The Volunteers In Park (VIP) program
The VIP group has been providing building and maintenance assistance to the C&O Canal for This past year the Volunteer in Park group (VIPs) have:
- Replaced 13 wayside panels
- Installed 4 benches
- Built 10 new picnic tables
- Installed 15 fire rings in the Palisades District
- Cleaned out 4 miserably overgrown locks in the Western District
- Installed 5 grills
In the past the VIPs have
- Repaired, replaced, and painted fences
- Painted the 1100 ft. of railings from the towpath to Olmstead Island and the Great Falls Vista
- Replaced water bars on the Billy Goat Trails
- Installed large trail markers on Billy Goat A
- Installed large trail markers on the Gold Mine Trail
- Painted the mule barn
- Installed/replaced over 175 signs and sign posts throughout the full length of the park
- Replaced all 74 lock signs as well as intake and other lock signs
- Cleaned and refurbished all the waysides in the park
- Replaced the picket fence at Rileys Lock
- Repeatedly repainted both canal boats (Georgetown and Great Falls)
- Removed garlic mustard from many areas of the park for many years
- Refurbished all bulletin boards in the park. Cleaned, painted and inserted new posters
- Removed damaged waysides
- Removed small structures such as canoe racks and shacks
- Provided an annual canal cleanup at a variety of sites throughout the park for 20 years