Your Dollars At Work

• Learn how fee dollars benefit parks

The current Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (FLREA) allows the National Park Service to collect and retain revenue and requires that fee revenue is used to enhance visitor experience. At least 80 percent of funding from recreation fees stays in the park where it is collected, and the other 20 percent is used to benefit parks that do not collect fees or parks which generate only a small amount of revenue.

Rock Creek Park does not collect an entrance fee. There is a fee for parking at the Thompson Boat Center parking lot, and there are fees for permits and reservations.

 

Thanks to your fees we were able to:

 

Comfort Station next to Peirce Mill barn

NPS / Claire Hassler

Design and construct a comfort station at Peirce Mill

Whether you need to fill up on water on a hot day, or have easy access to a restroom, we know how useful these facilities are to visitors. This funding allowed for the construction of a new restroom building near the Peirce Mill. Located along the park's multi-use trail, this area of the park is highly visited especially when the mill is open. The comfort station has two stalls and a drinking fountain / water bottle filling location.

 

Playground at Picnic Grove 24

NPS / Claire Hassler

Rehabilitate playgrounds

Rock Creek Park has a few playgrounds, located in highly visited areas such as near the Tennis Center. The playgrounds at Picnic Grove #24 and at Woodley Park were both recently rehabilitated using fee dollars. At Woodley Park, the play surface was showing significant wear, so it was replaced with a surface that meets current safety standards. At Picnic Grove #24 the play surface was also replaced, as was the play equipment. The new surfaces and equipment extend the life of the playgrounds for another 15 years.

 

Upcoming Projects

 

Comfort Station at Picnic Grove #10

NPS / Claire Hassler

Upcoming projects funded by fee dollars include:

• Rehabilitation of comfort stations at Picnic Groves #1, #6, and #10
• Repairs to fireplaces at picnic groves
• Replacement of the roof at the Nature Center
• Redesign of wayside exhibits at various locations in the park