photocredit:molovinsky
reprinted from September 2, 2013
ADDENDUM: Since I wrote the above post almost three years ago, we have yet another new park director, with the exact same background. The dam was demolished, the WPA wall collapsed, and has just been rebuilt. The sewage still overflows from the manhole covers along the creek, but all the parks have new entrance signs.
above reprinted from July 2016
ADDENDUM JUNE 30, 2022: I've been fighting for our traditional park system and the WPA for over fifteen years. The recent emphasis by the administrations and park department has been on new recreation fads and celebrations of new holidays... we now have skate parks and Pride festivals. Meanwhile, the landings on the Parkway's Double Staircase still await repair, and a weed wall of invasive species still blocks both view and access to the creeks. Although I don't attend the events, I do monitor the impact on our parks the following day. Although I have no interest in the new recreation venues, I do monitor the state of the irreplaceable crumbling WPA structures. Although my repetitive recommendations have become less than welcome by our officials, I nevertheless submit them anyway.
Another example of image over substance, the fall back for all over educated bureaucrats without any practical experience.
ReplyDeleteAfter all they have done something, put up a picture of the past. It has cost very little in money, effort, imagination or hard work. After all they did not teach any that in school.
Why don't the politicians hire someone who has experience actually doing something rather than just another bureaucratic know nothing.
How about one of the workers who has been trying to really maintain the park.
ray@4:58, except for the current addendum, the post is a reprint from 2013/2016. The current park director is NOT another "from out of town" recreation major. Although she is a local and has knowledge of the traditional system, she must still satisfy the whims of our new politicians....In that sense change has been very slow, but at least she knows the things to which I refer.
ReplyDeleteAll the historcal stone work that is neglected is one thing but has anyone eaten a trout from little Lehigh creek?
ReplyDeleteI was very fortunate this year to catch about 20 to 25 trout from the Little Lehigh and Cedar Creek early this fishing season. I love trout and have eaten about half of them so far, why do you ask?
DeleteWhile you have been advocating for the parks and other items, others have been advocating for good government. We have all had the same results. Apparently degrading parks, and unresponsive, corrupt government is what the voters want in Allentown.
ReplyDeleteJohn, my heart for the parks is like yours. My Dad worked for the Park Dep. my whole life. He did everything, all types of labor, and was Acting Super when he died. He grew up on S. Howard St. by the ball park and the parkway was his playground as a boy. His caring caused him to work 24-7, it seemed, never not thinking about it in some way or another.
ReplyDelete