Twining Square Beautification Project
Status as of 5/31/00
Next meeting session Sunday, June 4, 3:30-4:30, 6D MPD substation
Landscape plan to be proposed, discussed, finalized.
Next group work session Saturday June 24, 7-10am.
See PHOTOS.

tw0429y.jpg (61553 bytes)
Click to enlarge
 April-May 2000

The "Friends of Twining Square" agreement with the National Park service was signed on April 29, 2000, at a kickoff event in the park. John Hale, Superintendent or National Capital Parks-East and Kathy Chamberlain, representing Friends of Twining, signed this 5-year agreement to work together to beautify and maintain Twining Square. As of that date, 35 people signed up to become VIPs (Volunteers in the Park). Prior to the kickoff and cleanup event, the NPS did much of the preparatory work. They removed the dead shrubs along the Pennsylvania Ave. side, mowed the grass, and applied herbicide to the cobblestone. On April 29th about 30 VIPs worked in the park, transforming it into a neat, clean, inviting place. The VIPs edged the walkways, cleaned, scraped, and swept the cobblestone, weeded and trimmed. Approximately 70 volunteer hours were invested.
During the first few weeks of May, the NPS delivered about 30 small pyrocantha shrubs to fill in the gaps along the border of the park. VIP Ben Brown single-handedly planted all of these shrubs. NPS also delivered about 6 truckloads of mulch, which Mr. Brown spread under the bordering pyrocantha shrubs. Mr. Brown also mowed the "tree box" area along the curbs surrounding the park, which is technically the responsibility of the DC Government. Mr. Brown agreed to take on this task regularly, while NPS agreed to mow the grass within the park on a weekly basis during the growing season. The NPS turned on the water in the park and gave VIP Ben Brown the fixture for a hose connection. Ms. Yates reported that the water fountain will need to be replaced.

At a meeting on May 7th, attended by 10 VIPs, Sammy Morrison (SE White House) stated that his group would like to adopt the southeast corner of the park, nearest to Penna & 28th intersection. The VIPs present agreed that a group could take primary responsibility for a specific section of the park, but the cobblestone would be everyone's responsibility. No VIPs would be excluded from working in any section of the park. More discussion on this at the June 4th meeting.

VIP Anne Curtsinger announced that Naylor Gardens will sponsor a Fleamarket on June 17th, the proceeds to benefit the Twining Square Beautification project. It is hopes that there will be wide participation from the community.

VIPs decided on a regular schedule of:
  • Monthly work sessions the 4th Saturday , 7am-10am in Twining Square
  • Monthly meetings the 1st Sunday of every month, 3:30-4:30 at the 6D substation meeting room.
VIPs need to keep track of their hours and report them at least monthly to Kathy Chamberlain who will record them in a database. This is important for the future. We will need to cite volunteer hours to justify and defend things we want for the park.

On May 8th, Jim Reilly, a horticulturist with the NPS, met with several VIPs to answer questions and give advice. Present were Dennis Logan, Gloria Logan, Ben Brown, and Kathy Chamberlain. Madelyn Yates of NPS also was in attendance. Below are the highlights of the discussion:

1. Mr. Reilly said he would obtain 8 cherry trees to be planted in locations where they used to be. In addition, at two of the existing unhealthy cherry trees will probably need replacement. The replacement/planting of about 10 tree will be done in the Fall by NPS.

2. Mr. Reilly said he could get grass seed to fill in the area where the dead shrubs were removed. Subsequently, VIPs decided it would be better to plant something more colorful in the area, perhaps annuals to get us through the summer.

3. Mr. Reilly identified the shrubs surrounding the park as pyrocantha. Many were missing. He counted the gaps and agreed to deliver replacements (approximately 30). [NPS delivered these plants a few days later. VIP Ben Brown planted all of them.]

4. There are a few flowering quince shrubs that need to be pruned back now if we want good blooms next year. [ Kathy Chamberlain pruned them the following weekend.]

5. Mr. Reilly advised that we mulch well around the trees, after removing the grass.

6. Mr. Reilly may be able to get us some flowers for the flower beds. Stay tuned.

7. For the circle/tree in the center, Mr. Reilly recommended keeping grass in at least the outer circle for the purpose of erosion control. We should mulch around the tree. Outside the mulch line and inside the grass line we could plant liriope grass or hostas. (need approval from Mr. Hale before we plant anything).

8. For flower beds & borders, Mr. Reilly suggested liriope grass, Spring bulbs (i.e. daffodils), Stella d'Oro daylillies, and low-growing junipers.

On Saturday, May 27th 14 VIPs participated in the monthly work session. They spread mulch, trimmed hedges, edged, weeded, swept, and mowed grass. Participating VIPs were Gloria Logan, Dennis Logan, Vincent Spaulding, Mary Hammond, Anne Curtsinger, Lillian Chatmon, Abdul Ali, Joan Veers, Kathy Chamberlain, Bob Bush, Rodney Newman, Sammie Morrison, Maria Behrens, and Phil Hammond. Also participating were Madelyn Yates, and Mr. Chandler of the National Park Service; Michael Carter, Deputy Director of the DC Department of Public Works, and Kevin Brown, also of DPW. Many thanks to Dar Maxwell and Izzie Firth for loaning their truck to transport the wheel barrows and other tools.

Other developments:

Mr. Reilly (NPS) found the landscape drawings for the park. Copies will be made available at the next meeting of June 4th.

The Principal of St. Francis School, Kathy Pardue, is very enthusiastic about the improvements to the park and wants to get her 7th and 8th graders involved, as well as parents. The park has been off-limits for years because of what used to go on in it -- prostitution, drugs, etc. She's excited about taking it back and wants to be a part of it.

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