Decision” was published on October 18, 2007.

Of the four alternatives presented in the GMP to improve visitor services, administrative functions and traffic management, the NPS has chosen “Alternative A.” This alternative upgrades trails, rehabilitates historic structures and improves the location and condition of visitor facilities. It also continues the weekend and holiday closures of sections of Beach Drive, and allows through traffic on weekdays, using methods to slow traffic and improve traffic safety throughout the park. Alternative A also continues the current weekday rush hour, one-directional flow of all lanes of traffic on the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway.

More information may be found at the NPS Planning, Environment and Public project page at: http://parkplanning.nps.gov/projectHome.cfm?parkId=198&projectId=11262

The complete Rock Creek Park General Management plan can be viewed at: http://parkplanning.nps.gov/document.cfm?parkID=198&projectId=11262&documentID=13218

Further Information will also be available in the
Office of the Superintendent
Rock Creek Park
3545 Williamsburg Lane, NW
Washington, D.C., 20008-1207

and at the following locations:
Chief of Planning,
National Capital Region
National Park Service
1100 Ohio Drive, SW
Washington, D.C. 20242
(202) 619-7000

and the
Office of Public Affairs
National Park Service
Department of the Interior
18th and C Streets, NW
Washington, DC 20242
(202) 208-6843.

The Current, The newsletter of the Greater Washington National Parks:

• This issue includes an article on the new Georgetown Waterfront Park.
  

Oneway traffic times Rock Creek Parkway:
The Rock Creek Parkway is one way going south from the Connecticut Avenue, between 6:45- 9:30 AM and one way north from 3:45 - 6:30 PM, MONDAY-FRIDAY. All other times, the Parkway is open to both ways of traffic.

Weekend Road Closures:
Sections of Beach Drive from Broad Branch Road to Military Road and from picnic grove 10 to Wise Road and from West Beach Drive to the DC line are closed on Saturdays, Sundays (7:00 AM Saturday-7:00 PM Sunday), and holidays for bikers, roller bladers, hikers and joggers (On the map they are marked in faint yellow). In addition, Bingham Drive and Sherill Drive are also closed weekends and federal holidays.

Weather Related Road Closures:
Certain park roads are not plowed or treated for ice and snow. Cross country skiers are allowed on the closed portions of these roads.

Roads will be closed as follows:

Glover Road: From Broad Branch to where the road splits before the Park Maintenance Yard.

Ross Drive: From Glover Road to Joyce Road.

Bingham Drive:

Sherrill Drive:

The road closures stay in effect until the snow and ice has melted off the roads completely.