SILVER SPRING, MD—Installation of banners and signs recognizing the sponsors whose contributions enabled the Montgomery County Department of Parks, part of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), to keep the portable toilets in the parks is starting today.
Signs recognizing sponsors WTOP and the Long Branch Civic Association will be placed inside the doors of the sponsored portable toilets. Banners recognizing the most generous sponsor, A Step in Time Chimney Sweeps, will be placed at key locations within parks with sponsored toilets, specifically in the Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Silver Spring and Potomac areas. A Step in Time has committed to keeping at least one portable toilet in all 80 park locations for a minimum of six months.
“This unexpected sponsorship opportunity has prompted some good thought internally for us about a more fully developed, future corporate sponsorship program for the Department of Parks,” said Park Information Chief Kate Stookey. “We are in the planning stages now, and will look to the community for input to ensure the program enhances rather than overwhelms the park experience.”
Portable toilets in more than 80 park locations countywide were slated for removal June 30, 2010 as the Department of Parks prepared to meet a 16.5 percent reduction in its fiscal year 2011 budget—the portable restroom contract was one of many line item cuts to the adopted budget. Given expressed interest in community sponsorship, the Department of Parks asked the vendor to delay removing the portable toilets for the month of July. Before the end of July, Director of Parks Mary R. Bradford sent a letter to Montgomery County Council President Nancy Floreen indicating that with the completion of the department’s various cost-savings efforts, it could cover the cost of keeping the portable toilets in the parks, with the help of its community sponsors.
Those interested in learning more about sponsorship opportunities with the Department of Parks, may contact Kate Stookey at 301-650-2892 or Kate.Stookey@MontgomeryParks.org.
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Contact:
Kelli Holsendolph
Media Relations Manager
Montgomery County Department of Parks
301-650-2866