Let me clarify that I'm referring to those aspects and features of the park system that made it famous. Let me clarify that I'm referring to those features which Harry Trexler established a trust fund to protect.
If anybody doubts that even Trexler's wishes have been subverted, let them try and locate Mrs. Trexler's greenhouse. Although it was her pride and joy, specifically protected by the trust, years ago the trust petitioned the court it allow its removal, to accommodate a former park director.
Lately, the park department and Trust have been accommodating the Wildlands Conservancy. The agenda of the Conservancy and the traditional park system are NOT compatible. The word wildlands is not in the definition of parks, and the word parks is not in the definition of wild lands. Under their cooperation, we have lost access to the park creeks, some WPA structures, and the future of the traditional Allentown park system.
The new Parknership is funded by both Trexler Trust and the Pool Foundation, which is the main backer of the Wildlands Conservancy. It would be nice if the current Trexler Trustees were all descendants of the General Trexler, and shared his park values. In reality, they're all influential people, who mostly value getting along with the establishment. Allegiance to the traditional park system no longer figures into their decision making, and hasn't for decades.
Besides for the parks, there's not much left of Allentown's former uniqueness. However, I know that there are thousands of people who share my dismay about the direction of the park system. I intend to make the new Facebook group, WPA of Allentown, a lobby for the traditional park system. There appears to be no other advocacy group for those values.
ADDENDUM: The above is rather blunt, even for this outspoken blogger. However, there is no other local venue expressing such sentiments, although many share my opinion(s) on the parks.
I thought the NPR station in Bethlehem already planted this entire area in a fundraiser?
ReplyDeleteYou should expect that as the financial situation of Allentown becomes more desperate, the park system will be eyed as a means to provide revenue. Too expensive, Trexler would have wanted to give the income to the poor, or some other rationale for using the park system or selling it off, piece by piece.
ReplyDeleteSoon, the old folks like yourself, that understand the value of the system will be overwhelmed by those who will see it as a cash cow.
Mike, in addition, the Trexler Trust has become a liberal front group doling out funds to left wing groups that are completely unrelated to the city parks. Legal advice needs to be found to determine what actions could be taken the stop what appears to violations of the trust by the trustees.
ReplyDeleteScott, instead of accusations, provide us with a specific and accurate and factual occurance of funds being mispent.
Deleteanon@8:34: Scott need not answer you, because I won't host it anyway. I have followed the trust for years... Their contributions are clearly indicated on their website. Harry Trexler couldn't have imagined such groups in Allentown in the 1930's. However, my concern about the Trust is limited to the Allentown Park system, where their contribution has enormous influence. To go in front of a Lehigh Valley judge complaining about the trust would be a fool's errand. Even the late judge Young could do little about the LVHN, other than complain. Likewise, I will complain here about the park system and trust when appropriate. As this blog approaches its 18th year, its audience might surprise you.
DeleteMike, My point is the Trexler Trustees are not only facilitating the destruction of Allentown's park system as envisioned by Gen. Trexler, they are harming stable neighborhoods such as West Park through their contributions to Ripple Community.
DeleteAppears to me, various non-profits and non-governmental ‘agencies’ are moving into a spending frenzy now in fear of having their funding cut off or eliminated.
ReplyDeleteDoesn’t matter what things these groups are spending for, needed or not, prudent or otherwise. What this says to me, there really IS wasteful use of our precious taxpayer dollars through various grants given without proper justification.
Thankfully, this sh*t is slowly being stopped by the current federal administration. We absolutely NEED smaller and more efficient governmental behavior in America . . . before it’s too late.
This post will host no more comments about the current federal administration
Delete@8:16A.M. Read for comprehension.
DeleteThe fat nonprofits in Allentown that rely on truck loans of money are not dependent on Federal money. Pool Trust and Trexler Trust provide the virtually unlimited largesse.
Who decides on priorities for Allentown Parks?
Who sponsors City “Festivals” in Allentown?
Why aren’t Bethlehem nonprofits (ie, Promise Neighborhoods) and Parks fat with $$$?
Pool and Trexler are limited to Allentown.
Start paying attention.
As time passes expect some of the minor parks be made available to developers to rase money for the general fund. Allentown's resources and the demographics of the population are a shadow of what they were decades ago. It seems the city relies on handouts (grants) for one thing or another.
ReplyDeleteI fully expect to see shipping container residences start to appear in Allentown before the decade is out as the municipal government stuggles to find "affordable housing". What better place to put it than on some of the minor city parks? Add some recreation equipment for the children, the less well-off always seem to have a lot of children (as well as being single-parent households) and you have all the ingredients needed to house them in converted shipping containers.
Besides, that's a way to reduce the budget for the Parks & Recreation department, and use that money for more social services.
You’re delusional if you believe that the TV Reality Show Mayor has any significant influence over decisions regarding Allentown’s park system.
DeleteAny chance of creating revenue by selling off pieces of park property, if it should ever occur, will not happen in City Hall. You will recall that Mayor Ed Pawlowski made money for a donor by buying land, not selling. Of course there is one over looking exception to the rule.
Pawlowski bucked Trexler’s dominance in philanthropy protocol.
Both Trexler and Pawlowski are still paying for that, each in their own way.
It seems whatever the Trexler Trust chooses to spend its resources on other things than Allentown's park system. The current state of Lehigh Parkway and Bogart's Bridge are testament to the neglect of the system with the weeds not just on the Little Lehigh's banks, but the entire west end of the Parkway unkempt and the grass rarely cut.
DeleteAllentown's mayor writes the budget and has significant decisions about what resources go where. Yes, city council makes the final decisions about the budget however don't expect to see additonal funds being allocated to parks & recreation from what Turek proposes in the first place
What Pawlowski can buy, Turek can give away.
Malcom Gross III abdicated the Trexler Trust’s authority. Say what you will about Greg Weitzel, he got his card punched, took care of his friends in the recreational equipment business, got “awards” from the Penn State Recreation Department crowd and left town for much greener pastures when the gettin’ was good.
DeleteGross was behind that era, for better or worse. Gross’s weak leadership was the beginning of the end for the once enlightened Trust.
Pawlowski kicked sand in the Trexler Trust’s face.
Pool Trust works in the shadows and isn’t burdened by a Board. Pool, for good, bad and indifferent, keeps a low profile. Look through photos in the Promise Neighborhoods scrap book however, the Executive Director/King of Pool Trust is lurking all around the place.
Fact: Pool started Promise Neighborhoods and has backed every incarnation.
Pool is Allentown’s Shadow Government. Pool, along with, and in collusion with, the LVH Hospital Center Board, assisted Riley in the Great NIZ boondoggle.
Right, Turk can give away those few parcels Pawlowski bought.
DeleteAllentown’s Game Show Mayor has little or nothing to do with setting priorities concerning Allentown’s park system.
DeleteThe condition of the Covered Bridge is an indictment of every philanthropy, corporation, and wealthy individual who has not stepped forward to restore this irreplaceable treasure.
It’s a disgrace.
anon@11:02: Gross wasn't the only Trust member who was part of Pawlowski's kitchen cabinet back when. These kitchen cabinets existed before then, and continue now.
DeleteI normally agree with the moderator, but this particular issue exposes a classic pre-1980s lay person mentality. The Parks Director has been criticized for having an ISA Arborist license, the Wildlands Conservancy is being put down for planting trees in a riparian buffer and the policies being promoted seem to amount to allowing park users to have picnics along the stream bank. Its 2025 now, the City has been designated by the federal government as an MS4 municipality and we now know how bad the pre-1980 parks maintenance was for the sensitive little stream that flows through the Cedar Parkway. I do not need to walk to the stream's edge on grass in 2025. I would prefer to enjoy the parkway knowing that the qualified professionals with appropriate training and expertise are using accepted modern methods to preserve the stream and its banks. I do not need to dangle my toes in the water, I can hear the stream, I know its there and I can feel good that it is finally being nurtured to perform its natural function, not neglected for my personal enjoyment.
ReplyDeleteWell then, why not grow the riparian buffers across the entire length of Cedar Creek? Including, of course the half-mile or so that runs completely across Dorney Park.
Delete10:64
DeleteIn the last couple of decades only Earl Nagle has spent more time along the main stem of the Little Lehigh Parkway than I have.
Full disclosure: I sat on the Allentown EAC and the Allentown Shade Tree Commission, I am a Tree Tender and have attended numerous Pennsylvania State urban tree conferences and training. I spent some college course time in Fresh Water Biology and Ecology on the underclass and graduate level, none of which makes me an authority but I’m not a novice observer.
Current best practice can be generally applied without willy nilly abandoning the classic design elements of General Trexler’s parks.
Good stewardship and classic design elements are not mutually exclusive.
I question your judgement.
mj adams
At 10:46
DeleteYou can feel good about pretending that you’re a practitioner of enlightened stream stewardship when all you are is a booster for mismanagement in the guise of best practice.
Step out from the behind cloak of anonymity and we can have an honest conversation.
mj adams
anon@10:46: I dispute the expertise, or the 10 inch high former Robin Hood Dam would not have been demolished, and the debris piled around the stone bridge piers despoiling the previous beauty. Only in recent years the creek banks were deemed Riparian Buffers. ignoring the reality that the storm water is piped UNDER the buffer directly into the creeks. It's a park, and yes children should be able to dip their toes in the water.
ReplyDeleteMike, perhaps you should consider having a trusted reader of this blog pre-read your post and submit it under his own name to the Morning Call for an op-ed. It's obvious they don't respect them...which is why many of us don't respect them.
ReplyDelete