Glenn, This post disappoints me. Sometimes, you literally can't see the forest for the trees. Please explain how how Penn, UCD and corporate plutocrats benefit from the other five awards that are part of the announcement I have pasted below, especially the one that is for one of the recreation centers you are championing. If you can't, then please explain how the process of selecting these projects was corrupt or flawed. If you can't do that, then please apologize to the Mayor, to the Secretary of DCNR, to the list and to yourself for making the same type of ad hominem attack that you so wisely deplore. Andy Friday, June 13, 2008 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DCNR AWARDS GREENING AND RECREATION PROJECTS IN PHILADELPHIA GRANT OF $1M Philadelphia, June 13, 2008 – Tomorrow Mayor Michael A. Nutter will announce that six projects in Philadelphia will receive support from a $1m grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR). The award is being matched by funding from the City of Philadelphia and State Representative John Taylor for a total of $2m in project funding. "This funding is crucial to our efforts to create a more accessible, green, healthy Philadelphia," said Mayor Nutter. "I am excited about these projects and want to express my appreciation to Governor Rendell, Secretary DiBerardinis of DCNR and State Representative John Taylor for their support of these important neighborhood spaces." Mayor Nutter will make the announcement on Saturday June 14, 2008, at two sites that will benefit from the funding: Ramonita Rivera Recreation Center and Clark Park. He will be joined by Secretary Mike DiBerardinis of DCNR, Recreation Commissioner Susan Slawson, Representative John Taylor (Rivera), Councilwoman Maria Quinones-Sanchez (Rivera), Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell (Clark Park), and Joan Reilly of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, an organization which has partnered with the Department of Recreation at all recipient sites. The Ramonita Rivera Recreation Center and nearby Fairhill Square Park received $750,000 in total funding from DCNR and other sources to upgrade the landscaping, improve pathways, purchase new playground equipment and provide improved exterior lighting. Clark Park received $450,000 to support the redesign of Park A, the portion of Clark Park located between Baltimore and Chester Avenue. The plan creates more usable green space, more benches and game tables, additional trees and lighting upgrades. The Community Conservation Partnerships Program grant administered through the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources will be used for projects including:
• Muhammad Park, West Philadelphia - Installation of a new pavilion, site furnishings, rain garden, walkways, landscaping and signage • Cliveden Park, East Mount Airy - Renovations to the Cliveden Park House, drainage improvements, fencing, site furnishings and signage • Clark Park, University City - Installation of a rain garden basin, trees, site furnishings, landscaping and new walkways • Pulaski Park, Port Richmond - Landscaping, site furnishings, related site improvements and signage • Fairhill Square, North Philadelphia - Installation of exterior lighting, site furnishings, landscaping and other site improvements • Rivera Recreation Center, North Philadelphia - Improvements for accessibility and signage The six sites above were awarded funding because they all relate to greening, improving access and connectivity, and the creation of new open spaces. ----ENDS---- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]: [EMAIL PROTECTED]: [UC] A million for Penn parksDate: Wed, 2 Jul 2008 10:59:05 -0400 This was taken from the UCD enews. One million dollars was the estimate for minimum maintanence needs for the 75 Rec centers found to have serious basic problems. Note the city contribution in the last line below. "On June 14, Mayor Michael Nutter, Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell, Mike DeBernardinis, Secretary of the Department of Community and Economic Development, Commissioner of Recreation Susan Slawson, State Senator Anthony Williams, and Representative Jim Roebuck joined Frank Chance, President of Friends of Clark Park, Lewis Wendell, Executive Director of UCD, Joan Reilly, Philadelphia Horticultural Society, and other community notables, at Clark Park for a very important occasion. In addition to cutting the ribbon at the new basketball court, there was a presentation of $1,000,000 for projects at four West Philadelphia parks, $225,000 of which is earmarked for Clark Park. The City will match the funds, for a total investment of $2,000,000 in area parks and $450,000 in Clark Park! " This is just like the school district issue. The "winners" are to have everything and the rest nothing. In 2001-2002 when Clark Park was informally secretly placed under the control of Penn, the Dept of Rec funds were cut by 20%. (Rec was a good department some years ago and it has become complete garbage now) I've already heard misinformation about this Clark park money. It's like the myth of the microsoft school. (Remember, the FOCP leader tried to claim on the list that the taxpayers subsidy of microsoft, paying for an international sales model, was really a gift to Phila children by Bill Gates. This was a common myth around the city.) The anointed try to pretend that UCD is just bringing in "outside money" What they are usually doing is demanding an unfair share from the city taxpayers. If the city doesn't reallocate resources for the corporate agenda, there will be hell to pay as they take their bat and ball and go back to campus. Penn wants Clark Park completely stripped and redesigned to support real estate marketing. The community and real park leaders told them loudly in 2001-2002 that Clark Park was a great place with mostly a need for dedicated maintenance. That it should not be destroyed and redesigned, that it was a jewel in the community. But as you may have already heard, the Clark Park "UCD master plan" was moth-balled for several years because of the intense opposition. As honest park users are banned from participating with any planning, as they were in '01-02, we have no idea what designs will be imposed to replace our culture with the desired, homogenized, upscale, suburban culture which is coming. Six years ago, Penn wanted all sidewalks dug up, volleyball and chess areas destroyed, a plaza around the war monument, a dog park, and to move the Dickens Statue. Today, we only have the FOCP leaders as a source of misinformation!!!! Are we that selfish that we demand this secretive destruction of our park while the rest of the cities children go without basic safety? Please think about this, Glenn _________________________________________________________________ Do more with your photos with Windows Live Photo Gallery. http://www.windowslive.com/share.html?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_Wave2_photos_022008
