Save Our Parks: The Call to Action

I have spent the last few days detailing, and describing at length the extent to which environmental issues exist in our parks and in the Lehigh Parkway in particular.  The issues are clear.  It is the solutions that remain murky, and today I will be focusing on those.
The pictures accompanying this post were taken at the time of the Vernal Equinox on South Mountain and in Canal Park. I have chosen to include these pictures because despite the environmental negligence in our parks, there is still an extraordinary amount of beauty that remains.  It is that beauty that needs to be preserved and expanded in the immediate future.

I have received a lot of comments regarding the monetary issues that environmental remediation would bring to the pockets of folks living in the city of Allentown.  This is a legitimate and serious concern, but it is my belief that with community outreach and a little outside of the box thinking, some projects can happen at no cost to the taxpayer and can set the ball rolling.

First, an outreach to existing community organizations like the Allentown Garden Club should begin.  These folks can tackle numerous small scale projects, like rain gardens around storm drains.  I am sure small amounts of plant donations can be secured from local nurseries (native, appropriate plants by the way).  I would like to see Friends of the Parks really spearhead that sort of activity.

Second, it is time for the city of Allentown to reach out to the science departments at Muhlenberg and Cedar Crest College.  I know for a fact, considering that I am an Environmental Science major at Muhlenberg College, that students are itching to be able to make a difference.  The parks can use that difference.  These students can do the sort of environmental survey work that would typically cost the city a lot of money, for free.  I will be attempting to spearhead some efforts along these lines in the near future.

Getting organizations like the Boys and Girls Clubs, local boy scout and girl scout troops and The West and East Side youth centers involved in these kinds of projects can reconnect an entire new generation of Allentonians, to the parks, the history of the parks and of the city and most importantly, establish a real bond with nature.

Using only these examples, it becomes crystal clear how easy it is to get the ball rolling as soon as people are willing to push it.  I’m pushing it folks and I will continue to do so until such a time when there are no environmental issues left in our open spaces.

The Mayor, Greg Weitzel and City Council have the opportunity to get the ball rolling as well and if they show the leadership skills to begin the real work of building a better future, change can be achieved. The city needs to be behind every potential project 100%.

Let’s do it. Let’s get involved.  Let us rebuild the community spirit of the city of Allentown and in doing so, revitalize the park system and begin to set right the last three decades of environmental wrongs that are currently begging for help.

I’m on it.  I’ll be on it.  Get on it with me.

“Society speaks and all men listen, mountains speak and wise men listen” – John Muir

Save the Parks.

If anyone has any suggestions or ideas, PLEASE comment!