Focp-Summer-2008-Fin
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Summer 2008 Brian Siano, Editor Frank Chance, Publisher PO Box 31908, Philadelphia, PA 19104 Telephone 215-552-8186 Website: http://www.clarkpark.info Blog: http://community.livejournal.com/clark_park/ New Basketball Court Opens; Park ‘A’ Gets Large Grant Largest Infusion of Public Monies into Clark Park since 1960s. by Tony West The sun was shining extra-hard infrastructure since the 1960s. pumped-up park users. “If it unites, it on Clark Park on a late-spring Satur- Speaking at the ribbon-cutting, Mayor can win and it can turn itself around.” day, June 14. Michael Nutter hailed the partnership that Nutter, who grew up at 54th & Larch- That’s when the park inaugurat- has been striving to improve the park ever wood, said that for him, “the park” was ed a spanking-new basketball court, since a 2001 Revitalization Master Plan always Malcolm X Park. But Clark Park a $100,000+ capital improvement, was adopted by the Recreation Dept. “This has always been important, not only to while scooping up a promise of is the kind of teamwork we need to bring University City, but to all of West Phila- $450,000 more to rebuild the be- about positive changes for Philadelphia,” delphia, he went on. Parks and recre- loved but battered North Park (Park he said. ation have emerged as a priority in his A). Those nearly half a million dol- Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell echoed administration’s first big budget moves, lars will be the largest single infusion the Mayor’s thoughts. “The community compared to the previous 16 years, dur- of public monies into Clark Park’s must be united,” she urged a crowd of 100 ing which Mayors Ed Rendell and John The Clark Park Basketball Court, June 14, 2008: From left to right: Democratic 27th Ward Leader Carol Jenkins, State Senator Anthony Williams, Secretary of DCNR Mike DiBerardinis, Mayor Michael Nutter, a check for one million dollars, Representative Jim Roebuck, Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell, Commissioner of Recreation Susan Slawson, FoCP President Frank Chance, UCD Executive Director Lewis Wendell, and Joan M. Reilly of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. UCD Executive Director Lewis Wendell and State Senator Anthony Williams. Water Dept. watershed czar Howard Neukrug explains subterranean stormwater-diversion system. Street put green space on the City’s than 1,600 persons may be using Clark their staffs. Yet its maintenance budget back burner. Park, on an ordinary day in the peak is inadequate and its capital budget is season. At any given hour, 200 or more zero. An Impact on West Philadelphia Parks may be relaxing, in a dozen different That will change, if the Clark Park Mayor Nutter’s priorities are terri- ways, on its fields and plazas, and under partnership has any say in the matter. bly important for what may be the 9- the shade of its cherished trees. That’s This partnership is chaired by the ven- acre flagship of Rec’s 75 “community more citizens than are serviced by most erable nonprofit Pennsylvania Horticul- parks.” A study has discovered more Rec Centers, despite their buildings and tural Society. In addition to PHS, the Photos by Frank Chance, Nicole Gaddis, Brian Siano and Tony West. Chance, Nicole Gaddis, Brian Siano and Tony Photos by Frank 2 Friends of Clark Park Secretary DiBerardinis explains strong teamwork between supporters of green Philadelphia Green Director Jane Reilly of PHS marvels at fulfillment of its initiatives in Philadelphia and Harrisburg -- a “Philly home team” that includes original dream, to restore Philadelphia’s shabby, beleaguered and underfunded Rendell as well as himself. Rec community parks with elaborate public-private partnership approach. partnership consists of Councilwoman sources can be found. during storms. Jannie Blackwell’s Office, Friends of Nutter chose our oasis in which to Joan Reilly, a director of PHS’ Clark Park, the Recreation Dept., Uni- announce a $1 million grant from the Philadelphia Green program, spoke versity City District, UC Green, Univer- Pennsylvania Dept. of Conservation eloquently about its long-term vision of sity of the Sciences in Philadelphia and & Natural Resources to six commu- renewed vitality for urban parks. “When the Water Dept. nity parks in Philadelphia. Clark Park’s we began this project many years ago, Clark Park is just one part of PHS’s share – $225,000 – will be matched by parks were generally in poor shape and Parks Revitalization Project (PRP), the City of Philadelphia. many people were afraid even to go which has been showering some Rec University City resident Howard into them,” she recalled. “We saw what parks with five-digit grants to learn how Neukrug, who is director of watersheds could happen if the City and State, to power their transformation. Every for the Water Dept., introduced the universities and communities worked park in West Philadelphia close to us cutting-edge subterranean stormwater together.” is part of one neighborhood PRP cam- system that underlies the new court. It As he handed Nutter the check, paign. These different parks talk with diverts runoff from 4rd Street into the DCNR Secretary Michael DiBerardinis, each other and work with each other subsoil, away from the Mill Creek storm a Fishtowner who once ran Clark Park now. For Friends of Clark Park, PRP’s drain, to restore the water table instead. under Rendell as Rec Commissioner, main job is to carry out improvements It will also help prevent the release of noted that teamwork at the State level on the 2001 renewal plan as fast as re- raw sewage into the Schuylkill River was delivering for Philadelphia. He Commissioner of Recreation Susan Slawson, State Senator Anthony Williams, State Sen. Anthony Williams comments on marvelous improvements made by Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell and FoCP Outreach Chair Sharrieff Ali Clark Park partnership since the days he played basketball here as a boy. Friends of Clark Park Mayor Michael Nutter talks about parks as a priority for his administration; FoCP President Frank Chance thanks the city and state agencies for their support. praised the communications between paths lie in ruins, it is filled with swamps Clark Park partnership, he commented, the Governor, the Mayor and the park’s and ponds after heavy rains and snows, “The transformation is just amazing!” State legislators Sen. Anthony Williams its 50-year-old lamps keep blinking He vowed there would be much more to and Rep. James Roebuck. “Philadel- out, and one-third of its turf has been come. As he sits on the Appropriations phia has strong advocates now in Har- trampled by heavy use and strangled by Committee and the Environmental Re- risburg,” he said. jealous tree roots. sources & Energy Committee, there is The DCNR grant and its matching reason to hope. How Clark Park will be affected funds will fund almost one-half the cost For now, the Clark Park Basketball In the Middle Park (Park B) be- of restoring the North Park (Park A) if Court is open in time for summer. Its tween Chester and Kingsessing Aves., we’re lucky. The renewal plan estimated water fountains are up and running, and $00,000 worth of modernized play- North Park capital improvements at a fresh grove of cherry trees at the park- grounds have now been installed side $1.16 million. Seven years later, an es- ing lot adds a spectacular color back- by side each other since the renewal timate of $1.5-$.0 million seems closer ground. We at the Friends are grateful plan went through. The South Park to the reality. for the support we’ve received from (Park C) between Kingsessing and Sen. Williams, who grew up in West state, city and private agencies, and we Woodland Aves. has also enjoyed some Philadelphia, played basketball in Clark hope that the families who come here improvements. Park as a youth. So he well remembers enjoy our park and the fruits of our part- The North Park hasn’t seen any in- its sorry condition in earlier years. To- nerships. vestment yet, beyond a bench or two. Its day, after seven years of work by the Councilwoman Blackwell tries a free throw. Later on, the neighborhood gets in some serious practice. 4 Friends of Clark Park Big Plans for Park Revitalization by Matt Grubel, Planning Committee Chair New Benches on the Way The Future of the Park ‘A’ Design Thanks to a generous donation from Our biggest challenge is how to keep Citizens Bank, the Friends of Clark Park what people like, even love, about Clark is looking to install five new benches by Park while creating an environment that the end of the year. A task force of the can sustain all the use that comes from Planning Committee has compiled a da- all this love. We also want you, the FoCP VP Lew Mellman, Neighborhood Watch tabase and maps of the park benches, members of FoCP and the users of the organizer Cindy Preston, State Sen. Anthony and their condition. The committee’s park, to be involved and informed ev- Williams objective for 2008 is to target loca- ery step of the way. While we want the tions where worn-out benches can be designers to do the designing, we want replaced with attractive new ones. For all the people who enjoy the park to tell next year, our goal is to have a com- us what they want the Park, and there- prehensive strategy for replacing the re- fore the design, to do. maining benches and aging trash cans. Do you like lots of shade … or want a spot to sun … or a little of both? Does Park ‘A’ Redesign Campaign Park ‘A’ (north of Chester Avenue) serve A watershed moment for FoCP be- a different function for you than other gan on April 28, when the Planning State Sen.