With only some nature trail clearing, some poison ivy treatments, and a few ad hoc remediations, a park can be absolutely dreamy. Rick Conrad
On May 27, 2011, at 10:03 AM, Lalevic, Darco wrote: > Sorry to not be able to continue our previous conversation Glenn, busy with > life and work and all that. > > So, taking your view that Clark Park will soon have no trespassing signs and > a big red and blue P emblazoned on the new open area in Park A… > > It seems you are trying to address a symptom, not the cause. Much as Ms. > Saffron points out, the problem really lies within the lack of money for city > parks. She points out that Chicago spends 30 times Philadelphia’s, and a > brief search shows NYC spends some 20 times what Philly does on parks. > So, considering that our political leaders consider spending money on DROP is > more important that our parks, wouldn’t it make sense to work towards > changing that? > But wait, you say, we can vote them out of office! Yet every at-large > incumbent won in the primary. So, it seems that the voters don’t share your > (or my) views. > > Maybe we should just move out of the neighborhood and city to someplace where > the people do care. > > > > From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] > On Behalf Of Glenn > Sent: Friday, May 27, 2011 8:01 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: [UC] Inga Saffron on the privatization > > Actually, public funds cover only a small part of the cost of city parks > nowadays. While Fairmount Park managed to secure some government money before > the recession hit, and then topped off with federal stimulus dollars, few of > the new parks would be seeing the light of day without heavy underwriting > from philanthropic foundations, nonprofits, and private institutions. For > better or worse, outside interests have become the lead player in planning > and maintaining an entire generation of what we still like to call public > parks. > > http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/20110527_Changing_Skyline__A_bumper_crop_of_new_parks_sprouting_in_Philadelphia.html > > > I think those people who understand disaster capitalism and privatization, do > not look upon this privatization as fondly as Ms. Saffron. > > How long will the Penn Park remain open to the public? Will it remain > "public" after Fairmount park is sold? > > I hope people see that "parks" will now be commercial spaces and rental > venues. And when the public resources are used up by these "partnerships," > who will take care of the parks in the cities neighborhoods where upscale > coffee shops will not thrive? > >
