The Destination
Dog Park plans are elaborate. Although the pony for each pooch is an exaggeration on my part, the plans are elaborate, never the less. The park would cost close to $One Million dollars when completed. Our former park director got to include the plan on his resume, even if pooch doesn't get to play there. Seems that the designers probably never actually walked around the area, by Dixon and Mack Blvd. If they had, they would have realized that the ground feels like a sponge; it is a wetland. Well, the important thing is de plane, the plan. The plan was paid for by the Trexler Trust, trust in Weitzel. The Forest Stewardship Plan was created after yours truly, this blogger, leaked that the Administration was planning on logging South Mountain. After The Morning Call appropriated the tip without attribution, Weitzel covered for Pawlowski, and we now have a stewardship plan. I also take credit for having the light posts removed from the Cedar Park paths plan; I suggested that they should be careful when changing the light bulbs in the flood plain.* Weitzel and his expensive plans are gone. In a recent letter to the editor, Friends Of The Parks President Karen El-Chaar, lamented his departure as the loss of a
visionary.
* My archivist reminds me that Weitzel denied that lights were planned for the path on the west side of Ott St. What was planned, and discarded partly because of my efforts, was the plan to turn the stone house by the rose gardens into a cafe, and built a wedding pavilion across the creek from the rose garden.
But you don't mention the dog park's status now. Please check the drawings online from this initial proposal. What's happened with this project? Where is the dog park?
ReplyDeletei believe the project is pretty much on hold because of the nature of the ground there, soggy. also a dog park next to a stream is far from recommended best practice for stream quality. but, the plan looked great on weitzel's resume, and he did get a new job! it's a shame how the Trexler Trust allowed their resources to be blindly squandered. they shouldn't be so politically connected with the administration, and the scrutinize requests. Friends of the Parks is just outright Friends of Pawlowski cheerleaders.
ReplyDeleteMM
ReplyDeleteWeitzel could have listened to many many dog owners who volunteered site suggestions, but no, $800,000 far better idea. Now there's nothing.
Bethlehem put up a dog park in weeks. But in the City Without Limits...Sadly, many of the dogs that could have enjoyed such a park in Allentown have passed away.
No one should be allowed to "belong"
ReplyDeleteor "boast" membership in such a group as Friends without first being required to walk every park in the city to gain insight into the individuality of each and its special needs.
Ask these members how many even visit any of the parks!
Simple Question.
ReplyDelete"After five years and an apparently expensive study, is there a dog park or not?"
@8:35, there is no dog park. besides consultants, weitzel also spent the trexler trust and taxpayer money with a signage company. a future post will address those knick knacks
ReplyDeleteI didn't know the guy , just saw him around at meetings. Probably a nice guy ,but in way over his head. Blame whoever hired him. He just wasn't up to the job. Friend of the Park shows up here and there, like Art in the Park at West Park. Very nice people that I've seen. Unfortunately they are uninformed and clueless about our beautiful parks. And I mean clueless. Let's face it, the park system is in some big trouble.
ReplyDelete@11:04, i'm afraid it's not that innocent. weitzel's background is in recreation, and he envisioned the park system only as a venue for that purpose. the trexler trust, as a main financier of the park system, should have insisted that the historic vision of the park system be respected. unfortunately, the trust is now politicized. the Friends of the Park, was just outrightly created to pump the administrations park agenda, not promote or protect the park.
ReplyDeleteAm I mistaken, or doesn't city council have a Parks Committee? Who's the chairman of that committee? I gotta think that persons got some background and influence this time around. That's an important role on council. Hopefully they know something about the park issues .
Delete@11:49, the chair is newly appointed cythnia mota. i have no reason to believe that she knows anything about the park system.
ReplyDeleteI love how you lie... You take credit for no lights on the path plan? There was never lights proposed for that path.... let me remind you with your own words...
ReplyDeleteJump to the 1:40 minute mark...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBXgsWAsH5M&feature=relmfu
Also you doomed and gloomed about Mayfair expanding to the West side of the park... well they are setting up right now and no expansion to the west side of the park... stop fear mongering.
Jump to the :28 mark... once again you have eat your words...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51rMbT2noWU
ms. future, thank you for being my archivist. i said " if mayfair is to retain it's current size" mayfair cut back this year, and is not retaining it's previous size.
ReplyDeleteSorry, your archivist is mistaken. The first drawing, posted at city hall before the very first council meeting on the subject,
ReplyDeleteABSOLUTELY F...INGLUTELY HAVE ELECTRIC LIGHTS SMACK IN THE FLOOD PLAIN! Take that to the bank.
Prove it! Because I have on record saying there was never lights.
Delete4:08 PM.
DeleteThe electrical features were most certainly in the first drawings of the so called master plan, as was additional hardscaping.
I know it must be hard for a lot of people to admit how many of the park "improvements" were ill conceived. Yes, the parks director was in way over his head. Oh well, he has moved on now.
@12:22, you're correct, but FDAA was so delighted to find some error I apparently made, I didn't want to diminish her excitement.
ReplyDeleteWell bummer 4:08, cause your twice mistaken . Several prominent and well known MAYFAIR board members were quoted in the Mirming Call about the advantages and possibility of extending the fair's footprint across Ott St,
ReplyDeleteYou can look it up.
Best to do your homework before you get all pissee, shoot your mouth off ,and worse yet, call someone a lier..
Notice I'm pointing out sloppy work and historical innaccuary on your part, a matter of record. I'm not calling calling you a lier'. Personal attacks don't help you case espically when you plum wrong'.
ms. future, i concern myself with current crimes against the community. but, for your information; my post of August 7, 2009 refers to the light standards shown in the plan at that time. my post of november 16, 2009 shows the revised plan, but still with extra paths added to the open space between the creek and honochek drive. i'm proud to have played a part in the elimination of some of those proposed paths, which would have turned that portion of the park into a go cart track.
ReplyDelete