A spokeswoman from the National Park Service says the federal agency hasn’t yet determined whether it will re-sod McPherson Square after the Occupy DC protestors have killed much of the new grass planted there earlier this year as part of a stimulus-funded project.
Federal stimulus dollars paid for about $437,000-worth of new grass, concrete curbs, refurbished benches, new light poles, water fountains, new paint and chain fencing, 12 new trash cans and new light meters, according to spokeswoman Carol Johnson.
Johnson said she didn’t know how much of the stimulus money went toward the new sod, but the industry standard price is $5/square foot and the park received 53,610 square feet of sod, which works out to about $268,000. It’s likely, however, that NPS got a deal and the cost of sod was closer to half the total project, or about $212,000.
Last week, protestors moved tents from a portion of the north side of the square that had become muddy after the rains, sprinkled some grass seed and posted a sign that says ‘Don’t walk here.’ Still, the movement has grown and tents now occupy about three-quarters of the green space in the square, up from about one-quarter at the beginning of the protest.
When asked how much it would cost NPS to replant the grass, Johnson said the park service hasn’t determined “if there is damage and we certainly don’t know how much [it would cost to repair]. Clearly it would not be anywhere near the $437,000 though.”
