The theme of the SportsFest coverage on Sunday was that 36 different sports were being played at one location, CedarBeach Park. Anybody who drove up either Ott or Hamilton Street knows that records were also broken in
Grass Parking. Rented security personnel continued directing vehicles to the meadow just west of the swimming pool, and up to the tree planted area toward Hamilton Street, until every square foot was jam packed. I'm conflicted about parking on the grass. Although MayFair through Sportsfest is certainly rough on the grass, it's only two months of the year, and thousands of people are served by the events. I do find it environmentally hypocritical to park on the grass, but institute a no mow zone denying access and view of the stream. Perhaps the Park Department should conduct a public input meeting on these issues. Could you imagine a meeting with citizens and the Park Department, without paid consultants, and projects which cost $millions?
Can’t write about Alton Park but Lehigh Parkway’s grass meadows are being destroyed and the word is carefully used. Destroyed by 1000s of cars almost every weekend now for races and all sorts of special events parking on the grass. The grass is so worn the earth is exposed and hardened. Grass will never again grow in some portions of the Parkway unless it there is extensive earth replacement which doesn’t look likely as even the city’s own trucks drive across the meadows as easy but unnecessary shortcuts.
ReplyDeleteTowns across the country absolutely forbid grass parking but in the city without limits where just about anything goes anymore, it's welcomed. Someone wrote about 4th of July in the Parkway. It's true. Literally thousands of visitors, hundreds of New York and New Jersey license plates parked anywhere they wanted. On the protected Watershed tall grasses; on wildlife refuge, on the fragile tree roots and shrubs; no limits is sure accurate in Allentown as no limit to the Parkway violations. No one enforces anything anymore in the parks. By the way, isn't it still illegal to sell wares in the city's parks? Guess not. Ask the ice cream vendors.
Who is actually in charge of the parks at the moment since the last director left?
ReplyDelete"Back in the day," Michael, as I'm sure you must remember, when Cedar Beach Pool was THE summer time daytime destination for your generation, the grassy area North of Cedar Beach Pool was jammed, bumper to bumper, every day, with heavy chrome-laden 1960s-model cars. The grass seems to have survived okay, no?
ReplyDelete@8:28, i'm not disputing you, but i do not remember that. i remember at one point the parking lot was expanded, but i don't recall parking on the grass.
ReplyDeleteThis is up for debate each year, and the grass magically grows back each year.
ReplyDeleteGrass can do nothing to help with the magical Transformation in the City With No Spending Limits and, therefore, has to be seen as expendable for those interested in Progress and Development.
ReplyDeleteIce, on the other hand, is a far more valuable commodity and, from what I understand, the gateway to untold economic wealth ...
SEASON TICKETS ARE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE
in the 60's and 70's cars parked on the grass north of cedar beach pool all the way up to hamilton street! hundreds and hundreds of cars! such a selective memory molovinsky!
ReplyDelete@5:59 anonymous, why was the pool more popular then, considering the heat wave we are having, and both mack and fountain pools are now closed?
ReplyDelete(mack has reopened) no wii, xbox, playstation, and central air back then, is my opinion, for why cedar beach isn't as popular today. plus many westenders now have their own pools.
ReplyDeleteGoing to be a no news weekend with my two favorite writters mike and bernie. Please do not become like the morning gag or wfmz the edited media outlets that have political agendas. They will be proping up a new dummy come November.
ReplyDeleteREDD