Ernesta D. Ballard: A Tribute Philadelphia Parks Alliance Testimony

Ernesta D. Ballard:
A Tribute
W
hen Ernesta
Ballard, Parks
Alliance
Board Member, died on
August 11, 2005 many
Philadelphians mourned the passing of a
mentor unlike any other, a friend and
quiet force for excellence. In spite of the
personal loss felt by so many people,
Ernesta remains with us at gatherings,
strategy sessions and in our internal
dialogues. Ernesta was a unique woman
loved by many who hope to honor her by
living our lives in celebration of hers.
As a small thank you to Ernesta, we
asked a few of her numerous friends and
colleagues to share tributes in her honor.
If you would like to share yours, email
200 words or less to
[email protected] and we will
publish them on our website.
— Lauren Bornfriend
Keep watch over us
Once in a while we are lucky enough
to be associated with - to become friends
with - to truly admire a special person.
All of us connected with the Fairmount
Park Commission have had that experience. That person was Ernesta Ballard.
I can only hope that the honors
bestowed, the awards granted, but most
importantly, the friends made in her life
convinced her of the value she was held
in by all of us. Ernesta was the great
equalizer. She made you feel important
no matter in what capacity or walk of life
she met you. She then found a way to
make you ‘volunteer’ your skills toward
some greater good. It was an amazing
trait and it made her the consummate
fundraiser, especially if your skill
included writing a check. Beyond that,
though, Ernesta was thoughtful. Her life
and her relationships it seems to me were
marked by careful thinking. She was not
afraid to take a stand or ask things of
others because her own contemplation of
the cause made her comfortable doing
so. We in the Park, in Philadelphia, and
beyond will benefit from her qualities
and the public good she put them to for
years to come.
Thank you Ernesta, keep watching
over us.
— Karen Borski
continued on page 8
Winter 2006 Newsletter
Philadelphia Parks Alliance Testimony
at City Council Hearing, December 14, 2005
The Parks Alliance presented
the following testimony at the
December 14, 2005 City
Council Hearing of The Whole.
The public hearing was held in
response to legislation introduced by Council members
Blondell Reynolds Brown and
Darrell Clarke (see page 6) to
consolidate the Fairmount Park
Commission and Philadelphia
Department of Recreation.
The Parks Alliance in partnership with the Pennsylvania
Horticultural Society is in the process of convening a series of working groups
made up of community, business and civic leaders who are examining key questions of leadership, resource development, maintenance and land use. The
testimony below represents the Alliance’s interim report. In February 2006, we will
present the city with recommendations based on the findings of our working
groups. You can read the legislation and testimony of others at
www.philaparks.org.
Good afternoon President Verna and Members of Council. My name is Lauren
Bornfriend and I am the Executive Director of the Philadelphia Parks Alliance. I am
joined here today by the Alliance’s board President Beth Ounsworth, and board
members Doris Gwaltney and Graham Finney.
Thank you for the opportunity to testify this afternoon. Special thanks to Council
members Reynolds Brown and Clarke for stimulating a much needed and frank
discussion about the future of Philadelphia’s extraordinary and undervalued parks. The
Philadelphia Parks Alliance believes that this opportunity is long overdue.
As one of my board members said the other day, the most important thing Philadelphia has to offer is that it’s a great place to live. Our open spaces and green places
rank among our greatest assets, and preserving and enhancing them is key to the city’s
future growth and prosperity.
This is the lens though which we see the entire question of park reform and
reorganization. Parks should not be seen as a burden to be downsized. They should be
seen as an asset that, properly managed, will bring great returns to the city and its
residents.
But how should this be done? What do Philadelphians want and deserve from their
parks? How do their wishes relate to the proposed legislation now being considered?
Let me give you a little background about what we’ve been doing to address those
questions.
For some months now, the Parks Alliance, in partnership with the Pennsylvania
Horticultural Society, has been convening a series of working groups, examining key
questions of leadership, land use, maintenance and fundraising. We’ve consulted
extensively with close to 150 Philadelphians, including community and business
leaders, park users, former park officials, and people who work in partnership with the
park. These working groups have considered a number of perspectives and proposals,
continued on page 4
See information about our new website, page 10!
Box 12677, Philadelphia, PA
19129-0077
Email: [email protected]
Web address: www.philaparks.org
FALL FOR YOUR PARK
9th Annual Event a success
at Morris Park & Papa Playground!
BOARD MEMBERS
Beth Ounsworth, President
Lane Taylor, Jr., Esq., Vice President
Robert P. Thomas, Vice President
Paul Bonfanti, Secretary
James L. Brown, IV
Nancy Longstreth
Graham Finney
John Mitkus
Doris Gwaltney
Joan Reilly
Patricia D. Henkels
ADVISORY COUNCIL
William B. Churchman, III
Mamie Nichols
Joanne R. Denworth, Esq.
Ralph R. Smith, Esq.
William J. Grubb
Linda Tarpley-Sholl
Anita Toby Lager
Stanley Tuttleman
Sandra W. Weckesser
STAFF MEMBERS
Lauren Bornfriend, Executive Director
Chris Derer, Administrative Coordinator
Becki Brumbach, Program Coordinator
Typesetting: Judy Mathe Foley
REMEMBER
PHILADELPHIA PARKS
ALLIANCE
• At Tax Time: Making your gift to the Philadelphia Parks Alliance in appreciated securities
enables us to continue and enhance our
programs and provides you with generous tax
benefits. Giving securities can be as simple as
making a phone call.
• In Your Will: You can make a bequest in your
will to Philadelphia Parks Alliance by naming
the Alliance as the beneficiary of a fixed dollar
amount, a percentage of your estate, or specific
assets, such as IRAs, Keogh, or other qualified
retirement plans. There may be considerable tax
savings. Ask your advisor what’s best for your
situation.
For information on both options,
call 215-879-8159.
PAGE 2 WINTER 2006
Thank you to everyone who made this year's 9th annual Fall For Your
Park a resounding success! Over 350 people from across the city
volunteered at Morris Park and Papa
Playground on October 29th, 2005 to
plant native flowers and a variety of
trees, paint the Recreation Center,
spruce up the park, and restore a
woodland trail.
Community members were joined
by volunteers from St. Joseph's
University, Swarthmore College,
Temple University, Drexel University,
University of Pennsylvania Nursing
School, Wharton, St. Gabriel’s Hall,
the Girl Scouts, Friends Central, and
the Northeast Treatment Center
(NET). Councilman Michael Nutter,
Fairmount Park Executive Director
Mark Focht, and Pennsylvania Horticultural Society President Jane
Pepper were also in attendance.
This year's event was sponsored by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society's Philadelphia Green program, the Department of
Recreation, Fairmount Park, the Morris Park Restoration Association,
the Overbrook Farms Club, and the Papa Playground Advisory Board.
To find out how to get involved at your neighborhood park, call 215988-1611 or e-mail [email protected].
VACANCY ON FAIRMOUNT PARK COMMISSION
When Leon Tucker stepped down from the Fairmount Park Commission last fall to become a Court of Common Pleas Judge a vacancy
was created on the Commission. The Parks Alliance has learned from
Judge Rosalyn Robinson that Court of Common Pleas Judges will not
vote for a replacement for Mr. Tucker at their February 2006 meeting.
When Judge C. Darnell Jones, the new President Judge, appoints a
chair for the committee that elects Park Commissioners, Judge
Robinson will notify the Alliance. At that time, we will post an
update on our website at www.philaparks.org. The Judges meet four
times a year, in February, May, September, November. The Alliance
congratulates Judge Tucker on his new position.
P HILADELPHIA PARKS ALLIANCE
PHONE (215) 879-8159
New dock dedicated at
Bartram’s Garden
On November 22, 2005, Mayor Street
dedicated the newly constructed public
dock at Bartram’s Garden on the lower
Schuylkill River. Project partners
included the City of Philadelphia Capital
Program Office, the Schuylkill River
Development Corporation, the John
Bartram Association and the Fairmount
Park Commission.
The dedication of this $450,000
dock, a project first envisioned over six
years ago, is a major milestone in the
ongoing revitalization of the Tidal
Schuylkill River and in Philadelphia’s
“New River City” initiative launched by
Mayor John F. Street in 2004.
Completion of this dock transforms
the Garden’s largest liability — location
— into an asset by way of river access
and the Garden’s central role in the
SRDC’s Master Plan for the Tidal
Schuylkill River. Atlantic Subsea, Inc. of
Bridgeport, New Jersey installed the
dock purchased through a separate
contract from Technomarine of
Repentigny, Quebec, Canada. Urban
Engineers, Inc. of Philadelphia provided
engineering and construction management services.
The dock will support vessels such
as the River Loop (www.riverloop.com)
that are able to clear the numerous low
bridges between the site and the
View of Bartram’s Garden Dock
Fairmount Water Works three miles north
and will facilitate river tourism on the
Schuylkill between Bartram’s Garden
and the Fairmount Water Works with
intermediate destinations such as new
Schuylkill River Banks dock at Walnut
Street in Center City Philadelphia. As
traffic and destinations on the river
develop, it will eventually be possible to
connect with existing docks at Ft. Mifflin
and Penn’s Landing on the Delaware
River. Engagement of the public in
activity on and along the river will
dramatically increase their awareness of
the Tidal Schuylkill River’s role in the
beauty and health of the city. Improved
neighborhood access to the river from
the Kingsessing neighborhood of
Southwest Philadelphia is an added
benefit by inclusion of a public fishing
platform in the project, a result of
community input to the design process.
Bartram's Garden is located on the
navigable Schuylkill River in the
TreeVitalize is growing: Planting, education, and more
Since Gov. Edward G. Rendell launched
TreeVitalize by planting the first tree on
Arbor Day in 2004, over 3,700 large
shade trees have been planted under the
program in Bucks, Chester, Delaware,
Montgomery and Philadelphia counties.
In addition, more than 84 acres of
riparian buffers have been planted along
waterways.
“From the time when the
TreeVitalize program was kicked off,
we’ve made great progress establishing
the infrastructure that will move us
toward successfully reaching our goal of
planting more than 20,000 trees in
Southeastern Pennsylvania over the next
three years,” Secretary Michael
DiBerardinis said.
The TreeVitalize partnership
supports both tree planting and educaPHILADELPHIA PARKS ALLIANCE
tional activities to restore tree cover. Tree
cover refers to the percentage of land
shaded by trees and shrubs. DCNR
oversees TreeVitalize and has partnered
with: the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP); Aqua Pennsylvania; Philadelphia Eagles; PECO, an
Exelon Co.; U.S. Forest Service;
Pennsylvania Horticultural Society;
Morris Arboretum; William Penn
Foundation; Pennsylvania Landscape and
Nursery Association; Fairmount Park
Commission; Penn State Extension and
county and local governments. Some of
the activities rolling out include
TreeVitalize Watersheds, TreeVitalize
Neighborhoods, Eagles Go Green
Schools, Tree Tenders and Plant a Tree
Campaign.
TreeVitalize Watersheds is designed
PHONE (215) 879-8159
At right, rom
left to right:
John Bartram
Association
Board
President
Sidney Spahr,
Mayor John
Street, and
Executive
Director Bill
LeFevre cut
the ribbon to
the new dock.
John Bartram Association Executive
Director Bill LeFevre addresses the
assembled crowd at the new Bartram's
Garden Dock dedication.
Kingsessing neighborhood of Southwest
Philadelphia. It was the home of the
renowned Quaker botanist, John Bartram
(1699-1777). The City of Philadelphia
owns the 45-acre site, and the non-profit
John Bartram Association operates it in
cooperation with the Fairmount Park
Commission.
Contact Bartram’s Garden on the web at
www.bartramsgarden.org.
to restore tree cover along creeks and
streams. Each county will have one or
two organizations coordinating projects.
In Philadelphia, the Fairmount Park
Commission is the lead. This past year
29 sites totaling 18 acres in Fairmount
Park were planted with hundreds of
native trees and shrubs.
TreeVitalize Neighborhoods
provides large trees to older communities. Trees are planted in a small geographic area to maximize the visible and
measurable impact of the planting. About
40 neighborhoods throughout the fivecounty region will each receive 150
trees. In Philadelphia, 810 new shade
trees have already been planted in 14
neighborhoods and six additional
neighborhoods are slated for future
planting. Additional resources will allow
continued on page 10
WINTER 2006
PAGE 3
CITY HALL HEARING TESTIMONY
including those of the City’s own
Strategic Plan for Fairmount Park. Their
ultimate charge is to help us understand
how Philadelphia’s park system can
better serve the city’s residents.
Our conversations are still ongoing,
and our goal is to present the city with
detailed recommendations based on them
in February 2006. But given the timing
of this hearing, we have prepared an
interim report.
If I had to boil down our working
groups’ findings thus far to two points,
they would be as follows:
• While our working group members
recognize the hard work of the
present park Commission and its
small, over-burdened staff, the status
quo for Fairmount Park and the park
system overall is unacceptable.
• While we recognize that Philadelphia
operates under a very tight budget,
any reform of the park system must
enable it to do more, not less, in the
years to come. Simply downsizing
the park’s administration is not an
acceptable option.
Given these starting points, while
the Parks Alliance supports major reform
of Philadelphia’s parks, we cannot give
our complete support to the current
legislation as now written. We have some
specific recommendations for improving
the proposed legislation, but before I
discuss them, I want to share some
findings from our working groups that
will give you a sense of their overall
concerns and ideas.
WHAT CITIZENS, EXPERTS,
BUSINESS AND CIVIC
LEADERS ARE TELLING US
While our working group members are
not unanimous on any subject, we can
fairly summarize their opinions to date as
follows:
• The Fairmount Park Commission —
and by this we mean the 16-member
board — is seen as an institution that
should be reformed, not abolished.
As an independent body charged
with protecting invaluable open
spaces, it is an essential part of the
park’s system of checks and balPAGE 4 WINTER 2006
continued from page 1
ances; without it, many fear that the
park could become a land bank that
would soon be “open for business.”
• The procedure by which Fairmount
Park Commissioners are appointed,
through the Board of Judges, is seen
as outdated and opaque, distancing
park leadership from the elected
officials who should be held accountable for the state of the park system.
“Our open spaces
and green places
rank among
our greatest assets.”
• The steps already taken to better align
the operations of Fairmount Park and
the Department of Recreation are
seen as logical, and should continue.
Inter-departmental transfer of all
active recreation areas to the Recreation Department should be considered.
• A strong entrepreneurial development
staff is seen as an absolute necessity
if the park system is to get the most
financial support possible from
federal, state, philanthropic and
private sources.
• In order to create an incentive for the
park to maximize its revenue
generation, it is thought that the park
system must be allowed to retain
some or all of the funds it generates.
• Neighborhood parks and recreation
areas are seen as lacking in support
and attention. Given the large
numbers of citizens they serve and
the critical roles they play in community and economic development, any
reform plan must ensure that they get
their fair share.
• Despite all the discussion of reorganization and reform, our working
groups noted the lack of a clear
vision or defined mission for parks
and open space. If major changes are
to be made, it is felt that they should
be guided by a vision that goes
beyond improving operational
P HILADELPHIA PARKS ALLIANCE
efficiency. No such vision now
exists.
• If any proposed Charter Change
appears on the 2006 ballot, many
believe that changes should be
deferred until the next City administration takes office.
OUR CONCERNS WITH THE
CURRENT LEGISLATION
Our constituents and working group
members have made one thing very
clear: their frustration with the parks’
status quo has left them willing to
support major changes, but only if they
promise significant improvements. These
same constituents are understandably
wary of losing the protection that the
present Park Commissioners have
traditionally provided to our parks,
watersheds and other open spaces. Most
all of them will not support any change
that does not guarantee that the city’s
land and water will be protected.
Furthermore, the overwhelming
belief among these constituents is that
the park’s administration must do more
than get more efficient in delivering
current services; it must get more
dynamic and creative in its management
of everything from partnerships to
revenue generation to fundraising and
marketing.
Given these starting points, the
following concerns were raised in regard
to the proposed legislation:
• The proposed legislation would
eliminate the present Fairmount Park
Commission, replacing it with a new
advisory body. But the role and
responsibilities of that new body are
left undefined, as are the qualifications and appointment criteria for its
members.
• Given this lack of definition, there is
great concern that the new board
might well become a toothless body
with no real power to protect open
space, set creative park policy and
provide badly-needed leadership
around questions of parks and open
space.
• The proposed legislation does not
explain how a consolidated department would create a stronger, betterfunded, and more pro-active park
administration, or how the proposed
new Department of Parks and
PHONE (215) 879-8159
CITY HALL HEARING TESTIMONY
Recreation would be organized to
respect and balance the Recreation
Department’s mandate to provide
programs and services with
Fairmount Park’s mandate to protect
environmental and historic resources.
• Nor does the proposed legislation
clarify how the proposed department
will allow the park system to
improve its fundraising, partnership
building, collaboration with economic and neighborhood development initiatives, and overall resource
development — all functions, now
inadequate, that were identified as
vital by the city’s Strategic Plan for
Fairmount Park.
But despite these concerns, there is a
strong feeling within our four working
groups that the time is ripe for some kind
of reform, especially concerning the
current method of appointing Fairmount
Park Commissioners.
The proposed legislation proposes
that a new park advisory board would be
appointed by the Mayor. This change
would have the advantage of making it
perfectly clear to Philadelphians who is
responsible for the state of their parks.
OUR PROPOSAL
So what is to be done with this specific
legislation? Based on our working group
meetings, the Parks Alliance is prepared
to offer these interim suggestions:
ON LEADERSHIP
We propose that the existing Fairmount
Park Commission structure be retained,
but that its members, the Commissioners,
be appointed not by the Board of Judges
but by the Mayor, using specific criteria
that will ensure that its members are
qualified and strong park leaders who
can assure the public that the
Commission’s long tradition of independent oversight will be sustained.
To be effective, this revised Commission
would require the following:
• Future Commissioners should be
required to demonstrate concrete
qualifications for their positions, and
the Commission should be structured to assure adequate representaPHILADELPHIA PARKS ALLIANCE
continued
tion from all areas of public life,
including the private sector.
• The revised Commission should
operate with a clear approval
process, defined mission, and
clarified responsibilities and
accountability measures.
• The revised Commission must have the
staff capacity needed to handle
critical questions of fundraising,
resource development, marketing
and outreach, partnership management, and of course the protection of
parkland. Such a model has greatly
benefited other Philadelphia institutions, notably the Free Library, and
could evolve from a closer relationship with the nonprofit Fairmount
Park Conservancy (as recommended
in the Strategic Plan).
• The revised Commission must have a
defined mandate to provide oversight and policy direction to all
Philadelphia parks and park-related
lands, setting a system-wide vision.
• The revised Commission must be
created in conjunction with the
necessary state legislation.
ON CONSOLIDATION
Given the dramatically different missions
of the Recreation Department, which
focuses on providing programs for
people, and Fairmount Park, with its
mandate for environmental and historic
preservation and its integral role in
protecting Philadelphia’s water supply
and watersheds, we believe that total
departmental consolidation is neither
prudent nor necessary at this stage.
Instead, we propose that the City
continue with the current incremental
approach known as “responsibility based
alignment,” under which the two
departments are working to eliminate
redundancies and maximize their
collective resources. This approach is
recommended by the City’s own Strategic Plan for Fairmount Park, and as it has
been successful thus far, we recommend
that it continue.
However, to succeed moving
forward, this responsibility based
alignment requires the following:
• The revised Commission should be
charged with assisting in the
continuing realignment of Fairmount
Park and the Department of
Recreation’s day-to-day operations,
as described above.
• The City administration should prepare
an independent analysis examining
the best way to maximize interdepartmental operational efficiency
while preserving each department’s
ability to deliver its unique services.
• The Commission’s executive director
should be held responsible for
protecting park interests throughout
the process of aligning operations
“We believe
total departmental
consolidation
is neither prudent
nor necessary
at this stage.”
and updating the park’s mission and
capacity.
• Critically, City officials and Park and
Recreation leadership should
collaborate to produce a strategy by
which the park system’s ongoing
efforts to preserve and improve open
spaces are integrated with the City’s
own economic and community
development efforts. Vital questions
of watershed management, riverfront
development, tourism, special
events, and environmental and
historic preservation require a
collaborative approach.
• Finally, no formal changes in the City
Charter affecting parks should take
effect until the next City administration takes office.
OUR TIMELINE
As I mentioned above, the Philadelphia
Parks Alliance, working in collaboration
with the Pennsylvania Horticultural
Society, will continue meeting with our
working groups. The Alliance plans to
have final recommendations based on
their findings by February 2006.
In the meantime, let us all work
together to clarify the roles and responsicontinued on page 6
PHONE (215) 879-8159
WINTER 2006
PAGE 5
ARGUMENT FOR CONSOLIDATION:
COUNCILMAN DARRELL CLARKE
Councilman Darrell Clarke
(District 5) is one of the sponsors
the proposed legislation to
consolidate Fairmount Park and
the Department of Recreation,
along with Councilwoman
Blondell Reynolds Brown
(at large).
In 2001 the City and the William Penn
Foundation funded a Strategic Plan for
Fairmount Park. Three years later, in
June of 2004, parks and recreation
consultants Leon Younger and PROS,
released a number of recommendations
to improve our parks system. Of these
recommendations, the prevailing
suggestion was to merge the Fairmount
Park Commission with the Recreation
Department and thereby improve
efficiency by realigning many of the
duties and responsibilities. With these
recommendations as a solid foundation
we proposed legislation to actualize the
reformation of our archaic park
management system. Created in the
1860s, it simply is not the model of
efficiency a modern society requires.
Philadelphia deserves better.
The Strategic Plan outlined several
sound reasons for the consolidation of
Fairmount Park and the Recreation
Department including: 1) Combining
departments eliminates fragmentation
and creates the greatest efficiency by
eliminating duplication of services; 2)
Strengthening the focus of the Commission on preservation, watershed
management, and land use; 3) Positioning the Parks and Recreation Department to be elevated in status within the
City through its budget size and
increased level of accountability; 4)
Leveraging the system into more local,
state, and federal granting opportunities; and 5) Creating greater accountability to the public by managing the
system as a whole and focusing on gaps
in services and managing toward
outcomes and performance measures.
We investigated the makeup of the
10 largest American cities parks and
recreation departments. All of them
PAGE 6 WINTER 2006
with one exception, Philadelphia, were
combined into one agency. While we are
not of the mindset that we should merge
just because everyone else does it this
way, it does lead us to believe, in
conjunction with the consultant’s clear
recommendations that we have not been
progressive and are behind the times as
far as getting this done.
We initially intended to hold
hearings this past September so that a
referendum could be voted on in the
November election, however we respectfully yielded to park advocates who
asked for more time to study the proposal. We therefore postponed the
hearings to December. The interest and
dialogue sparked by the hearings on this
legislation was remarkable. Although we
are not adverse to further discussion, we
frankly do not believe long term delay
will do anything but maintain a status
quo. The Plan has been out for well over
a year and the bill is now over six months
old.
This proposed change in and of itself
will not transform our parks overnight.
There are other reforms that need to
happen as well. Finding increased
dedicated funding is high on this list. Our
aim is to make these other pieces of the
puzzle fit within the new management
framework. But make no mistake, the
need to change the framework is the top
priority.
We are a City too often accused of
ignoring the big steps and making only
incremental changes. This is an opportunity to take a big step so that more
improvements can follow. Hopefully, in
the near future, our parks will not be
thought of as neglected but as the havens
from urban life that the citizens of this
City so richly deserve. This requires
leadership that we are prepared to offer.
It is our commitment to act and begin the
follow through required to improve
Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park through not
only this referendum but also in the future.
TESTIMONY
continued from page 5
bilities of a revised and newly-empowered Park Commission, while striking at
this time language that would bring
about immediate departmental consolidation.
After all, it is the question of
leadership, and the Commission’s future,
that requires voter approval. Realigning
departmental responsibilities to improve
efficiency doesn’t require a charter
change, as we can see from the fact that
it’s been going on for some time now.
continued on page 7
THANKS FROM ROBERT N. C. NIX,
Fairmount Park Commission President
Dear Friends of our Parks:
On behalf of the Commissioners of Fairmount Park, I would like to thank you for the
incredible participation and support during the public meeting and City Council Hearing
last month on the ill-advised proposal to merge Fairmount Park and the Department of
Recreation.
I was most thankful for your understanding that the Fairmount Park Commission is
an institution that plays an intricate role in protecting our open space. This together with
the recognition that a properly funded park system should be the focus of the park debate
was clearly stated at both forums. We agree that the Commission must make changes and
to this end, I appointed a Fairmount Park Advisory Committee to make recommendations on how the Commission might better serve the parks and the people who use them.
The Committee will make its recommendations in the next four to six weeks and the
Commission is committed to implementing as many of these recommendations as possible.
A recent Philadelphia Inquirer editorial said it best: “Now would be the moment to
shift the debate from the controversial and divisive — that is, abolishing the Fairmount
Park Commission - to strategies that will unite city bureaucrats, as well as citizens, behind the continued renewal of Fairmount Park.” We agree and look forward to continuing
the discussion and making our parks the treasures that all Philadelphians deserve.
P HILADELPHIA PARKS ALLIANCE
PHONE (215) 879-8159
TESTIMONY ON
CONSOLIDATION
continued from page 6
We believe that if Philadelphia
voters are asked to consider a ballot
question in the May primary, they should
be asked to vote only on the question of
park leadership. The question of total
departmental consolidation opens the
door to concerns that the park system
might simply be downsized into the
much larger Recreation Department,
with its budgets further cut and its public
accountability further impaired.
In closing, let me restate what is at
stake here: The question facing
Fairmount Park and the Department of
Recreation is not simply how to manage
parkland at a minimum of expense. The
Second Annual Walk for
the Park a success
displayed a placard with historic information, and walkers learned interesting
facts about each feature, and answered
questions to win valuable prizes.
A family fun festival, highlighting
all things Fairmount Park, including a
treasure trove of fun and educational
things to do in the parks, awaited
walkers at the finish line.
The goal of Walk for the Park was to
raise both awareness and money for the
park system. More than $10,000 was
raised to support the programs and
initiatives of the extraordinary Fairmount
Park system.
The Fairmount Park Commission
extends its sincere thanks to the
maximum benefit of
Under beautiful blue October skies and
with a brisk autumn chill in the air, more
than 250 walkers took part in Fairmount
Park’s 2nd annual Walk for the Park.
Proudly carrying signs that bore the
names of the park system’s 62 neighborhood, community, and regional parks,
walkers stepped off from the steps of
Memorial Hall and then through a three
mile course that led them past many of
the “hidden treasures” of West Park and
the Horticulture Center.
Fairmount Park Executive Director
Mark Focht sounded an air horn to start
the walk. Commission President Robert
N.C. Nix, Managing Director Pedro
Ramos and Park Commissioners led the
way past the Smith Memorial Arch,
General Meade’s statue, the Japanese
House and Garden, “Rebecca at the
Well,” and other ‘treasures.’ Each station
Philadelphia as a whole
On the Fringes of Fairmount
in the years ahead.”
PHILADELPHIA STARS NEGRO LEAGUE MEMORIAL PARK
“The question facing
Fairmount Park and the
Department of Recreation
is not simply how to manage
parkland at a minimum of
expense. The question is
how to manage it to the
question is how to manage it to the
maximum benefit of Philadelphia as a
whole in the years ahead. Our parks and
open spaces are assets. They attract
residents and visitors, raise property
values, promote fitness and anchor
neighborhoods. They advertise our city
as a great place to live and work. They
are the backyard we play in, the front
yard we show off to the neighbors, and
the wild woods we escape to. Let’s give
them the leadership they deserve
President Verna, members of
Council, let me thank you once again for
stimulating this discussion. In doing so,
you have raised public interest and
excitement. Much can be done if we
organize to do it right. As we move
forward, the Philadelphia Parks Alliance
pledges to do its very best to make sure
that this opportunity is not lost.
PHILADELPHIA PARKS ALLIANCE
by Kennerly Clay
Business Association of West Parkside
One great lament about Fairmount Park
has been that people venture into this
great sanctuary of nature yet rarely do
they tarry along its edges — until now,
that is.
At the corner of Belmont and
Parkside Avenues, the Philadelphia Stars
Negro League Memorial Park is bringing
PHONE (215) 879-8159
Fairmount Park Conservancy, REI, the
Philadelphia Marathon, the Philadelphia
Daily News, Southwest Airlines, Wawa
Food Markets, and our many sponsors
and partners who made this event such a
success.
Stay tuned for information about the
3rd Annual Walk for the Park, set for Fall
2006.
neighborhood together with Park, and
drawing the Park out into the neighborhood. The busy corner has been transformed into a place for reflection. A
powerful statue of a Negro League ball
player acts as a centerpiece backed by
granite walls bearing the individual
names of the Philadelphia Stars and all
the great teams of the Negro Leagues.
Benches alternate with shrubbery and
trees, and a wooden fence creates the old
home-run effect felt in this very neighborhood when the Stars played here
more than half a century ago.
The Memorial Park pays tribute to
sports history that belongs to West
Parkside. But it also makes our great
Fairmount Park friendlier around the
fringes — a trend we’ll be seeing more
of as the Zoo and Mann Center expand
continued on page 9
WINTER 2006
PAGE 7
Thank you, Ernesta
continued from page 1
Even death didn’t stop her
“Life becomes authentic when lived in
the presence of death.” - Heidegger
While I’ve remembered Ernesta almost
every day since she died in August I was
startled, at year-end, to hear her speaking
about why she’d been an activist in the
women’s movement on WHYY’s taped
round-up of important Philadelphians
who died in 2005. Even death didn’t stop
her.
Ernesta’s great gift was the sense of
intimacy she imparted; she always
listened deeply. I am most grateful that
she reached out to help me be more than
I ever aspired to, as she did for hundreds
of people.
Her striving continued through her
stroke around Easter time as she considered ways to build a labyrinth. She
considered the stroke a damned inconvenience. While not privy to her fears or
her concerns, I know in my heart she
raged against the “dying of the light.”
Ernesta’s mother’s death decades
ago was, I believe, her lodestar. That was
when Betty Friedan invited Ernesta to
join the founding board of NOW in her
mother’s place. That was when Ernesta
first stepped into her most authentic self
— helping so many of us to the same
freedom.
— Jean Byrne
Add another zero to that!
Ernesta is the person I hold up as a
model of how to make a difference in the
world we live in. She had the unique
ability to listen to others and respect their
views but would let you know if she
disagreed with you, gently but firmly.
Ernesta stood up for what she
believed in and defended her beliefs
when necessary (abortion rights, skateboarding in Love Park, deer culling in
the Wissahickon, etc.). When she
championed a cause, Ernesta would start
working the phones and she was mostly
successful. She had the ability and the
will to “get things done,” cajoling and
persuading people to donate and “put
another zero” on the donation for causes
that impacted our city and world. She
had quite a network and many, many
friends.
PAGE 8 WINTER 2006
Ernesta and I often rode to meetings
and events together and often talked of
our families, our lives, etc. She loved the
parks, music, her friends; but most of all,
she loved her family. It was a privilege to
know her, and I miss her.
— Beth Ounsworth
President, Philadelphia Parks Alliance
Bountiful thanks
It’s far beyond my ability to even begin
to capture the essence of Ernesta Drinker
Ballard. She left such a distinctive mark
on the lives of so many of us for so many
different reasons. She was everywhere,
but most importantly, ‘right there’ with
you in any given conversation, project or
endeavor.
As usual, this woman who was
master of the gracious thank you, said it
best herself. After her political campaign
for City Commissioner in which we
spent many long days together, she sent a
gift with the note: “With thanks to last a
lifetime.”
Heartfelt thanks, Ernesta. You left us
all so many bountiful reasons to thank
you that they - and your memory - will
last many lifetimes and way beyond.
— Judy Mathe Foley
A Johnny Appleseed
Ernesta was a modern-day Johnny
Appleseed, sowing constructive thoughts
and deeds, and setting a great example
on so many fronts — whether horticultural or civic — for women and men
alike. She saw no reason why the city
she loved could not be as green and as
beautiful as it could be or why each of us
should not do everything in our power to
improve the world we live in and she
acted on her convictions, day in and day
out.
— Anne d’Harnoncourt
The George D. Widener Director and
CEO, Philadelphia Museum of Art
She touched my soul
I first met Ernesta Ballard in 1989, when
we both served on the Philadelphia
Foundation Board of Managers. I was
mesmerized by her gentle but firm
convictions, her incredible generosity of
time, energy, and knowledge, and
P HILADELPHIA PARKS ALLIANCE
surprised by her challenging and
progressive views in contrast to her,
although understated, aristocratic
upbringing. I was very fortunate to find
myself on the same side of many issues
as she was a very tough opponent. Years
later, during my personal struggle with
breast cancer, Ernesta was very supportive and caring about all the related
treatments I was undergoing. In addition
to radiation, chemotherapy and surgery,
my mother was preparing an herbal tea
with anti-cancer properties from herbalists in Puerto Rico that was made from
vinca flowers.
I could not believe it when a few
weeks later Ernesta came to my house
carrying four bottles of the tea she had
extracted from vincas in her own garden.
I learned from Ernesta’s leadership, her
trail blazing as a woman, her accomplishments, her innovative thinking and
her entrepreneurship but, in a very
personal way, she touched my soul.
— Carmen Febo-San Miguel
Taller Puertorriqueño
Exquisitely complex,
incredibly wise
When I was a boy the Mercury Astronauts were my heroes, then I grew up
and met Ernesta Ballard. I only wish I
had had the chance to know her for more
than the last four years of her incredibly
full and effective life. Did you know she
wanted the City to accommodate the
skateboarders in Love Park or that her
last and perhaps most visionary cause
was to create opportunities for urban kids
to once again swim in the Schuylkill
River? (The water is clean enough and
the technology is available. She researched it and it’s true, it will happen.)
This exquisitely complex, incredibly
wise, and thoroughly accomplished
woman, who fought for the rights of
women (she was born before women in
this country had the right to vote) and
raised countless sums for causes including Bartram’s Garden, will long be
remembered and dearly missed.
— Bill LeFevre, Bartram’s Garden
Strong resolve, determination
Ernesta Ballard was certainly a unique
person, devoted to women’s rights,
environmental issues, Fairmount Park
PHONE (215) 879-8159
Ernesta
continued
(including its Water Works), and horticulture (Pennsylvania Horticultural
Society, the Flower Show). She spearheaded many projects such as restoration
of the fountain in Logan Circle.
We became well acquainted with
Ernesta when she served as a Board
member of the William Penn Foundation
where her expertise was most helpful.
She was a quiet person, but one with
strong resolve and dedication. As a
member of the Chestnut Hill and
Philadelphia establishment, she was very
effective in working for improvement in
the quality of life in this region and for
change when change was needed.
— John C. Haas
A level of professionalism
As the former Executive Director of the
Fairmount Park Commission I have
many fond and pleasurable memories of
Ernesta D. Ballard. She accomplished so
much for the City of Philadelphia and the
many organizations that she supported, it
was an honor to be associated with her.
Her name alone led credibility and a
level of professionalism to whatever the
subject.
Ernesta’s energy was boundless.
When she became a Fairmount Park
Commissioner, more than 20 years ago,
she would shadow me for the day, from 7
am to often late in the evening, so she
would have a first hand working knowledge of the issues and challenges facing
Fairmount Park. I would introduce her to
the workers, volunteers and park users
with whom she would engage in a
substantive dialogue and would often
accompany me to a community meeting.
Very early the next morning she would
call me with questions or recommendations regarding the events of the previous
day. She did this in addition to her other
Park Commission responsibilities and
obligations.
She was also someone who would
call the Mayor or other elected officials
if she thought that they should be more
attentive or responsive to a particular
park problem or issue.
She was the leader or a major force
behind so many significant improvement
projects and initiatives in Fairmount Park
PHILADELPHIA PARKS ALLIANCE
that they are too numerous to name.
Ernesta was one of a kind and although
her legacy will continue, she will be
missed.
— William E. Mifflin
Always there for you
When Ernesta Ballard died in August,
many Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
(PHS) staff and members lost a treasured
colleague, mentor and friend. The
Philadelphia Inquirer captured the
essence of Ernesta’s contributions well in
the headline to her obituary when they
observed she was “One of Philadelphia’s
great citizens.”
Long after Ernesta retired and was
no longer our official “boss,” Blaine
Bonham, PHS’s Executive Director, and
I would often noodle over what “Mom”
would have done in a particular situation,
and each person on staff who had the
great fortune to work with her was so
grateful to have that opportunity. Some
of us were young people in search of a
more rewarding career. Under Ernesta
we were all encouraged to develop skills
and make best use of our talents.
Personally, Ernesta introduced me to a
possible career I could never have
dreamed of without her encouragement.
Ernesta provided excellent leadership to both staff and volunteers. Some
will recall her as determined and with an
indomitable spirit that enabled her to
move forward and get things done. Some
may remember her as austere and maybe
even distant. But others will remember
the times when Ernesta navigated
delicate situations with finesse and
supported staff and volunteers as they
went through personal challenges. As the
saying goes, she was “always there for
you.”
— Jane G. Pepper
President, Pennsylvania Horticultural
Society
Quiet, yet fiercely strong leader
Ernesta Ballard is seen by many as the
grandmother of Phildelphia's feminist
movement. Certainly all of us associated
with WOMENS WAY revered her as a
founder, our first board chair, a quiet yet
fiercely strong leader who in so many
ways was both responsible for and
exemplary of WOMENS WAY's mission
in our community. A woman born into a
PHONE (215) 879-8159
life that most would consider privileged,
Ernesta rejected her preordained role,
able to see with clarity and purpose the
common barriers that all women,
regardless of class, race or religion,
battle in their quest for equal treatment.
Ernesta spent her entire life pushing
people to do more than they thought they
could, pushing agendas further than
anyone dreamed, pushing every life in
Philadelphia to a better, brighter place
because of her modest, earnest, indeed
tireless, commitment. In WOMENS
WAY, Ernesta set a dream in motion,
launching a new model of women's
philanthropy that in its 29 years of
service has touched the lives of millions
of women, girls and families. Many of
those served have never heard of Ernesta
Ballard. That would have been just fine
with her. After all, it was always the
mission that mattered to Ernesta.
Her memory energizes and invigorates those of us still working to fulfill
the promise of equality and equal
opportunity for all women. We think of
and miss Ernesta more than we can say.
— Melissa Weiler Gerber
Executive Director, WOMENS WAY
Philadelphia Stars
Negro League
Memorial
continued from page 7
and improve, and the Please Touch
Museum nestles into Memorial Hall.
For those who have yet to visit the
Philadelphia Stars Negro League
Memorial Park, try visiting in the early
evening. When the lights come on at
night, the vision is spectacular and
inviting. Pull up a bench and you might
end up sharing it with one of the Stars
(there are four surviving members),
spinning yarns about the old days of
baseball. Take a seat at different benches
to see what perspective emerges. For a
full “fringe” benefit, take the bench that
sits furthest west for a view that encompasses the statue, the mural, and
Fairmount Park.
The Philadelphia Stars mural will be
dedicated in spring 2006. For more
information, contact the Business
Association of West Parkside at (215)
879-8500.
WINTER 2006
PAGE 9
TreeVitalize is growing
continued from page 3
TreeVitalize to work with even more
neighborhoods.
The Philadelphia Eagles joined the
TreeVitalize effort by committing trees
to Philadelphia elementary schools as
part of the team’s ‘Go Green’ initiative.
Through ‘Go Green,’ the Eagles are
introducing green principles, sustainable
practices and programs throughout the
organization in an effort to reduce the
team’s environmental footprint. “Go
Green is more than a play on words,”
said Christina Weiss Lurie, Philadelphia
Eagles owner and president of Eagles
Youth Partnership. “We at the Eagles
recognize our responsibility to the
environment, both as an organization and
as citizens. Recycling, using renewable
resources and tree planting are all central
to this effort. We are focusing our tree
planting at schools because we understand the relationship between healthy
children and a healthy environment.”
Education staffs from Fairmount Park
and Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
give advice and educational materials
and tree care information so teachers and
students can be stewards of the new
trees.
Thanks to TreeVitalize, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS)
expanded its “Tree Tender” education
program to residents throughout the
Philadelphia region. Nine hours of hands
on training over three evenings will
cover tree biology, identification,
planting, proper care and working within
your community. Already more than 379
people completed basic training toward
of goal of 2,000 over the next three
years.
Each March, Tree Tenders are
eligible to purchase $15 to $20 ‘bare
root’ trees. Usually ball and burlap trees
are used to plant along streets and in
urban parks. But, planting ball and
burlap trees is back-breaking work. Each
tree weighs several hundred pounds and
requires three people with heavy equipment to handle. A bare-root tree of same
size, without any soil, weighs in at 30
pounds. Bare root trees are easier for
volunteers to move and plant, but the
roots are exposed and dry out very
quickly. So, trees are dipped in a slurry
PAGE 10 WINTER 2006
Passyunk Square Civic Association treeplanting in November 2005.
hydrogel mix and immediately bagged in
plastic, to keep them moist for up to a
week. Last March, over 450 ‘bare root’
trees were distributed to Tree Tenders for
volunteer planting projects.
Individuals can also get involved in
TreeVitalize by planting more trees. In
less dense neighborhoods, most of the
tree cover is located on private property.
This past spring TreeVitalize distributed
rebate cards at various events and
classes. Tree purchases were eligible for
a 25 percent rebate up to $25. Watch for
future rebate offers this spring at these
two websites:
www.treevitalize.net
www.pennsylvaniahorticulturalsociety.org
Many more exciting projects, events,
educational opportunities and projects
are to come. Log on at www.treevitalize.net
in the “Get Involved” section.
Upcoming dates for TreeVitalize Tree Tender basic training
Thursdays March 23, 30 and April 6: 6-9 pm at Heritage Conservancy, Doylestown
Tuesdays April 18, 25 and May 2: 6-9 pm at Lower Merion Township Building
Wednesdays May 10, 17 and 24: 5:45 pm to 8:45 pm at PHS, Philadelphia
Upcoming dates for Tree Tender
continuing education classes
Tree Tenders offers a variety of continuing education classes
where a specific topic is explored.
All events are held at the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
Tuesday, February 7: noon to 1 pm, “Winter Tree Identification”
Tuesday, February 14: noon to 1 pm,“Urban Tree Stresses and How to Avoid
Them”
Tuesday, February 21: noon to 1 pm,“Planting the Right Tree in the Right Place”
Wednesday, March 16: 3 pm - 8 pm “Bare-Root Trees”
To register, contact Julian Mindy Maslin, 215-988-8844 or [email protected].
Online registration and more details are available at
www.pennsylvaniahorticulturalsociety.org/phlgreen/tree-training.html
The Parks Alliance introduces New Website, Logo!
The Philadelphia Parks Alliance is pleased to announce the launch of our new website.
This site is the product of a year of work and planning, and we thank Rob Stuart, Keith
Forsythe, and Levana Layendecker of Evolve Strategies and Ethan Tripp and Charlie
Szoradi of Monsoon Micro for helping us build and design the site.
Not only does the new site boast our new logo and a more functional design, it
also provides us with additional advocacy tools for communication with our many
constituents. Democracy In Action (DIA), a non-profit content management system,
hosts the new site. Through DIA, the Parks Alliance now has the ability to utilize the
Internet in exciting new ways. Our successful summer and fall online letter-writing
campaigns, which resulted in thousands of faxes to City Council urging them to slow
down the proposed legislation to consolidate the Fairmount Park Commission and the
Department of Recreation, were powered through DIA.
Next time you are online, please take a few moments to explore our new website at
www.philaparks.org. There you can read and post comments on our updated blog, read
all of the latest press coverage of park issues in our press room, join our online mailing
list, and even donate through our new online credit card form.
P HILADELPHIA PARKS ALLIANCE
PHONE (215) 879-8159
WALKING TOURS WITH BOB THOMAS
Register Early! To preserve the quality of the
tour, all full-day tours have a firm limit of
participants as shown. Additional registrants
will be placed on a waiting list.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11
8 am until dinner (all day tour)
(Raindate Spring 2007)
Snow Geese of the Delaware
Marshlands
Meeting place: Confirm when registering. Rated: Moderate. Pre-registration
required (limit of 12 participants).
The extensive coastal marshlands along
Delaware Bay form a nesting ground for
great flocks of snow geese. With the mosquitoes gone for the winter, we’ll have an
opportunity to visit these remote coastal
lands, filled with wildlife and interesting
historic buildings and villages. We’ll conclude with an optional dinner at a local
restaurant and discussion of the system of
wildlife refuges which dot this area. Trip
fee includes breakfast but not lunch nor
dinner; transportation will be via car pools.
Participants are asked to share expenses.
SATURDAY, MARCH 18
8 am until dinner (all day tour)
(Raindate Fall 2006)
Lancaster County’s Tucquan Glen:
A Near-Pristine Paradise
Meeting place: Confirm when registering.
Rated: Moderate. Bring a lunch to eat along
the trail. Pre-registration required (limit 12
participants).
Tucquan Glen is a 336-acre near-pristine
paradise that is representative of what the
area was like centuries ago and the reason
why “Penn’s Woods” was such an apt description of the colony when it was established in 1681. We’ll explore this remote
area along the Susquehanna River, stopping for a bounteous Lancaster County
dinner at the end of the day. Trip fee includes breakfast but not lunch nor dinner;
transportation will be via car pools. Participants are asked to share expenses.
.
SUNDAY, APRIL 2
1:30-3:30 pm (Raindate Fall 2006)
A History Walk Along
the New Radnor Trail
Meeting place: Skateboard park within
Encke Park, off of Ithan Avenue south of
Lancaster Avenue, Radnor Twp. Rated:
Easy. Bring snacks to eat along the trail.
No pre-registration required.
The new Radnor Trail follows the route of
PHILADELPHIA PARKS ALLIANCE
the former Philadelphia and Western Railroad. We’ll follow the route of the old bullet trains, enjoying the wonderful natural
scenery and historic sites along the trail.
The Greek-revival substation is not to be
missed. We’ll learn, as well, the interesting history behind this trail, and the people
who made it possible, and we’ll see how
the Trail is becoming an essential part of
its community and park system.
TUESDAY, MAY 9
5:30-7 pm, (Raindate 2006)
The Parkside Promenade
and the Centennial District
Meeting place: Confirm when registering.
Rated: Moderate.
Much public and private development is
now occurring in the Fairmount Park Corridor between the Philadelphia Zoo and the
Mann Music Center. Join Bob Thomas on
a late afternoon walking tour past historic
sites and exciting new and potential development. Even the Philadelphia Parks Alliance office is located in this corridor! We’ll
conclude with an optional dinner at a local
restaurant and discussion of the revitalization of Parkside and neighborhoods adjacent to Fairmount Park.
TUESDAY, JUNE 6
5:30-7 pm, (Raindate 2006)
Gazebos Along the Schuylkill River
Meeting place: West Entrance, Philadelphia Museum of Art, facing Boathouse
Row, Fairmount Park. Rated: Moderate.
As the Schuylkill River leaves the coastal
plain, it enters the more rugged Piedmont,
where our Victorian predecessors built four
gazebos north of the Art Museum which
afford wonderful sunset views. Two are
well known, but two rarely visited. Join
Bob Thomas, PPA Board Vice President,
speaking at one of his popular tours.
Bob Thomas on a late afternoon walking
tour past historic sites to these great river
views. We’ll conclude with an optional dinner at a local restaurant and discussion of
the Schuylkill River Heritage Corridor.
TUESDAY, JULY 11
5:30-7 pm, (Raindate Fall 2006)
Revitalization and New Development
along the Delaware River
Meeting place: Please confirm when registering. Rated: Moderate. Bring snacks to
eat along the way. (No limit to the number
of participants - Access via SEPTA — details upon registration)
Plans are underway for numerous improvements in the riverfront communities along
the Delaware River waterfront. Join Bob
Thomas, as our walk leaves Center City
via the Frankford El to where we’ll be
treated to interesting architecture both old
and new. As sunset approaches, we’ll stop
for an optional dinner at one of the area’s
newer restaurants. Trip fee includes the
tour, but not the cost of dinner.
REGISTRATION & DESCRIPTIVE INFORMATION FOR WALKING TOURS
EASY: Good surface, short length. Wear good walking shoes.
MODERATE DIFFICULTY: Some rough or wet surfaces, steep paths. More than a short walk or
ride. For anyone who walks or exercises regularly. Good walking shoes.
CHALLENGING: May contain rough surfaces, overgrown areas, and steep terrain, and require
walking more than 10 miles or most of the day. Requires stamina of a full day of exercise. Hiking
boots unless otherwise noted.
RAIN: If raining or threatening, tours will be cancelled and re-scheduled unless otherwise noted.
CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS: AIA members are eligible for CE credits for some of these
tours. Contact Pat Schwartz at at AIA Philadelphia at [email protected].
FEES: $15 (half day and evening tours); $25 (all day tours) for members of Philadelphia Parks
Alliance, Green Space Alliance, East Coast Greenway, Sierra Club, Preservation Alliance, Schuylkill
River Greenway Association, American Institute of Architects, American Society of Landscape
Architects, Women’s Transportation Seminar, and Pennsylvania Environmental Council. $20 (half
day and evening tours); $30 (all day tours) for non-members, unless otherwise noted.
MEETING PLACE: Confirm when registering. INFORMATION/RESERVATIONS: 215-879-8159.
PHONE (215) 879-8159
WINTER 2006
P AGE 11
Non-profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Philadelphia, PA
Permit No. 2725
Philadelphia Parks Alliance
Box 12677
Philadelphia, PA 19129-0077
WINTER 2006 ISSUE
• Testimony at City Council
• Tribute to Ernesta
• Proposed Consolidation
• Fall for Your Park a Success
• Treevitalize is growing
• We have a New Website
• Bob Thomas Tours
I’d like to support the mission
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and educates the public in order to achieve superior systems
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