Mall grassy areas: Keep off or enjoy (maintenance, taxes)

[TomDot]

As a recent visitor to the DC Area, I was shocked at how poor The Mall looks. The condition of the grass is deplorable. I realize that it was given to the people to enjoy but man o' man does it look bad.
National embarrassment?

What would your vote be:

[mettler]

do they do any type of management - like only open this section this weekend and then keep it off limits for a few weeks..rotation?
It does look rather bad...rye grass would at least green it up..

[Andy1369]

I'd vote let people play on the grass, BUT have maintenance periods, like during nights, and/or one day a week closure.

[NOVAmtneer82]

You can try to maintain the mall grounds all you want, but when tens of millions of people walk across any grassy area it will look beat up.

I'm not saying you fit this description but I've found 99.99999% of DC tourists (I can spot them from a mile away) to completely ignore any and all posted signs. I was shocked during the Fourth of July when I had family members in town visiting at the number of tourist families letting their children romp around/swim in the fountains of the WWII memorial. There are signs all over that place that specifically say STAY OUT of the water.

[saganista]

They drop their plastic water bottles everywhere...they climb on the cherry trees...they stand to the left on Metro escalators...there are no depths to which these tourists will not go!!!

But if you want the Mall to look like Amen Corner at Augusta despite 25 million people tramping across it every year, simply write your Congressperson and tell him or her that new taxes and revenues are needed in order to fund the necessary work. Right now, the National Park Service gets a little more than $30 million per year to take care of the Mall. Their list of absolutley necessary restoration and maintenance projects comes with a price tag exceeding $250 million. That's a little less than what we spend each day on Iraq and Afghanistan...

[Ann_Arbor]

DC should look into artificial grass/NexTurf for the mall- more sustainable and extremely durable.

[Ann_Arbor]

Natural, Praire/tall grasses would be great for many parts of the Mall also.

[chiefdc]

I used to play football on the mall with friends quite frequently. I think it should be there for the people's use. Otherwise, what good is it?

[HEATHER72]

Originally Posted by saganista

They drop their plastic water bottles everywhere...they climb on the cherry trees...they stand to the left on Metro escalators...there are no depths to which these tourists will not go!!!

That is so funny, yet so true!

My vote is for artificial grass... you can spend all the money in the world on the real stuff, but it's going to be worn down again by all the people.

[MadTVFreak]

You know, the only thing I absolutely hate about the Mall is having to walk on all that dirt... Wouldn't it be decent enough to get some nice sidewalks, I think brick would look really good. And maybe restore those 50-year old 102F water fountains... Im serious, any DC native knows not to drink out of DC water fountains downtown....