Prior to the current administration, the parking lot along Cedar Creek behind the swimming pool was closed off when flooding was anticipated. The new administration felt that gates sent a message of unwelcomeness, and they were ordered removed from various locations throughout the park system. These gates had been installed over the years to prevent damage from flooding, or to allow for proper snow removal during winter storms.
When I first learned of their removal last year, I was offended by the waste of infrastructure. Now I realize that it is actually a public safety issue.
This blog in the past has been critical of the Tuerk Administration's wokeness and obsession with being inclusive. While I have become less critical about the mayor's agenda, I will not hesitate to speak out when appropriate.
The flooded car shown above belonged to a couple who decided to take a long stroll in the rain. Unfortunately the creek rose faster than their return walk, but at least they didn't feel unwelcome.
Mike are you sure that wasn't one of the many of Allentowns homeless living in there car or did you hear the spin directly from the establisment?
ReplyDeleteanon@5:36: normally I do not print questions, but for clarity I make an exception. Last year I did not verify the information up the command chain, so as not to endanger my source. I did however observe that a park gate was removed. I never used post labels, and cannot find my mention of the gate removals last year. I have added labels to this post and will try and do so henceforth.
ReplyDeleteDo the owners of the car bear any responsibility for ignoring the flash flood watches that were in effect for a couple of days that specifically cited Sunday from Noon to 8:00 pm for flash flood potential?
ReplyDeleteapologist@6:56: Both the car owner and city used bad judgement.
ReplyDeleteAh, the foolish policies of the political Left. It’s seldom that the stupidity of those policies are so quickly - and starkly - exposed, but that’s certainly the case here.
ReplyDeleteIf the Mayor had given any thought to the matter, he would have realized that the gates were already inclusive. They protected city property equally, and more importantly they protected the safety of people of all races equally.
But I’m sure City Hall will not see the obvious failure of their policy of removing the gates, and will of course blame it on the victims of that bad policy decision.
The political left never accepts ANY responsibility when their policies are shown to be wrong, and Anon 6:56 seems to be getting a start on that.
It’s not that the car owner was or wasn’t responsible. It’s that the danger could have been easily avoided by simply leaving the gates that had been there in place. Luckily it was only a car that was lost.
Was the landscape changed in Cedar Park that causes the creek to flood? This was not an issue until recent years.
ReplyDeleteanon@7:35: the park(s) always flooded. A berm was built between the creek and the pool a couple years ago*...if it prevented the pool from being flooded this time I do not know.
ReplyDelete* I thought that they should have built it higher at the time
This area has always flooded. That said, I believe a berm was added upstream (between the Ott Street Bride and the pool) to try to protect flood waters from going into the pool.
ReplyDeleteIf my memory is correct, when Ed Pawlowski and Council decided to completely replace the Cedar Beach pool (which was always located in the flood plain) they quickly realized that was a mistake when high water from heavy rain filled the pool with mud shortly after it re-opened. I think that was when the berm was raised/added.
At least that’s my recollection of it. MM (as usual) probably has a better memory.
Those who fail to learn from history are condemned to repeat it. Allentown's Parks Superintendent said in the 1980's that if the City is ever able to afford to build Cedar Beach Pool it should be build up the hill toward Hamilton Street out of the floodplain. Mayor P. fired those with institutional knowledge, disregarded history then spent millions to rebuild Cedar Beach Pool at the same place.
ReplyDeleteTurek will ruin his career on this Woke BS he subscribes to. He will be used up and cast aside when his utility does not exist. Allentown is becoming the city of non-responsible people with a grove of leaders sharing the same mindset. Everyone who should be in leadership and responsible is too busy wanting to be everybody's friend. Isn't that sweet?
ReplyDelete