Kimm,
I talked with UCD Executive Director Matt Bergheiser, who in turn
checked with his Director of Operations Dexter Bryant. Bryant told him
what Moon Site Mgmt. laid down on the park is a granular organic
fertilizer that contains no herbicides or pesticides. "We have always
been very clear with Moon that we don't want anything like that used in
the park," said Bergheiser.
Why the signs, then? "We suspect it's a kind of historical accident,"
Bergheiser said. They may be part of the Moon grounds crew's standard
toolkit. In general, having laid down material like this, groundskeepers
want it to rest undisturbed for a while and encourage the public not to
trample across it. After even a light rain like this morning's, it
should have settled enough, though. Bergheiser said no one should be
concerned about safety issues in contacting the material now, or in
disturbing its efficacy now. The job is done.
"We apologize if these signs were misleading or scary," said Bergheiser,
"and we will work with the contractor to avoid this sort of mistake in
the future."
-- Tony West
Kimm Tynan wrote:
I don't think it's nonsense, Tony. In this day and age, chemical
fertilizers and pesticides are pretty widely viewed as pretty backwards.
Given Mayor Nutter's emphasis on being green, I think the issue of what
chemicals are being pumped into Clark and other parks is an entirely valid
one for public discussion - not just for safety of kids and pets but for
broader ecological reasons. And there's no need to be defensive - I don't
think anyone is accusing Moon Site Management of being evil people. That
doesn't mean folks can't raise issues with specific things they do that
people might want changed.
I think Glenn has a point. Does anyone care if there are dandelions in
Clark Park? We all want grass in our park, but is fertilizer really
necessary? If so could we find a greener alternative? Let's call Mike
McGrath (from the radio, not the neighborhood)!
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