D-Day Memorial in Bedford to extend hours as of July 16
By JAY CONLEY
The Roanoke Times
July 14, 2001 BEDFORD--The National D-Day Memorial has expanded its operating hours after receiving numerous complaints from tourists who were unable to get into the site.
Beginning Monday, the memorial will be open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The memorial had been closed Mondays for maintenance and was open until 5 p.m. the rest of the week. The National D-Day Memorial Foundation, a private, nonprofit organization in Bedford, operates the memorial.
"There have been numerous people turned away from the site on Mondays," Dianne Kidd, an executive assistant with the foundation, said Friday. Kidd said the foundation and the Bedford Area Chamber of Commerce have received a steady stream of complaints from tourists who had traveled to Bedford to see the memorial, only to find the gates closed.
The huge granite and concrete memorial drew more than 41,000 people in its first four days of operation after its dedication June 6. Attendance at the memorial has averaged 1,500 people a day since the beginning of July, Kidd said.
|
