Re: [UC] letter in UC Review, Clark Park closure
Thank you, Ray, for underscoring my point. Citizen activism is a good thing, and not only as it applies to parks and their support groups, but to all public services citywide. The best way to care for your neighborhood Rec Center or District Health Center is to participate in its Neighborhood Advisory Committee. The best way to support the Walnut Street Library is to join Friends of the Walnut Street Library. The best way to help with your neighborhood school is to be active in its Home School Association. The best way to provide feedback on neighborhood policework is to work on its Advisory Committee. In a city without any form of local government, of course, all local issues are interrelated with citywide issues. Most aspects of public service have citywide citizens activist groups. They too can be joined. One I am particularly impressed with at the moment is Philadelphia Students Union, a lobbying and organizing group of high-school students! (See my FB page.) I'm not disparaging the work that can be done be lone wolves like yourself either. But Benjamin Franklin's advice to a free people who must deal with their sovereign on difficult issues remains sound today: We must all hang together -- Tony West On 1/23/2010 11:59 PM, UNIVERSITY*CITOYEN wrote: the most revealing line from that article: The best way to have a say in Clark Park, said [Tony] West, is to become a member. You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named UnivCity. To unsubscribe or for archive information, see http://www.purple.com/list.html.
Re: [UC] letter in UC Review, Clark Park closure
the most revealing line from that article: The best way to have a say in Clark Park, said [Tony] West, is to become a member. The public evidence proves that this is untrue! Mr West banned me from participation with the dog park committee despite a written request including a dues check. (Out of necessity, I had previously defended Clark Park dog owners at the witch hunt called the Quality of Life Task force. FOCP had secretly demanded arrests to stop all of the killing!) On this public listserv, I published the documentation showing that Mr. West cashed my check, and then happily informed me that I would not be permitted to attend the closed meetings. (Mr. West can be ebullient when he commands!) I consider the dues requirement, over neighborhood citizens, a form of legalized extortion! In the dog park example, over 80 neighbors paid FOCP, as the only way to have a VOICE. FOCP was then caught cheating when Mr. West added votes to the tally, which was publicly observed. A neighbor publicly revealed that she had been tricked by a deceptive dog park survey. (Of course, the data and sampling methodology were considered unimportant to provide to the angry neighbors) It's all sweetness and togetherness when money is demanded to allow us to have a voice and rights in community issues. (The UCD redesign plan is a community matter and not an exclusively FOCP inner-circle matter, even if Mr. Chance believes otherwise.) Consider: The FOCP web site looks very impressive, but can anyone find the identities of the planning committee? Can anyone find a process to invite effected park stakeholders, other than to give money? We are not allowed to know when they meet, what they decide, nor even their identities. But the picture of all the young upscale white people sitting around the new kiddie swimming pool is lovely. It's information from upscale used car salesmen!! Glenn Glenn -Original Message- From: UNIVERSITY*CITOYEN laserb...@speedymail.org Sent: Jan 23, 2010 11:59 PM To: univcity@list.purple.com Subject: Re: [UC] letter in UC Review, Clark Park closure Glenn moyer wrote: Dear neighbors, You probably read about the latest FOCP survey victims in the UC Review last week. The report also uncovered that the FOCP/UCD partnership plans to close A park in March. The editor published my response this week. (Sorry for not providing a link. For some reason, my message bounces back when I include a UC Review link. Just type in Weekly Press or University City review) here's the link to the article about the clark park meeting: http://tinyurl.com/yar6jp6 the most revealing line from that article: The best way to have a say in Clark Park, said [Tony] West, is to become a member. the most revealing comment so far about that article: Frank L. Chance | chanc...@gmail.com JAN 15 | I would also like to thank the UCR for covering *our* meeting. It is very important to get the word out to *our* community about *our* activities, and especially about the upcoming revitalization construction in Park A. and here's glenn's letter about that article: http://tinyurl.com/y995xgm Re: Mistrust Generated Over Results of the Large Events Survey at Friends of Clark Park UC Review | 20.JAN.10 Eight years ago, I reported in this paper that the Clark Park Music and Arts festival and Woodland Ave. Reunion were targeted by one of these dishonest FOCP surveys. These surveys have always been an attempt to manufacture a crisis, and bully individual Clark Park stakeholder groups. Dog owners, festival organizers, drummers, and immigrant soccer players have all been targeted by the leadership of FOCP over the years. The People?s flea market organizers are only the latest victims. Corroborated by the current article, the FOCP and their UCD partners have instituted a pay to play power structure over a public Clark Park. At this point, your readers probably laughed at the reassurances about the survey and justifications by the civic association leaders. But the ridiculous survey is not the important information Ms. Contosta uncovered. Since the planned UCD redesign of Clark Park was first announced, the leadership of FOCP has maintained a secret exclusive back room process over all park plans, and does not allow the public or stakeholders to participate. Their public meetings are tightly controlled dog and pony shows at which they sell their plans formed in back rooms. Throughout the years, this redesign process has been repeatedly rejected by the larger community as well as the members of the FOCP. A so called planning committee decides where to put fountains, etc. Have the public or stakeholder representatives ever been invited to participate in those meetings? The park is about to be closed between Baltimore and Chester. The three month timetable reported is no more believable than any survey conclusions. This park
Re: [UC] letter in UC Review, Clark Park closure
But Benjamin Franklin's advice to a free people who must deal with their sovereign on difficult issues remains sound today: We must all hang together It's true! It's up to the citizens of this community to stick together and stop Mr. West and his gang from destroying our park and our rights as a citizens. While we may think of Mr. West, as a Sheriff of Nottingham stooge collecting tribute, it's really a struggle against the powerful ruthless master that must bind us together! Citizen Glenn -Original Message- From: Anthony West anthony_w...@earthlink.net Sent: Jan 24, 2010 8:36 AM To: univcity@list.purple.com Subject: Re: [UC] letter in UC Review, Clark Park closure Thank you, Ray, for underscoring my point. Citizen activism is a good thing, and not only as it applies to parks and their support groups, but to all public services citywide. The best way to care for your neighborhood Rec Center or District Health Center is to participate in its Neighborhood Advisory Committee. The best way to support the Walnut Street Library is to join Friends of the Walnut Street Library. The best way to help with your neighborhood school is to be active in its Home School Association. The best way to provide feedback on neighborhood policework is to work on its Advisory Committee. In a city without any form of local government, of course, all local issues are interrelated with citywide issues. Most aspects of public service have citywide citizens activist groups. They too can be joined. One I am particularly impressed with at the moment is Philadelphia Students Union, a lobbying and organizing group of high-school students! (See my FB page.) I'm not disparaging the work that can be done be lone wolves like yourself either. But Benjamin Franklin's advice to a free people who must deal with their sovereign on difficult issues remains sound today: We must all hang together -- Tony West On 1/23/2010 11:59 PM, UNIVERSITY*CITOYEN wrote: the most revealing line from that article: The best way to have a say in Clark Park, said [Tony] West, is to become a member. You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named UnivCity. To unsubscribe or for archive information, see http://www.purple.com/list.html. You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named UnivCity. To unsubscribe or for archive information, see http://www.purple.com/list.html.
Re: [UC] letter in UC Review, Clark Park closure
At some point, it does befall a neighborhood that it speak as one on a public-spending controversy. So let's speak out now, West Philadelphia! All of you who hate improvements for Clark Park, speak out now! Saunders Pk is getting improvements. Malcolm X Pk is getting improvements. Carroll Pk is getting improvements. Most normal Philadelphians want to see improvements in their neighborhood parks. Why do you hate improvement in Clark Pk, the neighborhood across from your residence, Glenn? In the past, you have complained it's harder to find whores in your front yard because Clark Pk has been improved. I respect your outspoken sexual preferences; we all know now what you want from your neighbors now. But I can live without whores in Clark Park - without passing judgement on other folks' sexual activity. And I think you can do it as well. A man of the world like yourself can find other places to purchase commercial sex. You don't need to get this service in Clark Park. You say you're thinking of taking your trade somewhere else; please do. -- Tony West It's up to the citizens of this community to stick together and stop Mr. West and his gang from destroying our park and our rights as a citizens. While we may think of Mr. West, as a Sheriff of Nottingham stooge collecting tribute, it's really a struggle against the powerful ruthless master that must bind us together! Citizen Glenn You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named UnivCity. To unsubscribe or for archive information, see http://www.purple.com/list.html.
Re: [UC] letter in UC Review, Clark Park closure
Glenn moyer wrote: Dear neighbors, You probably read about the latest FOCP survey victims in the UC Review last week. The report also uncovered that the FOCP/UCD partnership plans to close A park in March. The editor published my response this week. (Sorry for not providing a link. For some reason, my message bounces back when I include a UC Review link. Just type in Weekly Press or University City review) here's the link to the article about the clark park meeting: http://tinyurl.com/yar6jp6 the most revealing line from that article: The best way to have a say in Clark Park, said [Tony] West, is to become a member. the most revealing comment so far about that article: Frank L. Chance | chanc...@gmail.com JAN 15 | I would also like to thank the UCR for covering *our* meeting. It is very important to get the word out to *our* community about *our* activities, and especially about the upcoming revitalization construction in Park A. and here's glenn's letter about that article: http://tinyurl.com/y995xgm Re: Mistrust Generated Over Results of the Large Events Survey at Friends of Clark Park UC Review | 20.JAN.10 Eight years ago, I reported in this paper that the Clark Park Music and Arts festival and Woodland Ave. Reunion were targeted by one of these dishonest FOCP surveys. These surveys have always been an attempt to manufacture a crisis, and bully individual Clark Park stakeholder groups. Dog owners, festival organizers, drummers, and immigrant soccer players have all been targeted by the leadership of FOCP over the years. The People?s flea market organizers are only the latest victims. Corroborated by the current article, the FOCP and their UCD partners have instituted a pay to play power structure over a public Clark Park. At this point, your readers probably laughed at the reassurances about the survey and justifications by the civic association leaders. But the ridiculous survey is not the important information Ms. Contosta uncovered. Since the planned UCD redesign of Clark Park was first announced, the leadership of FOCP has maintained a secret exclusive back room process over all park plans, and does not allow the public or stakeholders to participate. Their public meetings are tightly controlled dog and pony shows at which they sell their plans formed in back rooms. Throughout the years, this redesign process has been repeatedly rejected by the larger community as well as the members of the FOCP. A so called planning committee decides where to put fountains, etc. Have the public or stakeholder representatives ever been invited to participate in those meetings? The park is about to be closed between Baltimore and Chester. The three month timetable reported is no more believable than any survey conclusions. This park redesign has always been designed as the physical support for the Penn myth so often in the news, that UCD/Penn recreated a ghetto wasteland into an upscale paradise. Control over public space is a well studied technique used in the community destruction and corporate gentrification process. The old Clark Park and the rights of the public must be redesigned to support the myth, even though the community likes the park and its wonderful culture. How many times will the community stand helplessly and ignore the truth about this partnership between UCD and the insular civic association leadership gang? The surveys and park closure are both intended to wipe out the park groups who currently use park A. The flea market and capture the flag will be banned by fiat because a pay to play FOCP exclusive activity has a monopoly on the use of park B most Saturday?s when these activities will be locked out of their normal space. When the rights of some are so easily destroyed, it?s foolish to think that any rights will be preserved under the new order. We either need to fight the UCD park conversion plan or lose our rights to a public park. Thanks for the coverage, Glenn Moyer .. UNIVERSITY*CITOYEN You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named UnivCity. To unsubscribe or for archive information, see http://www.purple.com/list.html.
