Aug 30, 2013

Pawlowski Unleashes Bulldozer On Dam

Allentown Press Release PAWLOWSKI TELLS WILDLANDS TO PROCEED Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski is telling Wildlands Conservancy that it can proceed with plans to remove the Robin Hood dam and the dam at the Trout Hatchery on the Little Lehigh Creek. “I want to thank City Councilwoman Cynthia Mota and City Council’s Parks and Recreation Committee for conducting a fact-finding hearing on the issue,” Pawlowski said. “The feedback that I received from members of City Council indicated overwhelming support of the plan to remove the dams. I want to thank the members of the city’s Environmental Advisory Council for taking a leadership role in the discussion. I appreciate the opinions of all those who weighed-in as part of the process.” The process of removing dams in Pennsylvania to improve water quality and eliminate safety hazards is not new. There are an estimated 7,000 dams in the Commonwealth, and the PA Fish and Boat Commission, along with many conservation organizations and other state agencies have been funding their removal for decades. While a nostalgic throwback to an earlier era, the construction of most dams was for mills, the ice industry, and the development of the canal industry, mostly in the early 1800s through the 1940s. However, the impoundment of water in streams has been found to have profound, negative environmental effects. These effects include warming of the stream, the buildup of sediment behind the dam structure, reduced Oxygen, lower biodiversity, and prohibited fish passage. The latter prevents fish migration to take advantage of optimum stream temperatures and current, feeding and spawning grounds. There are also ongoing studies to suggest genetic isolation and weakening of species’ strains. The Robin Hood Bridge Dam was built for a U.S.G.S. gauging station; the Fish Hatchery Dam was built for a water supply to the Trout Nursery; however, that water supply ceased when the Trout Nursery utilized a spring on site which provides 45-degree water, free of storm-event siltation and summer warming.

Although I find the above press release disappointing, it is no surprise. The sentence about most dams were for mills is straight from the new park director. Unfortunately, for Allentown's magnificent park system, we have people making decisions who have no real feel for the parks or their history. They will continue to be used for agendas for which they were not intended. Each of these uses diminishes the public's right to enjoyment and access.

Pawlowski's Dam Decision

Mayor Ed Pawlowski is supposed to decide on the fate of the Robin Hood Dam in Lehigh Parkway today, but he's making his decision on incomplete information. The Wildlands Conservancy claims that the dam was built for the USGS creek monitoring tower in 1945, however, there is no documentation to support that statement. On the contrary, there are indications that the dam was probably built in 1941, at the same time as the bridge. The Corp of Engineers established two creek station, the other at S. 10th St. in Fountain Park. That location has no dam, so apparently dams are not necessary to monitor the water. However, it was necessary in 1941 to build temporary dams, called cofferdams, in order to build the Robin Hood Bridge piers. Common sense would indicate that the dam was built at the same time those cofferdams were in place. Why would have the Corp of Engineers built a dam so close to the bridge four years later? This past May, City Engineer Richard Young told Council that the Wildlands had not submitted bridge pier scour studies, nor had any been approved. On Wednesday night, the Wildlands indicated that all approvals were in place. Did they have scour studies done in the meantime, or not, or is Richard Young accepting their statement that the dam was built after the bridge? Wildlands must complete their project before October in order to be in compliance with State regulations. They are exerting pressure on the Administration. If the bridge and dam were built at the same time, the bridge piers were not designed for a deeper channel, which will occur when the dam is removed. Demolishing a significant feature of Lehigh Parkway should not be done lightly, to accommodate an outside organization's timetable.

Aug 29, 2013

Deceiving City Council

One of the major themes in the presentation by the Wildlands Conservancy was that the dam at Robin Hood is unsafe for the public. They showed the sign declaring danger and no swimming in their power point presentation three times. This warning was repeated by the park director, John Mikowychok, and reported in Thursday's Morning Call article. There was no danger sign for the last 72 years. There was no danger sign this spring when I conducted the WPA tour. There wasn't even a danger sign two weeks ago when I showed City Council the dam. The sign was just made and installed last week by Mikowychok to provide the Conservancy the photo opportunity and rationale to use in their presentation.  How ironic for a city to post a danger sign two weeks before they want to demolish a 72 year old dam. If I were Council, I would find such a contrivance disrespectful.

A Night Of Propaganda

The Morning Call reporter described last night's meeting on the dam as contentious. The odds were about as I expected, about 50 for the dam, vs. me. Although I was only suppose to speak once for three minutes, (I did insist on another 30 seconds) two people stood up and were specifically offended by what I had said. The meeting started off with a slick power point presentation by the Wildlands Conservancy. In it they harped on how dangerous dams are, and how much liability it's presence carries for Allentown. City Council will be protecting Allentown by endorsing it's removal. They kept illustrating the dangerous Jordan dam, and what a good job they did for the city by removing it last month. Gone from the equation was truth; The Jordan Dam was built above water level with dangerous pipes through it. The Robin Hood Dam is a below water surface scenic dam, which children have been wading near for 70 years. During my few minutes I mentioned the propaganda 101 technique that Wildlands employed. A gentleman stood up and was offended that I would use the word propaganda in regard to such a wonderful organization. The Wildlands had solicited every science professor in the valley to line up and parrot that dams are bad. Gone from the equation was the beauty and magic of the dam and bridge together. Even our own new park director sat with the Conservancy and echoed their program. He referred to removing the dam as a safety issue. The decision to save the dam now rests with the mayor. I hope he stands on the bridge in the next few days, and experiences what has delighted Allentonians for 70 years.

The Express-Times coverage of the meeting

WFMZ69 coverage of the meeting

Aug 28, 2013

Defending The Park

This evening at 6:00 p.m., City Council's Park and Recreation Committee will hold a discussion on the dams in Lehigh Parkway. I will be there to defend the dam at the Robin Hood Bridge. Wildlands Conservancy and assorted environmental types will be there to promote their agendas. The magnificent park has been vandalized by special interests for several decades. Three WPA structures have been buried rather than maintained. Christmas lights have been strung to monetize the park during the holiday season. The steel bridge was allowed to rust away, ending 70 years of a beautiful ride through the park. Because of the park's abundantly designed beauty, it still manages to bestow tranquility onto it's visitors, but it deserves more respect than now being a workshop for assorted special interests.

photocredit:molovinsky

Aug 27, 2013

A Place Of Beauty

The above photograph is right up there with my better park pictures, but of course I had a little help from the WPA. The Wildlands Conservancy and I disagree over the date of the dam. I place it with the bridge in 1941, they think it was built by the Corp of Engineers in 1945, as part of the water level monitoring station. In a communication between ecological types, they say that it's essential that it be removed. They talk about obsolete dams and macro-invertebrates. Whether the dam is 72 years old, or only 68 years old, it's hard to imagine that it's now essential that it be removed. It's not that I'm insensitive toward macro-invertebrates, but Harry Trexler had the park designed for people.

photocredit:molovinsky

Aug 26, 2013

One Of The Most Beautiful

Although I often reproduce the front of picture postcards to illustrate our park system, I have never before copied the back, as shown below. This card, from the mid 1950's, states that the parks and gardens in Allentown help make it one of the most beautiful cities in America. The Rose and Old Fashion Gardens no longer look like they did in the picture above. The water lilies are gone from the ponds, and the gardens are reduced in size, no longer reaching the ponds. Our parks are still beautiful, but we must guard and fight against the continuous reductions. This coming Wednesday evening the Wildlands Conservancy will try to convince City Council that removing the beautiful dam will improve the quality of the stream. Although there are certain factors which will reduce the validity of their argument, I will defend the dam on the abstraction called beauty.
Picture postcards are made because of beauty. Beauty is what we show off to relatives and friends when they visit Allentown. Help me keep at least our park system a postcard.

Aug 25, 2013

A Walk In The Parkway

Yesterday, the above photo by Morning Call photographer Denise Sanchez appeared under the heading, A Walk In The Parkway. If her assignment had anything to do with my editorial the previous Saturday on the riparian buffer, remains to be seen. I can tell you that I received a lot of feedback on the piece. The more important battle will be this coming Wednesday evening at 6:00p.m., when City Council discusses the proposed removal of the Robin Hood Dam. Although the unsightly riparian barriers can be cut down to restore the public's view and access to the creek, a destroyed dam cannot be restored.

Aug 24, 2013

Lehigh Valley Black History




 Colored Voters Association was the predecessor to the Bethlehem NAACP. The matchbook dates to the mid 1940's.

Aug 23, 2013

Always The Teacher

Joanne Jackson has always been a teacher, even after she retired. According to The Morning Call, her resignation last night from the Allentown School Board caught everybody off guard. It didn't catch me off guard, but only because Joanne and I are friends on Facebook. From her posts there, I know that her name is no longer Jackson, because she recently married. Also from her posts, I know that she sold her home in Allentown, and that they are living in her husband's home. Because of moving out of the Allentown district, her resignation was inevitable, but, being always the teacher, Joanne chose to make a lesson out of it. From my knowledge, the reasons that she gave for her resignation were indeed long term frustrations that she had with some fellow board members. My Facebook interaction is different than most. I limit my Friends to people I actually know, and have worked with on one project or another. I also happen to be friends with two fellow board members with whom she had issues, Scott Armstrong and David Zimmerman. Although I can understand the clash in style and tension Joanne felt with these two gentleman, I believe that Allentown was well served by all three of them. Joanne's resignation, for whatever reason, is indeed a loss to the school district.

Aug 22, 2013

WPA Effort Goes Facebook

Thanks to the kindness of others, our WPA efforts are on  Facebook. Although I will take credit for the photograph of the bridge, dam, and wall, the page was started by others, and is currently maintained by Steven Ramos. This coming Wednesday, August 28th at 6:00p.m., City Council will discuss the fate of the Robin Hood dam. If you would like the dam and ambience to remain as is, please consider attending the meeting. If you like to see the WPA structures in our park system maintained, please make your Facebook friends aware of the WPA Facebook page.

Aug 21, 2013

It's Like A Postcard

Last week when I prevailed on some players at City Hall to meet me in Lehigh Parkway, somebody remarked that it's like a postcard. With the creek banks now overgrown, it would difficult to recreate the nationally distributed postcards of Allentown parks from the 1950's. But the old postcards still exist, giving testimony to the beauty that was ours. There will be a formal discussion with the City Council Park and Recreation Committee next Wednesday at 5:00p.m. They will hear about stream velocity theory and habitat from the grant driven new age science crew. I will talk about beauty. I still believe that the parks were created for the pleasure of people.

Aug 20, 2013

King Of The Gypsies


According to my mother, a Gypsy king was buried in Allentown in around 1960, she knew about such things. She was born in Galgo, Hungary, an area of Transylvania, now part of Romania, near present day Gilgau. In Galgo, the Jews and Gypsies lived on the edge of town. In the early 20's, my grandparents, along with their Gypsy neighbors, came to Bethlehem to work at the Steel. On weekends, to make extra money, my grandparents would open their house and show Hungarian movies. None of their relatives, Jew or Gypsy, save one cousin, survived the nazi's; even the cemeteries were desecrated. As you can see from the document above, my grandfather earned his citizenship the hard way.

REPRINTED FROM DEC. 23, 2007

UPDATE: My post above is from 2007. In tomorrow's paper, The Morning Call has the story about the Gypsies coming to Allentown. Apparently, the Gypsy prince drowned, and a memorial service was held in Allentown. I suspect my mother had the details correct, and my memory was at fault.

Weekend In The Parkway

Lehigh Parkway provided a retreat for generations of Allentonians since it was built in the mid 1930's. In 1941, the current bridge over the Little Lehigh replaced the old cow bridge, and the picnic area called Robin Hood was completed. The area contained parking, picnic tables, rest rooms and a fountain overlooking the beautiful creek. Needless to say, the view and access to the creek was unimpeded.

Aug 19, 2013

Muddy Waters











It's been a tough five years for the Little Lehigh under Donny Cunningham. First, he has remained silent on the drilling of wells at the stream's headwater, to accommodate the bottling industry he shepherded to the valley. Now, The Morning Call has publicized the fact that the Lehigh County Authority (water and sewage) has an on going spillage of sewage into the waterway. Recently, when I criticized Cunningham's Plan to demolish the historic stone arch Reading Road Bridge,  Bernie O'Hare, defended the plan by quoting the "Bridge Doctor", Glenn Solt. Solt is Cunningham's public works director. Solt said that stone arch bridges look pretty, but they're filled with "crap." The Morning Call article quotes Richard Young, Pawlowski's Public Works Director. Young states that the Allentown Sewer Plant, which handles the sewage from the Lehigh County Authority, only intentionally dumps raw sewage downstream from the water plant. He fails to mention that the manhole covers, which overflow during storms, are upstream or just before our water plant. The above photo shows such overflow just west of Schreibers Bridge, which is only a few blocks before the water plant intake pipe. I hope Cunningham and Solt don't see this post. Schreibers Bridge is also a historic stone arch bridge. Built in 1828, it was rehabilitated in 1920 and 1998. Maybe Cunningham should concentrate on what's flowing under the bridges.

photo from The Morning Call
reprinted from July 2010

UPDATE:Some things have changed since I wrote this post in July of 2010, some things have not. Donny Cunningham resigned as County Executive and now heads Lehigh Valley Economic Development.  This blogger has managed to keep Solt from tearing down the Reading Road stone arch bridge.  Schreiber's Bridge, built in 1828, is carrying the load for the 15th Street Bridge, which is being replaced. Raw sewage still overflows from the LCA pipe in Lehigh Parkway,  and the Wildlands Conservancy picks and chooses science to suit their endless pursuit of grants.  According to Wildlands there is no sewage in the Little Lehigh, and the only pollution problem will be solved by removing the beautiful historic dam at  Robin Hood. They  were also silent about well drilling at the Little Lehigh headwaters, and anything else that might negatively impact their revenue stream, which is now partially funded by Nestle Bottling Company.

Aug 18, 2013

Not The Jew

Lately prejudice, specifically racism, has been in the news. The Trayvon Martin case even got Oprah to bitch about the clerk balking at handing her the $38,000.00 purse, she had to settle for a $10,000 purse. An article in The Morning Call about a reunion of Hess Brothers employees brings me to one of my blog ideas never written. I believe that anti-semitism helped numerous businesses thrive in Allentown. I can tell you that as a Jew growing up in Allentown, that there was no lack of anti-semitism, it comes easy for the Pennsylvania Dutch Germans. I can also tell you that as a customer there was no reason to go the Leh's or Zollinger's, other than they weren't the Jew. I've met business people who prided themselves on never having worked for Max Hess Jr. I met business people who after learning the business from Hess, went out on their own, and still called him a Jew. If Hess wasn't a Jew, and merchants had to compete with his merchandizing skills without getting some business due to anti-Semitism,  there would have been fewer businesses on Hamilton Street.

Aug 17, 2013

Walking With The New Park Director

I had respectfully requested, through the City Clerk, that City Council visit Robin Hood before any decision, to both see and hear the dam. Furthermore, I volunteered to take them, at their convenience, on a quick tour of the park's remaining WPA structures. Several days later, the clerk contacted me to confirm a time for me to show two council members the sites. I was delighted to hear that the new park director, John Mikowychok, would be joining us. Yesterday was the appointment, and John and I were the first to arrive. As we stood on the bridge, John told me that only 90% of the dam was being removed, and the portion near the water monitoring station would remain. I was shocked, I didn't know that the decision to remove the dam had already been determined. He then informed me that the Wildland's Conservancy was coming, and after learning the details from them on Robin Hood, we would proceed to the dams near the fish hatchery, also scheduled to be removed. The Conservancy crew arrived, with plans and documents in hand. Also by then, Council members Cynthia Mota and Jeff Glazier arrived, but my delight was gone. John explained the agenda, that first Wildland's would brief them about Robin Hood, then they would move on to the Fish Hatchery. I reminded the council members that they were there at my invitation, to see the dam, and then tour the WPA sites. To their credit, Glazier and Mota told Mikowychok that before going to the fish hatchery dams, they would take the tour with me. I wanted them to see how many park features previous park directors had arbitrarily destroyed, and perhaps be more inclined to preserve the dam.

I showed Mikowychok the abandoned island and the boat landing, things that he never saw before, or even knew existed. I found his indifference to the demise of these wonderful constructions astounding. When I criticized the tall thin weed wall blocking the entire creek view, he replied that a row of single tall weeds was better than none. He actually told Mota that the creek was more enticing when you could only get a glimpse of it here and there. It made me think of an old arcade peep show machine. It's too bad that the city hired another lobbyist for the Wildland's Conservancy as Park Director, instead of a defender of our unique park system, however, it's no surprise.  Both the out of town park directors were hired by the same out of town city manager. All three of them, four including the mayor, have no knowledge or appreciation of the formerly nationally recognized park system, in the former All American City. Wildland's was spouting voodoo science. They actually said that there's no fecal count in the creek, despite my photographs of creek shores filled with toilet paper. In order for them to harvest the current grant they must demolish the dam by the end of September. From the grant they also harvest administrative fees. The dam dates from the early 1940's, and has delighted five generations with it's sight and sound. The hard press is on City Council to approve this latest destruction with virtually no deliberation. I ask those who appreciate beauty and ambience to help me save our history.

Aug 16, 2013

CeCe Doesn't Understand

CeCe Gerlach appeared before Allentown City Council and wanted to know what the Arena project and the NIZ will do for people of limited income. Leave it to Uncle Mike here to give you the straight answer. Although they will never say it, they are hoping that it will make them disappear, or at least push them up to the colored district, further up 7th Street. When I appeared on the Business Matters debate on the arena, an advocate for the project referred to the former merchants and their clientele as a cancer. Earlier this week, the Arena Authority wondered what they could do to officially repress undesirable businesses in the district. Facade grants have been given out to dress up those remaining businesses that attract low income customers. As for jobs in the NIZ, you can sell peanuts at the arena. You will not be trained as a banker for the new Penn National Headquarters. You will not be trained as a physician at the Lehigh Valley Sports Medicine Center. You will not be trained as an engineer at the Air Products division moving into J.B. Reilly's new City Center Office Building. However, money will be contributed to Alan Jennings' Community Action Company for a few minority owned startups, maybe even one or two in the promise land. Lehigh County Community College will get funded for more training classes. Community Benefit will be funded, but it's very doubtful that the community will benefit.

Aug 15, 2013

Redoing The Redo

If it seems as if the street in front of your home, which was dug up last year, is being dug up again, that's because it is. UGI, which changed out metal pipes to plastic last year, has decided to distribute their gas with higher pressure. Last year's new plastic pipes were not sufficiently engineered to handle the increase. Do you find that reassuring?

Aug 14, 2013

A Creek Centered Park

In 1928, General Harry Trexler hired famed landscape architect, J. Franklin Meehan, to design Lehigh Parkway as a creek centered park. A defender of the current neglect, masquerading as conservation, accused me of wanting the park to look like a golf course. As it turns out, park planner Franklin Meehan, is mostly known as a golf course architect. The General wanted the creek totally accessible, both visually and physically, for the citizens of Allentown. Shown above, in the photograph circa 1950, is the picnic island with connecting bridge, and part of the boat landing. Over forty years ago a former park director took the bridge away, and the island is now overgrown. Also years ago, the boat landing was intentionally buried. This blog advocates to defend what remains of the traditional Lehigh Parkway, as a creek centered park for the people.

Aug 13, 2013

7th and Hamilton, 1942

6 Points At Parkway Entrance, Early 1940's

Mack Bulldog Features Boat Landing

The Mack Truck magazine, Bulldog, often featured scenes from Allentown's nationally recognized park system. Shown on this cover, from the early 1940s, is the Boat Landing. Buried over by a park director in the 1970's, it remained buried, until dug out by this blogger and friends in 2009.

The Boat Landing

Getting to the Boat Landing, for six year old boys who lived above the park in 1953, was quite an adventure. There were three other wonderful WPA structures to navigate on the journey. Unfortunately,  poor foresight by a previous park director has erased some of the WPA's monuments in Lehigh Parkway. As the postcard from the mid-50's above shows, the Boat Landing (my name for the structure) was a source of pride for the city and park system. It is located at the end of the park,  near Regency Apartments. I use the present tense because remnants of this edifice still exist,  buried under dirt and debris. Other attractions lost in that section of the park include the Spring Pond near the Robin Hood parking lot, and the bridge to the "Island", plus the mosaic inlaid benches which were on the island. ( Island halfway between parking lot and boat landing). Neither the Mayor or the Park Director knows that these centerpieces ever existed. These are irreplaceable architectural treasures well worth restoring.

reprinted from May, 2009, combining two posts  seeking help to  uncover this treasure after 50 years.

Aug 12, 2013

Saving The Spring Pond


As a small boy growing up in the twin homes above Lehigh Parkway, I would go down the steep wooded ravine and cross the Robin Hood Bridge. The stone lined spring pond and miniature bridge was just the first in a series of wonderful WPA constructions to explore. Last year, when I organized the reclamation of the Boat Landing, my memory turned to the pond. Although overgrown with several inches of sod, I knew the treasure was still savable.





In the spring of 2010 I met Mike Gilbert of the Park Department, and pitched the idea of a partial restoration. On May 26th, I posted A Modest Proposal, which outlined my hopes for the pond. By July, Gilbert had the Park Department clear off the remaining stones, and clean up around the miniature bridge.


Park Director Greg Weitzel  indicated to me that the pond features uncovered will be maintained. Any further clearing would be at the discretion of Mike Gilbert. In our conversation he also stated that there are virtually no funds available for the preservation of the WPA icons.







I will attempt to organize a group and contributions for this most worthy cause. Between the Spring Pond and The Boat Landing there was once a bridge to the island. Wouldn't it be nice if a small boy could go exploring.
reprinted from previous posts
UPDATE:Mike Gilbert has retired, and the Park Department has a new director. Although grass and sod are starting to again cover the remaining stones that surround the pond, the miniature bridge is still visible. I will make it my mission to again pitch the new personnel.

Aug 11, 2013

Our History Disregarded


One of General Trexler's first land donations to the City of Allentown was some acreage along the Little Lehigh. He wanted to make sure that the quality of the water supply for the city was protected. The above photograph shows one of first things built in Lehigh Parkway. Please note that the retaining walls on the park entrance road have not yet been built. On the previous post Anon 8:49 PM asks;
Has the City showed you the complete inventory and locations of all the WPA sites?
Not to sound too presumptuous, but I believe the current Administration is learning about the WPA sites from this blog, starting with "Stairway To Shame,"  compiled from two posts written in Sept. 2008. The photo shows the spring pond and ornamental bridge. Although water still comes from the spring pipe, residents today would have a hard time locating this image, although it's in a very prominent place.







The spring pond has been allowed to become overgrown, but the stones lining the pond are for the most part still there, buried under a few inches of dirt and tall grass.

Likewise the bridge is intact, but obscured by high grass. Now, I'm not a fan of the grow zones, high mowing and riparian buffer zones. Giving the advocates of those programs the benefit of the doubt, there can be no justification, whatsoever, for letting our historic treasures be overgrown and buried. The spring pond and bridge is right next to the parking lot in Robin Hood, the City now calls it Hole Number One of the Disc Golf Course. Hopefully the City will have enough consideration for General Trexler to weedwack the bridge, so that a father and his children can have a moment like the one shown at the top of this post.
reprinted from October 2009

UPDATE: I've had some success with the park department in regard to the Spring Pond site. That story will be the next post.

Aug 9, 2013

The Fountain Of My Youth

Just west of the Robin Hood Bridge is a fountain which quenched the thirst of my summer days. Built during the WPA era, it overlooked the creek. Although the water was turned off years ago, so now is the view. The weeds and assorted invasives growing are not a riparian buffer. Science says that a buffer has to be 25feet wide to be of any value. A reader described this thin strip of wild growth as neglect, masquerading as conservation. All it does is block both the view and access to the waterway. It denies our current citizens the beauty and experience for which the parks were designed. Although the Wildland's Conservancy would like you to believe that the Allentown Parks are there to be wildlands, in reality they were designed by landscape architects, to provide the citizens of Allentown with what Harry Trexler called serenity. He did also appreciate conservation, but for that he created the Trexler Game Preserve, north of Allentown. There are places in the parks which can accommodate the riparian buffer zones, without compromising the intended public experience of waterway view and access. Riparians could be created and maintained in the western side of Lehigh Parkway, between the pedestrian bridge and Bogerts Bridge. In Cedar Park, the riparian section could be in western side, between the last walking bridge and Cedar Crest Blvd. It's time that the parks were given back to the citizens of Allentown. They are not funded, or intended by our tax dollars and the Trexler Trust,  just to be a venue for the Wildland's Conservancy to harvest grants.  Let a child again giggle by the creek's edge. Let us get back our intended park experience.

Aug 8, 2013

Robin Hood Dam Reprieve

When I approached City Council in May about the Robin Hood Dam, I questioned the Wildland Conservancy's rationale for demolishing the dam. Water quality and fish migration seemed moot points. The overflowing sewer line, along side of the creek, is the gorilla in that argument. With the fish hatchery, and hundreds of fisherman who line the creek banks, it seems as if the good General Trexler anticipated any problems in that department. I raised the issue that removing the dam may threatened the Robin Hood Bridge, as the water flow would increase both it's depth and velocity. Rich Young, Public Works Director, conceded that the Wildland's had submitted no engineering studies with their plan to demolish the dam. City Council agreed with my concerns, and I was told that they would conduct a meeting, to which I would be invited, before any work commenced. Last week, we learned that the Conservancy had gone ahead and removed the dam in Jordan Park. Last night, Francis Dougherty, City Manager, revealed that the Wildland's wanted to start with Robin Hood's demolition. Also last night, Councilwoman Cynthia Mota agreed to conduct the previously promised meeting in September. Although my previous questions are still relevant, I'm becoming more militant about this issue. The dam should remain if for no other reason than the beauty of it's sight and sound. Who the hell is Wildland's Conservancy to destroy an icon of Lehigh Parkway. The truth be told,  they are using our park system as a venue to harvest grants, and administrative fees that come with them. A quick visit to Lehigh Parkway will bring tears to your eyes. The creek is no longer visible anywhere, hidden by a wall of weeds and invasive species, the result of another grant by the Wildland's Conservancy. I have requested that City Council visit the park, to see and hear the dam before any vote.

Aug 6, 2013

Allentown Park Crimes

The riparian buffer zones have become in reality invasive species zones. In some park areas, fast growing vines envelop the iconic willow trees. Some new trees, planted to replace those destroyed by Hurricane Sandy, have been overwhelmed by these vines. The Buffer Zone was instituted several years ago because The Wildland's Conservancy got a grant, and the former Allentown park director wanted another bullet point on his résumé. The riparian buffer zones should be limited to only the areas which the park department can thoroughly maintain. The Wildland's Conservancy, with another grant in hand, now wants to remove two dams along the Little Lehigh Creek. They claim the removal will improve water quality and allow the fish to migrate upstream. This blog has taken a position against removing the WPA era dam at Robin Hood. The sewage line which overflows in heavy rain makes the water quality argument a moot point. The Fish Hatchery makes the fish migration also moot. City Councilman Peter Schweyer told concerned citizens in May that a meeting would be held before any dam removal permission was granted. Rich Young, Director of Public Works, testified that no engineering reports were submitted by the Conservancy, or approved. Schweyer made the same commitment to Allentown Friends Of The Parks. Although no meeting has been held, the Wildland's has started their dam removal project with Jordan Park. The mayor of Allentown is preoccupied with the arena project, and it's benefit to his quest for higher state office. The citizens of Allentown must depend upon the good offices of City Council to safeguard their interests.

Urban Transportation Archeology

The Lehigh Valley Transit Company abruptly ended it's Liberty Bell trolley service to Philadelphia in September of 1951, with no public notice. After several years of low ridership, it was given permission by the PUC to suspend service. Crews were quickly dispatched to remove track, which would make a State imposed resumption impossible. The train and trolley fans, two different species, hunt and document the remaining relics of the bygone systems. Shown above, crew working on the Aineyville Viaduct in 1950, with the Good Shepherd Home in the background.

Aug 5, 2013

The Aineyville Viaduct

The other day I referred to myself as a local historian. I earned that self appointed degree by a long standing interest in local history.  Another interest, photography, enabled me to record some things that are no longer here to see. My degree is not unique. As I mentioned several times before, the local rail buffs are the real local historians. Their knowledge of our former industrial base is unsurpassed. Shown above is the Aineyville Viaduct (Bridge), which allowed  Lehigh Valley Transit's Liberty Bell trolley to cross over Trout Creek,  on the way to Philadelphia. Shown in the background is the Good Shepherd Home.  The bridge was in line with St. John Street.   Aineyville refers to the area south of Trout Creek, now referred to as South Allentown,  in the area of S. 4th  and Basin Streets.  The photo dates from 1948, photographer unknown.  The viaduct was dismantled in 1953.

I may have to surrender my degree, the first version of this post misidentified the location of the viaduct. Further revisions were made at 9:30 a.m.

Aug 4, 2013

Allentown Memories


click on photo to enlarge
From low income sections of center city, to expensive suburbs, Allentown and the Lehigh Valley is becoming home to more and more newcomers. I'm afraid the time will soon come when local memorabilia will have little appeal. Fortunately, for those interested, some impressive collections still exist. This past year Robert Bungerz published Allentown Remembered, documenting his outstanding collection of historical postcards and other objects. David Bausch, former County Executive and authority on Automobile Art, is also a expert on things Allentown. Then there are the many small collections, home of the hidden treasures. Above is an early aerial photograph of the Allentown Fair. Those interested in the recent commotion concerning the 19TH Street Theater District may find the upper right of the photograph interesting. There is no theater, there are no houses on Saint George Street and most of the buildings seem to to garages and automobile in nature (don't tell Auto-Zone). This gem is probably from the late teens or early 20's, and comes from the Thomas Reed Collection. Thomas is aka Z1pyro, long time expert shooter for Zambelli Firework Company. He retired several years ago, and we who appreciate fireworks, notice his departure.

reprinted from previous years

UPDATE: Notice the Allentown Hospital, appearing as a large expanded mansion, in the lower right of the photo. The fairground is crowded with former agriculture and animal display buildings that occupied the parcel, along with many trees.  Since this post was written, and reprinted, the 19th Street makeover has been completed. A new restaurant is planned for half the former Shanty location.

Aug 2, 2013

Drag Races And Such At Dorney Park


Dorney Park is celebrating it's 125th Anniversary, as noted by The Morning Call. A landmark that old, has provided memories for five generations. As a teenager in the 1960's, friday nights at Castle Rock, a dance hall from the twenties, were literally a Freddy Cannon moment. Park admission was free, and there were many attractions which no longer exist, most victim to fire. In addition to the dance hall, there was also a roller skating ring and a stock car race track. The picture above was part of a large neon sign on Hamilton Blvd., on the northwest corner with Cedar Crest Blvd.

In 2007 John Travolta,dressed in drag, portrayed Hollywood's version of Hairspray, initially made by campy underground film maker John Waters, and shot at Dorney Park in 1988. Travolta's part was originally played by a less wholesome, real life female impersonator named Devine, who died shortly after the movie was released.

In my father's time, you could get the trolley at 7th and Hamilton and take it to Dorney Park. Through the 1980's, you could still drive on the road which went right through the middle of the park. Now, combined with a water park, Dorney has become a regional attraction. Busloads of children and families come from New York and elsewhere, but it will always remain a rite of passage for local youngsters.

reprinted from May of 2009.

UPDATE: The large Dorney Park sign stood on the northwest corner of Hamilton and Cedar Crest.  Historic stone homes,  including the current King George Inn, stood on the other three corners. The intersection was called Dorneyville. At the Dorney Sign there was a diagonal road which also entered the intersection,  and the sign pointed to follow that road to the amusement park.


Aug 1, 2013

Historic Hysteria Over The King George Inn

My friend Emma used to refer to Old Allentown as the Hysterical District. She coined that phrase when people went nuts after she and others dared to oppose the Historic District. Emma felt back then that the new proposed ordinance infringed upon the property rights of existing residents. Over forty some years ago, the current owner of the King George  Inn set out to save the building, but he put his own money where his mouth was. Now 83 years old, he closed the restaurant, and wants to sell the building. A developer purchased other parcels by that corner, and wants to demolish all the buildings, and  build a new commercial complex. Fellow blogger Jon Geeting writes, 1,200 people signed a petition to save the King George Inn. South Whitehall zoners should simply refuse to approve the variance for the new buildings until developers agree to keep King George and pay for the renovations. None of those signers put their money where their mouth is, they want to save the building with the owner's retirement fund.  Geeting even suggests that the zoning, which is arbitrary enough, be used as a weapon. I'm a history buff, and an advocate for historical preservation, but not at the expense of someone else's property rights.