Can¹t you just accept the goddamn congratulations with a little grace, Tony?
On 6/16/08 10:32 PM, "Anthony West" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Since you too have successfully walked that tightrope of public-private > partnerships, Frank, one kind word from you is of more worth than 100 > flattering words from anyone else. > > -- Tony West > > >> > Wow, that's great. Congratulations! >> > >> > Frank >> > >> > On Jun 16, 2008, at 04:54 PM, Anthony West wrote: >> > >>> >> The sun was shining extra-hard on Clark Park on a late-spring >>> >> Saturday, jun 14. >>> >> >>> >> That¹s when the park inaugurated a spanking-new basketball court, a >>> >> $100,000+ capital improvement, while scooping up a promise of >>> >> $450,000 more to rebuild the beloved but battered North Park (Park >>> >> A). Those nearly half a million dollars will be the largest single >>> >> infusion of public monies into Clark Park¹s infrastructure since the >>> >> 1960s. >>> >> >>> >> Speaking at the ribbon-cutting, Mayor Michael Nutter hailed the >>> >> partnership that has been striving to improve the park ever since a >>> >> 2001 Revitalization Master Plan was adopted by the Recreation Dept. >>> >> ³This is the kind of teamwork we need to bring about positive changes >>> >> for Philadelphia,² he said. >>> >> >>> >> Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell echoed the Mayor¹s thoughts. ³The >>> >> community must be united,² she admonished a crowd of 100 pumped-up >>> >> park users. ³If it unites, it can win and it can turn itself around.² >>> >> >>> >> Nutter, who grew up at 54^th & Larchwood, said for him, ³the park² >>> >> was always Malcolm X Park. But Clark Park has always been important, >>> >> not only to University City, but to all West Philadelphia, he went >>> >> on. Parks and recreation have emerged as a priority in his >>> >> administration¹s first big budget moves, compared to the previous 16 >>> >> years, during which Mayors Ed Rendell and John Street put green space >>> >> on the City¹s back burner. >>> >> >>> >> That¹s terribly important for what may be the 9-acre flagship of >>> >> Rec¹s 75 ³community parks². A study has discovered more than 1,600 >>> >> persons may be using Clark Park, on an ordinary day in the peak >>> >> season. At any given hour, 200 or more may be relaxing, in a dozen >>> >> different ways, on its fields and plazas, and under the shade of its >>> >> cherished trees. That¹s more citizens than are serviced by most Rec >>> >> Centers, despite their buildings and their staffs. Yet the park's >>> >> maintenance budget is inadequate and its capital budget is zero. >>> >> >>> >> That will change, if the Clark Park partnership has any say in the >>> >> matter. >>> >> >>> >> This partnership is chaired by the venerable nonprofit Pennsylvania >>> >> Horticultural Society. Clark Park is just one piece of PHS¹s Parks >>> >> Revitalization Project, which has been showering some Rec parks with >>> >> five-digit grant money to learn how to power their transformation. >>> >> Every park in West Philadelphia close to us is part of the same >>> >> neighborhood PRP campaign. These different parks do talk with each >>> >> other and work with each other now. >>> >> >>> >> For Friends of Clark Park, PRP¹s main job is to carry out >>> >> improvements on the 2001 renewal plan as fast as resources can be found. >>> >> >>> >> Nutter chose our oasis in which to announce a $1 million grant from >>> >> the Pennsylvania Dept. of Conservation & Natural Resources to six >>> >> community parks in Philadelphia, of which Clark Park is one. Its >>> >> share $225,000 will be matched by the City of Philadelphia. >>> >> >>> >> DCNR Secretary Michael DiBerardinis, a Fishtowner who once ran Clark >>> >> Park under Rendell as Rec Commissioner, noted, as he handed Nutter >>> >> the check, that teamwork at the State level was delivering for >>> >> Philadelphia. He praised the communications between the Governor, the >>> >> Mayor and the park¹s State legislators Sen. Anthony Williams and Rep. >>> >> James Roebuck. ³Philadelphia has strong advocates now in Harrisburg,² >>> >> he said. >>> >> >>> >> Together, they will fund almost one-half the cost of restoring the >>> >> North Park (Park A) if we¹re lucky. The renewal plan estimated North >>> >> Park capital improvements at $1.16 million. Seven years later, an >>> >> estimate of $1.5-$3.0 million seems more truthful. >>> >> >>> >> In the Middle Park (Park B) between Chester and Kingsessing Aves., >>> >> $300,000 worth of modernized playgrounds have now been installed side >>> >> by side each other since the renewal plan went through. The South >>> >> Park (Park C) between Kingsessing and Woodland Aves. has also enjoyed >>> >> some improvements. >>> >> >>> >> The North Park hasn¹t seen any investment yet, beyond a bench or two. >>> >> Its paths lie in ruins, it is filled with swamps and ponds after >>> >> heavy rains and snows, its 50-year-old lamps keep blinking out, and >>> >> one-third of its turf has been trampled by heavy use and strangled by >>> >> jealous tree roots. >>> >> >>> >> University City resident Howard Neukrug, who is director of >>> >> watersheds for the Water Dept., introduced the cutting-edge >>> >> subterranean stormwater system that underlies the new court. It >>> >> diverts runoff from 43^rd Street into the subsoil, away from the Mill >>> >> Creek storm drain, to restore the water table instead. It will also >>> >> help prevent the release of raw sewage into the Schuylkill R. during >>> >> storms. >>> >> >>> >> Joan Reilly, a director of PHS¹ Philadelphia Green program (and wife >>> >> of DeBerardinis), spoke eloquently about its long-term vision of >>> >> renewed vitality for urban parks. ³When we began this project many >>> >> years ago, parks were generally in poor shape and many people were >>> >> afraid even to go into them,² she recalled. ³We saw what could happen >>> >> if the City and State, universities and communities worked together.² >>> >> >>> >> Williams, who grew up in West Philadelphia, played basketball in >>> >> Clark Park as a youth. So he well remembers its sorry condition in >>> >> earlier years. Today, after seven years of work by the Clark Park >>> >> partnership, he commented, ³The transformation is just amazing!² He >>> >> vowed there would be much more to come. As he sits on the >>> >> Appropriations Committee and the Environmental Resources & Energy >>> >> Committee, there is reason to hope. >>> >> >>> >> In addition to PHS, the partnership consists of Councilwoman Jannie >>> >> Blackwell¹s Office, Friends of Clark Park, the Recreation Dept., >>> >> University City District, UC Green, University of the Sciences in >>> >> Philadelphia and the Water Dept. >>> >> >>> >> -- Tony West >>> >> > > > ---- > 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>.
