Allentown Parks Victimized

Among the victims of Pawlowski's long corrupt tenure was the Allentown Parks system.  His managing director, Fran Dougherty, hired three park directors in a row with the same background...recreation.  All three of them looked to outside advise in regard to managing the parks' lands.  The Wildlands Conservancy took advantage of this opportunity to dictate Allentown policy and expand their presence in the Lehigh Valley.

They recommended Riparian Buffers along the creeks. Because the storm sewer system is piped directly into the creeks, these buffers are only token, and serve no purpose as true buffers.  However, that reality was of no concern to the Wildlands Conservancy.  They were even given a taxpayer funded grant to plant buffers along the creek in Trout Creek Park. As a consequence of this misguided policy, city residents have lost a unique feature of the iconic parks,  view and access to the creeks.  Ironically, every fall the buffers must be cut down anyway, to prevent invasive species from taking hold.  Also, because of the Wildlands Conservancy policy, we lost the small WPA Robin Hood Dam, and Harry Trexler's Fish Hatchery Dam.

Although Pawlowski is in prison, and we have a new park director,  the system is still under their influence. Along the way, with Allentown's former help, the Wildlands Conservancy became a local sacred cow.  The son of a Wildland's director became park director in South Whitehall, and they dominated that system, even creating that township's park masterplan.  Because they had control of both Allentown and South Whitehall, they are now officially in charge of the $multi $million$dollar Jordan Greenway, which encompasses both municipalities.

Criticism of the Wildlands, a self serving sacred cow, is limited to this blog.  The Morning Call, itself owned by the outside Tribune Corporation, with a succession of outside imported publishers, could care less about such things.

ADDENDUM: It should be noted that the so called environmentalists at the Wildlands Conservancy have never said one word about the raw sewage that spills over into the Little Lehigh Creek.  These hypocrites don't want to antagonize any municipality from which they get grants.  They are allowed to keep 15% of the grants for administrative costs, in other words, their salaries.

photocredit:molovinsky/former Robin Hood Dam

Allentown Parks Should Lead, Not Follow

I spend quite a bit of time in our park system.  Because of this blog,  people who recognize me often share their park peeves.  Recently, someone complained to me about how many trash containers have been removed from a certain park.  I spoke with a park official and was told that the new fad in park management was encouraging people to take out what they bring in.  I know that is fashionable in natural areas like our national parks.  I'll bet it is fashionable with the Wildlands Conservancy, who has been negatively compromising Allentown Parks, trying to turn them back to au naturel.

Allentown Parks are not state game lands.  You cannot install recreation attractions like disc golf and the prison yard exercise equipment at Jordan Park, and expect people to take out what they bring in. Those who make such decisions should visit downtown on a Monday morning, and survey the litter. If anything, our parks should have more trash containers, not less.

Allentown has an iconic park system that can be improved by trying only to duplicate our previous better days. The park system was widely envied, and graced dozens of souvenir postcards.

vintage postcard of Trexler Park

Pawlowski's Poor Priorities

The former Barber Quarry rail spur is no secret. The line ran along the Little Lehigh, under both the 8th Street and 15th Street Bridges, ending up near the present day Hamilton Family Diner. I have posted about it often; The Train of Lehigh Parkway, also The Train of Union Terrace and The Junkyard Train. It has played a role in several City plans. It's former railbed would be incorporated into the Trail Network Plan, and the AEDC received a grant to perhaps reinstate the rail line. Both these projects have been covered here at molovinsky on allentown. Today we are told that construction of the 15th Street Bridge replacement will be delayed because of arsenic found by the former railbed. Arsenic, and other pesticides were previously used to make railroad ties. This also is no secret. We are a city which can work with the state government to fast track development for political and private benefit, but are content to have the entire southside isolated. When construction finally does begin, it was suppose to start last November, the bridge will be closed in both directions for over a year. Schreiber's Bridge, the 184 year old stone structure a quarter mile west, has been taking a pounding.*  In 1957 the 15th Street Bridge opened, finally providing a good connection between South Allentown and the remainder of the city. Because Pennsylvania was considering it's replacement, Community Development Director Pawlowski, under Afflerbach, didn't have it's metal beam structure painted. Because Mayor Pawlowski has been consumed with Transforming Allentown, no haste has been applied to the bridge project. While the politicians and press lament about the Hole at 8th and Hamilton, I'm concerned about the quality of life issues; That bridge is one of them.

*This blog has noted the on going damage to Schreiber's Bridge from heavy use with just one lane of 15th Street Bridge currently closed.  This blogger personally informed Mayor Pawlowski of the damage. 

reprinted from May of 2012

Grumpy Old Men

The incoming emails have been signed Grumpy Hahn. Grumpy rang a bell with me, because the moderator of local facebook page called me bitter. Seems like such adjectives are used for those who find the ethics of Allentown less than pristine.

The facebook groups which are supposed to focus on issues in Allentown, instead find fault with anybody who criticizes the NIZ. Grumpy Hahn is aka Tom Hahn. In 2015, Bernie O'Hare did a piece on him and his challenge to City Council on their ethics. Hahn was grumpy about the city paying Abe Atiyeh considerably more than the apprised value of two parcels it didn't need for the park system. I advocated against the purchase at the time, and since then that they should be sold, even at a loss. 

Tom Hahn is life long resident of the east side, and still isn't on board with the city's agenda. He agrees with Dennis Pearson, who is still complaining about the east side always getting the short end of the stick.

If Hahn expressed himself on these facebook groups instead of emails,  he would most probably be branded a naysayer.  If we naysayers are all gray haired seniors,  and the young activists think Allentown is on the right track,  perhaps Ed Pawlowski can be re-elected when his prison term is over.

Capernaum By The Sea

Matthew 4:13: And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum,...

Capernaum, the city of Jesus, is on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. The foundation of the Synagogue of Jesus, is beneath the ornate 4th century synagogue, partially restored by the Franciscans in the early 1900's.

Mark 1:21: he entered into the synagogue and taught

Nearby, the modern Church of St. Peter's House was built by the Franciscans in 1990. It's glass floor reveals the lower walls of the 5th century octagon church, which was built around the walls of St. Peter's House. Also there, shown in the photograph, is the Greek Orthodox Church of the Twelve Apostles. It was built in 1931, during the British Mandate period (1917-1948).

reprinted from December 2014

Hard Words From Soft Machine Gallery

John Mortensen opened his Soft Machine Gallery in a hard neighborhood, Ridge Avenue down in the 1st Ward. Selling art and culture in Allentown is a hard sell. However, I don't think John need fret about his choice of location, because selling art on Hamilton Street is equally a hard sell. Although there is a $billion dollars of new buildings on the Hamilton Street NIZ District, being financed by $70million of our tax dollars annually, even the Moravian Bookstore's annex couldn't survive there.

What brings me to John's Gallery is his continuing struggle on a local facebook group about Allentown Issues. He has documented how desolate the NIZ is, despite the massive public financing of privately owned buildings. Some group members, rather than appreciate his input, think that they should be cheerleaders for the NIZ. They accuse him of being negative. One person even claimed that they could take pictures of desolate Ridge Avenue. John replied.... you are comparing Center City to the 1st Ward.. first mistake. Our gallery is in a long forgotten about neighborhood that is typically avoided so bringing people to events are sometimes challenging.

I applaud John for his efforts on Ridge Avenue. Likewise, I applaud Billy Mack for his efforts on 4th Street. These counter culture efforts, in off path locations, make for an interesting city.

John Mortensen is a write-in candidate for Allentown City Council

Joe Collins, Fraternal Order Of Police

About six times a year, for the last 20 years, Joe Collins from the Fraternal Order of Police calls me in his deep official voice.  Joe doesn't mention that he's not from the Allentown Fraternal Order, or any other local order, but rather from a for profit phone solicitation business, which gives a couple cents on the dollar to some police department somewhere.  Never mind that I'm supposedly on the useless Pennsylvania Do Not Call List.

Several years ago Joe got so mad at me that he actually called me back twice in a roll. Lately, rather than confront the deception,  I simply tell him that I'm not interested,  and hang up.  I assume that Joe is that businesses' best producer.

I suppose that after this post Joe might change his name, but not his game.  I think that it is long overdue for the local police departments to clarify their skin in these calls, if any.  If none, all the more reason for some public clarification.

Reading Eagle Files Chapter 11 Protection

As the crow flys (or eagle), Reading isn't far away, but its always been a long ride, even with the new by-pass. Their newspaper, The Reading Eagle, like the Morning Call was years ago, is family owned. Unlike the Call, now part of Tribune, it remained family owned. While Allentown is bigger, both papers report to have about the same circulation. While the Call's employees are hoping to unionize, the Eagle amployees are hoping to keep their jobs. The Eagle has filed Chapter 11, which holds back creditors, while the owner searches for a buyer.

Considering that it is the dominant media in the Berk's County area, I suspect that a buyer will be found.  In the meantime, I don't see their employees unionizing.