Weed Wall Hiding Cedar Creek

If you want to see the creek in Cedar Park, the window is fast closing.   The weed wall, as encouraged by the Wildlands Conservancy, is already 5 ft. tall.  Although only the beginning of June,  with two small exceptions,  the creek is only visible from the bridge crossings.

One of the exceptions is a creek side bench by the park office, at 30th and Parkway Blvd.  Although I did lobby the park department to install a second bench at that spot, so far there has been no response.
The other exception is about six feet of open bank by the small wood bridge, just west of the Rose Garden.

Although I still yearn for the traditional park system designed for Allentown by Harry Trexler's landscape architect,  those days seem to be over.  Years ago, when the Wildlands Conservancy prevailed upon a former park director to stop mowing by the creeks,  the little work reduction corresponded with less park employees. Worse yet for park beauty, it also coincided with more park budget going for recreation.  So while we now cannot see or enjoy the creeks, we have a prison style outside workout station in Jordan Park, and a new skate park coming on board.

Although I recognize these new realities, I will give the park department or city hall administration no relief from my advocating for the traditional park values, which graced the picture postcards of Allentown's past. 

above reprinted from June of 2019

ADDENDUM JULY 26, 2024:In previous years the traditional park format got a break in early spring. The weed wall was temporarily cut down to prevent the invasive species from taking firm root, such as Poison Hemlock. I would complain that in the process the ducklings were turned into paste. Well, the ducklings fared better this year, there has been no cutting. The solution for both the ducklings and park goers is to mow the grass to the creek's edge, as planned by General Trexler's landscape architect. The ducks will find safe places to build nests.