Microburst Aftermath: Glen Echo Park Needs Your Help!
By • August 21, 2023 0 1144
The microbursts that hit the Washington area July 29, particularly damaged historic Glen Echo Park at 7300 Macarthur Blvd., Glen Echo, MD.
The park, home to 13 resident artists and organizations, a nature and aquatic life program, children’s theaters, art studios, the famed Spanish Ballroom, and of course a grand restored 1921 Dentzel Carousel, suffered severe damage from fallen mature trees on the site.
Managed by the Glen Echo Park Partnership for Arts and Culture, which helps put on summer concerts, festivals, and more, the park is pleading for the public’s help in the wake of the destruction.
According to a press release, the storms took down over 15 large deciduous trees and damaged historic structures. The Spanish Ballroom, Bumper Car Pavilion, yurts, parking lot, playground, walkways, and other buildings were affected.
Staff cleared water from a fire sprinkler system malfunction inside the carousel (the malfunction was due to the long power outages the area experienced). A tree removal service was hired and staff worked hard to make sure the park could have a safe reopening.
While Glen Echo Park is located within a National Park, the National Park Service was so overwhelmed with repairs from the storms that Glen Echo used their own financial and human resources to respond to the crisis, along with some assistance from Montgomery County government. The park ended up reopening Friday August 4.
Due to the damage and subsequent nearly one-week closure, Glen Echo Park experienced a loss of income owing to the cancellation of summer camps, concerts, theater performances, carousel operation, and more. There were also significant costs for tree removal and structure repair.
Caution tape was placed over the historic carousel at Glen Echo Park following microburst damage. Photo courtesy of Glen Echo Park Partnership for Arts & Culture.
The Glen Echo Park Partnership for Arts and Culture has established a fund, the “Lift Us Up” campaign, to help with these unexpected costs. You can donate here to the fund, which is hoping to raise $50,000 and is just under halfway there. Let’s show our support.
For Glen Echo’s website, go here.
