When Harry Trexler commissioned Frank Meehan of Philadelphia to design the Allentown parks, Meehan was considered the leading landscape architect in America. It was because of Meehan that Allentown was shovel ready when the WPA started in the mid 1930's. It was because of Meehan that our park system became the envy of cities everywhere.
Throughout the park system he planted Weeping Willows thirty feet apart along the creeks. Their shallow, spreading root system provided the Little Lehigh, Cedar and Jordan Creeks erosion protection for almost a century. It provided both fish and fisherman beauty and shade along the creek banks.
Move ahead seventy five years, and in 2006 the from out of town new mayor Pawlowski combined the park and recreation departments, and hired a recreation major for department head. The new director turned over many park management decisions to the Wildlands Conservancy. The Wildlands introduced riparian buffers, even though the storm sewer system is piped directly into the creeks. As the Willows neared their lifespan and started dying out, they were not replaced. Rather, other trees were planted, back from the creeks, doubling down on the buffer concept.
We now realize that the creek banks are eroding, and that the buffers are incubators for invasive species. It is now the department's intention to seek outside consultants for recommendations. Rather than go outside again for advice, they should go back in history...Weeping Willows should be again planted along the banks. HOWEVER, the department REJECTS this suggestion, because willows are not indigenous.
When I was a boy I lived above Lehigh Parkway in Little Lehigh Manor. My father's uncle worked for the park department cutting the grass along the creek. I'm saddened by the state of the overgrown creek banks, and the stubbornness of the city to not see the best solution.
Many of the original Willow trees have died, and the remaining ones are on their last legs.
above reprinted from May of 2022
More on the Willows tomorrow
The amazing places that made A-town a treasure have been left to root away for decades in the hands of its leadership. Shame on you for not preserving what made A-town once a gem. ~Crystal Alpha
ReplyDeleteChrystal, unfortunately manpower and finances came into play for the last 30 years. I agree it would be nice to bring it all back the way it was. The other issues is the parks don't get the respect from the people today.
DeleteWeep also for West Park which is the city's only passive park and has been the anchor to the last solid and attractive downtown neighborhood. The mayor has clearly directed the police to stop enforcing nuisance crimes so litter, disruptive behavior, open drug use, loud music, public urination, and impromptu boxing matches with gloves, surrounded by yelling Allen students are now routine. Meanwhile a patrol car is parked in front of the bandshell and does nothing. I have lived here for 30 years, in all this time I have seen lot, but never have a witnessed the complete disregard of the cares of homeowners and residents of West Park by a mayor. This is a first and it's a very troubling sign for this park and this community. The police now use the word "respect" a lot, apparently we have to respect people who flout the rules, the law and diminish our quality of life. But in Allentown "respect" is a one way street isn't it? Residents, homeowners, and those who only seek the laws enforced, their property respected, are not getting any respect from city leadership and by those who break the law. This is Matt Teurk's Allentown. He apparently thinks it's cool.
ReplyDeleteAllentown parks are still reeling from the bad decisions Pawlowski made, such as the beautiful plantings that once adorned the Log House that were all ripped away one day. I miss the willows, that are known as ‘trees that like to get their feet wet.’ Indigenous plants are a well-meaning idea but it’s truely limiting and silly to think that you can recreate a ‘natural’ environment by only indigenous plants. The beauty of the original design is nearly gone. Allentown’s parks are dangerous, the pavilion in the rose garden is a sty, the hanging gardens are gone, and most of the smaller green spaces are gone. But we have a destination playground.
ReplyDeleteHere is a question? Have the hanging gardens been planted in the light standard bowls in Downtown? It’s been awhile since I have ridden down…what used to be Allentown!!!
ReplyDelete