After seven months, the Parknership finally announced their board of directors. With Tuerk and his park director taking two of the nine seats, there will be no change in current park philosophy. Worse, the weed walls have gained a couple more enthusiasts on the board. In addition to the Trexler Trust, the Rider-Pool Foundation has stepped forward as a major Parknership backer. That foundation is closely affiliated with the Wildlands Conservancy, promoter of the weed walls.
While the board has the expected diversity, there is no advocate for the WPA, or the traditional park system. The Trexler people on the board, Janet Roth and Donald Bernhard, do have institutional knowledge of the park system, and the Trust has financed any work done on WPA structures in the last decade. I'm grateful for that!
My input will continue to be limited to this blog. Eventually, my WPA suggestions are implemented, with credit given elsewhere. I have even less hope for the creek banks under this administration and the new organization. I was hoping that this new Parknership might steer the park system back toward its classic design and values, but instead it seems to reinforce the new agenda.
Is the new board paid for their devices, or is it volunteer?
ReplyDeleteThey are in search of an executive director, which will be paid. Otherwise, it is volunteer.
DeleteI think the Parknership's #1 priority should be respect, support, inclusion and care.
ReplyDeleteThe parks just get worse. It’s silly to think that diversity by gender and genetics on the board will create sound judgement in the care and protection of the parks.
ReplyDeleteTuerk is obsessed with inclusion, to the point where he had safety from flooding gates removed from a park entrance. He thought that it sent an "unwelcome message". I suppose it's also a political strategy.
ReplyDeleteThey have every kind of diversity except for diversity of thought.
ReplyDeleteRemember when that union cop over the summer made the city put up signs and have extra patrols in an attempt to make the parks safe and nicer? Was such resistance by the mayor "saying this ain't Beltzville." He doesn't care about the parks. Looked like a 3rd world country at some spots. Diversity and inclusion won't fix any problems
ReplyDelete