Currently at the Memorial & Museum

Blog: May This Memorial Offer Comfort...

June 09, 2008

Have you ever made a summer trip to that special place, then you get there and wonder why in the peak visitation season people are doing routine maintenance? I have, and now that this Memorial is eight years old and subject to all kinds of weather year round, I have a clearer understanding! Routine and some not-so-routine maintenance must be done when temperatures are even enough that you will get the best return from your maintenance investment.

We work hard to complete most of the heavy maintenance projects out of the way of our heavy traffic, but if you visit this summer, you will see at least two major projects underway at the Memorial. We are working with our general contractor, Lippert Bros., and their sub-contractor, Mid-Continental Restoration, on restoring the mortar joints of the limestone on the north side of the Museum and the remainder of the Journal Record Building. The restoration is a critical issue to the long term care of this 86-year-old building. One of the priorities of being in a historic building is being able to maintain it and keep it for future generations.

Our second project is being done by Rick Savory and his masonry team, who are regrouting the sandstone pathways throughout the Memorial. We power wash once a week to keep the place looking spectacular, but when you power wash this much, you have to replace grout! So, in an effort to keep this site as beautiful as the day we opened it on April 19, 2000, and safe for the more than 350,000 visitors who walk these sacred grounds each year, we are regrouting all of the sandstone around the 3.3 acre site.

You may occasionally arrive on site while our landscapers from Oakley’s are hand clipping around each of the 168 chairs or staff from First Maintenance are making their rounds to ensure every piece of trash isn’t blowing in the high Oklahoma winds. Or maybe, you will see one of our maintenance team working around the ever growing Survivor Tree or sweeping the Reflecting Pool; we have even been known to test a new lighting method as the sun goes down. But spring and summer are the best times to get major projects done and we are grateful our visitors care as much as we do that this important work is accomplished.

In an effort to make sure our Memorial offers comfort, strength, peace, hope and serenity, we have to work each day, sunshine or rain, to maintain this Memorial and Museum, so it will stand for generations to teach the senselessness of violence and the resilient spirit to the thousands who come here from all 50 states and 32 foreign countries each month.

This beautiful design is maintained in the same spirit it was built…to remember and to educate.

You may view this, and other Memorial blogs at http://blog.oklahomacitynationalmemorial.org.

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