John Paul Jones Park

NYC PARKS’ HISTORICAL DOVER PATROL MONUMENT TO RECEIVE CLEANING AND RESTORATION FROM RENOWNED KÄRCHER GROUP

Kärcher to donate $12,000 worth of state of the art equipment for future monument restoration and cleaning projects

Equipment Demo for press will be held on Wednesday, September 12

This week, NYC Parks’ historic Dover Patrol monument in John Paul Jones Park, Brooklyn, will receive a five-day cleaning and restoration from Kärcher, a leading German manufacturer of state-of-the-art cleaning products and equipment. Kärcher will render its professional and environmentally sound cleaning methods and technology to delicately restore the monument to its lustrous beginnings. In addition to this project, Kärcher will donate an HDS 5.0/30-4S pressure washer and a micro particle cleaning system valued at $12,000 for use by Parks’ Citywide Monuments Conservation Program (CMCP) for future cleaning and restoration projects. Additional partial support is provided by the United States World War I Centennial Commission Pritzker Fund.

“We are honored to be working with the reputable Kärcher group on this important restoration of one of Brooklyn’s most treasured monuments,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, FAICP. “Along with a generous donation of equipment, this project provides crucial support for our invaluable Citywide Monuments Conservation program.”

“Kärcher is committed to preserving the beauty and integrity of this historic structure for the community and for future generations,” said Nick Heyden of Kärcher Cultural Sponsoring Restorative Cleaning.

Installed in 1931, the impressive Dover Patrol monument stands at 75 feet tall and was constructed with a grey Westerly granite. Over the course of time, the granite has become soiled with biological growth such as bacteria, algae, fungi and lichen, as well as a dark grey layer of atmospheric residue, including dust, soot, and emissions. It also produces hard calcium crusts, which leach out of the mortar.

For the gentle removal of the dark grey layer of atmospheric residue and hard calcium crusts, Kärcher will use a low-pressure, micro-particle cleaning with aluminum silicate abrasives. For the gentle removal of the biological growth, Kärcher will use a steam cleaning method with 310-degree steam.

In conjunction with the project, Parks and the Kärcher team will hold press availability and lead a demo on proper use of equipment during the project on Wednesday, September 12, from 10:00 a.m. to noon.

Following the cleaning, CMCP will repoint the masonry joints with a custom tinted mortar to match the newly cleaned Westerly Granite. This will stabilize the granite blocks and prevent water from seeping through the joints which leads to bio-growth and staining. The project is timed to be completed shortly before the centennial of the World War I armistice on November 11.

The Dover Patrol monument was erected as a tribute to the comradeship and service of the American Naval Forces in Europe during the World War, specifically the Dover Patrol from 1914-1919, and is inscribed, “… they died that we might live; may we be worthy of their sacrifice.” The obelisk structure was built by architect Sir Aston Webb P.R.A. & Son.

This project is the latest in a long line of more than 150 cleaning projects worldwide, completed free of charge as part of Kärcher’s cultural sponsorship program. As part of the program, the company plays an active role in preserving and cleaning historical monuments and buildings, including the iconic Mount Rushmore, Seattle Space Needle and the London Eye.

About Alfred Kärcher SE & Co. KG
Kärcher is the world's leading provider of cleaning technology. The family-owned enterprise employs more than 12,300 people in 67 countries and more than 110 subsidiaries. More than 50,000 service centers in all countries ensure continuous and comprehensive supplies to customers all over the world. In 2017, Kärcher reached the highest sales with more than 2.5 billion euros, the highest sales in its history.

Kärcher North America is one of the largest subsidiaries of the Kärcher Group with over 1,150 employees in seven locations (including four manufacturing facilities). In North America, Kärcher produces and distributes products and services under the brands Kärcher, Windsor Kärcher Group, Landa Kärcher Group, Hotsy, Water Maze, Spraymart, Cuda Kärcher Group, WOMA Kärcher Group and Shark Kärcher Group. The company’s solutions serve customers’ cleaning needs in an economical and environmentally-friendly manner. www.karcher.com/us

About NYC Parks’ Citywide Monuments Conservation Program
A public-private partnership, CMCP is a conservation program dedicated to preserving the NYC Parks’ rich sculptural legacy and cultural heritage while providing college and graduate-level apprentices with professional hands on training.