And the other thing is, by way of insects, do they attract mosquitos or anything? I mean, as we start to look at multiplying the numbers, are we in fact creating a --
Well, so far not. The City comes out, the vector -- I call him Mr. Vector -- comes out a couple times a summer and checks our ponds to 159 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 see, and so far he's found none.
Well, so long as the water is moving, I understand. We have a bird pond in another part and we have it electrified and the water always is moving as a way of keeping mosquitos away.
Thank you all very, very much. John Kelly, III, Renee Kirby, Christine Knapp, Adam Krom, Kimberly Labno. Please feel free to approach the witness table and/or the back. (Witnesses approached witness table.)
My name is John Kelly. I'm a resident of the Chestnut Hill neighborhood. Good afternoon, Councilwoman, Councilmen. 160 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057
Thank you for your time. I just want to start off with a little personal background on my experiences with the Park. The Park has been a vital and important part of my life, from my father teaching me to row, to my teaching my son and my daughter to row, to running races in Belmont Plateau and to swimming at Devils Pool on the Wissahickon Creek. So it's been a great time. And I see my current service as a Board member of the Fairmount Park Conservancy as a way of paying back, and if you shall choose to appoint me to this Commission, likewise be a way of paying back for the great benefits that the Park has provided me in my life. As far as my credentials, I would like to point to my experience as a Board member and President of Vesper Boat Club over the past 25 years in various 161 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 roles over the time. Vesper Boat Club is a tenant or occupant of the Park, part of Boathouse Row, part of a wonderful community in the Park, the rowing community, and we all believe very much in the vitality of the Park and protecting our home there. Also, my professional work as a municipal bond professional gives me experience with city budgets, city finance, as well as public-private partnerships, which is, I think, one of the goals to help utilize the asset of the Park without compromising its public access, but finding ways to utilize the Park assets to generate some revenue. And I've seen in my career public-private partnerships that work and some that don't. So hopefully that experience would be helpful in structuring good programs. Also on the environmental mission, Fairmount Park is a vital environmental asset to the Park, and I 162 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 believe my experience -- one of my volunteer activities as President of the Prince Albert, II, of Monaco Foundation, which is an international environmental foundation, and hopefully that experience will be helpful in that role as well. Thank you for your time. And if you shall choose me, it'd be a great honor to serve on this Commission if you should choose me. Thank you.
Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen of City Council. My name is William Kennedy. I am a lifelong resident of Philadelphia. I have lived in Swampoodle, Brewerytown, Hunting Park, Northwood and I currently side in East Torresdale. I retired from the Philadelphia Fire Department in January of 2008 after 34 years of service. Believe me, I am enjoying my retirement because it gives me a chance to do something like this. I never thought I would be sitting in front of Council. 163 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057
Thank you for the opportunity. I have been a member of Glen Foerd on the Delaware for years and an 8 active volunteer for a number of years, 9 and since my retirement, I have been even 10 more active. Besides volunteering my 11 time and services for almost every event 12 held there -- and they do hold a lot -- I 13 am also on the Fundraising and Garden 14 Committees. In some areas I have begun 15 to show leadership and develop novel 16 approaches to individual problems. 17 I am a member of the East 18 Torresdale Civic Association. I have increased my activity in this association since retirement. In January of this year, I was elected as Second Vice-President. Before being a firefighter, I taught in high school for two years. I received a BA from Temple University in 164 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 1969 and went to graduate school there for credits. Between 1987 and '89, I 4 took seminar classes at Wharton night 5 school in health benefits. I served as 6 an elected trustee of Local 22 7 International Association of Firefighters 8 during those years. I sat on or chaired 9 numerous committees for the Local, almost 10 all having to do with finances. I have 11 been on Local 22's Medical Advisory Board 12 since 1999. The three of us on the Board 13 are entrusted with the fiscal well-being 14 of the health plan's prescription program 15 servicing 4,000 active and retired 16 firefighters and their families. 17 I became interested in this new 18 Commission when I saw the flyer announcing it. Truthfully, I was very angry that the citizens of Philadelphia adopted the Charter change last November. At that time, I thought that this change was ill-advised. I still think so. However, we have to live with what we have. 165 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 The Fairmount Park Commission was a substantial buffer between the Mayor and the many acres and properties that the Commission controlled, and Mayor Nutter has said several times that some properties may have to be sold. I am firmly opposed to any sale. As I state in my application, a lease of some property may be possible, or a conversion such as Memorial Hall can be desirable. It's actually a great conversion. I went there the other week with some grandchildren and I loved it. I have been going into that building -- having been a firefighter in West Philadelphia, I have been going in that building many times, and it was delipidated then. They've done a wonderful job with it. The point is, I'm not against all change. My experience that I would bring to the Commission is at ground level. In 1982, the local East 166 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 Torresdale residents saved the Glen Foerd Mansion from demolition. The Lutheran Church was going to sell the mansion and its acres to a private developer, who 6 intended to erect 440 condominiums. Not 7 only would the mansion be destroyed, but 8 a wonderful neighborhood would have been 9 negatively altered. The untrained and 10 inexperienced residents mounted a 11 successful court challenge against the 12 sale. The court eventually awarded 13 stewardship of Glen Foerd to the local 14 residents and the Fairmount Park 15 Commission. The official name of this 16 controlling group of citizens was the 17 Glen Foerd Conservation Corporation. The Fairmount Park Commission rarely did much to help maintain the mansion and grounds. The Glen Foerd Conservation Corporation kept the estate alive through fundraisers that are modest by today's standards. They learned the hard way with dedication with recruitment of like-minded citizens with uncountable hours of toil and they 167 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 eventually increased revenues through corporate contracts, federal, state and private grants. Glen Foerd is the last public mansion on the Delaware in Philadelphia. We used to have many in the 19th and 20th centuries, and they are gone. Therein lies a lesson. We have many acres in the Fairmount Park system.
I don't want some future volunteer to say that they are gone, that we never learned that lesson. By the way, this book is Lights Along the Delaware. It illustrates all of the mansions that were along the Delaware, and if you would like to have a tour of Glen Foerd, it could be arranged through Anthony Radwanski, who is the President of Glen Foerd Conservation Corporation, and while you're there, we will open the gift shop and for $12 we will sell you this book. Thank you very much for your time and your consideration.
Thank you. 168 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 Good afternoon.
Good afternoon, Madam Chair and members of the Parks and Recreation Committee. My name is Renee Kirby. Thank you for the opportunity to submit my application for consideration to serve as a member of the Parks and Recreation Commission. When I started my recreation career in the early 1980's, I knew I wanted to work with children and adults with disabilities. Starting out, I was very excited about the possibilities of engaging special populations in lifelong recreation and leisure activities. I was guided by the beliefs of my profession that access and participation in recreation has the same physical and psychological benefits for all people. While working with special populations has always been rewarding to me, it was the challenges to obtain equitable resources and physical access 169 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 to recreation services for this group that became the driving force behind many of the innovative programs highlighted on my resume. Today, it is exciting to imagine the possibilities again of having a well-integrated Recreation and Parks system, committed to promoting diversity and inclusion as part of its core values. For people with disabilities, these values usher in a new era of opportunity for them to become fully engaged in their communities through the participation of lifelong recreation activities. I would like nothing more than to use my knowledge and experience in recreation to help support the Mayor's overall vision for the City and its citizens by joining the Recreation and Parks Commission. Some of my credentials include establishing and developing the first intercollegiate wheelchair basketball team at Temple University and 170 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 establishing wheelchair sports within the Department of Recreation, working 4 years at the Philadelphia Carousel House. 5 I thank you very much for this 6 opportunity to present my testimony. 7
We thank 8 you all very much. And, again, just the 9 three of you represent the beautiful 10 diversity and the mix of testifiers who 11 have come before us, and I think most 12 encouraging for me is to know that we had a disbeliever who has become a believer in the possibility. So thank you for coming to testify.
Yes, indeed. Thank you all. Please. Christine Knapp, Adam Krom, Kimberly Labno. And the next panel, Patrick Lamb, Robert Lambert, Anthony Langford. You're welcome to sit in the black chairs. 171 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 (Witnesses approached witness table.)
Please state your name for the record and proceed with your testimony.
My name is Christine Knapp. As my professional career, I'm the Director of Outreach for Penn Future. For the past eight years, my specialty has been working within the field of environmental education, policy and advocacy. I have a deep understanding of the environmental issues in Pennsylvania and in Philadelphia in particular due to my role as the coordinator for the Next Great City initiative. Next Great City has united 110 City-based organizations together to support a ten-point environmental agenda for Philadelphia. One recommendation within that agenda was to strengthen parks through increased funding and reforming park leadership. Because of our recommendation, I became a 172 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 supporter of the merger of Parks and Recreation and for the creation of this particular Commission. In my capacity as a Director of Outreach, I'm also aware of best practices in terms of use of parks and open space from around the world, and I also work daily on the -- with the threat of global warming and impact that it will have on cities such as Philadelphia and the unique role that open space can play in combatting the effects of global warming. As the Director of Outreach, I often serve as the public face for my organization and, therefore, I have experience in presenting information to various public audiences, whether it be media, legislator or voters. Creating a compelling message to do this is critical. So I have the ability to craft messages that speak to people about the issues they care about in language they use, and I'm also able to think 173 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 creatively about new ways of getting messages out to new audiences. I think this skill will become helpful in getting information about this Commission out to the public and getting more people engaged in the Parks and Recreation system. I also serve as a member of the Mayor's Sustainability Advisory Board and feel that I could serve as a liaison between the larger sustainability community and issues that they are concerned with and this particular Commission. Besides my day job, I also serve as a block captain and as the Vice-President of the Passyunk Square Civic Association, which is in South Philadelphia. I work with my community on making it cleaner, safer and a more exciting place to live. We work with zoning, town watch, trash and recycling committee, education committee, beautification committee and several 174 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 others that work together to make our neighborhood a desirable place to live and work. And Philadelphia Magazine recently listed our neighborhood as a great place, partly due to the efforts of the civic association. Our neighborhood is blessed with three parks and recreation systems: Gold Star Park, Capitolo and Columbus. Each of these sites has undergone tremendous changes over the last several years and each has served as a uniting force for neighbors, both young and old. My work with them has helped me to realize how important open space is to the quality of life and how important it is as a community building tool. If I were to be fortunate enough to be on this Commission, there are several areas I would like to focus my attention, and one is on funding, which we always know has been a problem for the Park system. Since the City budget is strained -- and we know today 175 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 with the additional announcement from the Mayor how strained it is -- I think we need to consider some alternative sources of funding for the Park system. Someone previously mentioned public-private partnerships, which I wholeheartedly agree with. It should be taken advantage of in an appropriate manner. And I think we can also take advantage of the wealth of information, people and resources that exist in Philadelphia.
We should bring these new stakeholders to the table and help them -- or bring them into helping us to create new policies and regulations to make it easier for non-profit groups to collaborate and to find additional resources for maintenance and other issues. Related to that, I know, Councilman Jones, you're particularly interested in the vast growing green jobs movement, and I think that since maintenance is a major issue for the parks and being that there are existing 176 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 green job training programs out there that work on training people on how to do horticultural maintenance, that this would be a natural alliance of those two issues and that we might consider ways of tapping into some green job training money to help maintain our parks. In summary, I think I have several strengths that would make me a good candidate for this Commission, again, the knowledge of environmental issues in Philadelphia, from water and air quality to storm water and waste management. I also have a proven track record of being able to quickly engage community members on various issue campaigns. I'm in regular contact with those 110 organizations that are part of Next Great City, and I have access to thousands of residents through e-mail, newspapers, public speaking engagements and other events. In my dual role as block captain and Vice-President of Passyunk 177 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 Square, I think I provide the understanding of the role that parks and recreation centers and open spaces play in community building and can represent the concerns of that neighborhood, which represents a pretty diverse population of over 8,000 people. I want to thank you again for this opportunity, and I'd like to leave with a parting sort of open-ended question, which I've just been really impressed with the amount of people that have applied and the talent that has been here, so my question would be is to think about ways that maybe we can engage this larger group if it's not on this Commission in some other capacity for those other 191 people who don't make it into the Commission, how we might put them to work for the Parks and Recreation system.
Thank you very, very much. You may have presented it as a rhetorical question, but you 178 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 should know that Councilman Clarke actually did share with us what his intentions are. So we're going to ask him to, if you would, simply repeat for those of us who -- what our goals and intentions are.
Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you for the question. As the Chair said earlier, as we participated in this process for the second day, it quickly became quite clear that there was no way that we could allow such talent and interest to leave this process and feel like they were either rejected or not wanted, because the reality is, we only have nine slots at the end of the day. So we're talking about -- and I actually just got off the phone with one of the City's lawyers to talk about forming some process/entity that will allow people, not only the people that have participated in these forums but 179 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 anyone who is interested to participate in a meaningful way, to make sure that we don't lose that level of interest and that talent that has come before us over the last couple of days. And I anticipate the next two hearings will have a similar type of response. So we're going to -- and you may be successful. If you're not, trust me, you will not be able to get rid of us. We're going to be calling you. We're going to be asking you to be engaged in a meaningful way, not only in your community but in the City of Philadelphia. So absolutely.
Thank you, Madam Chair. And also, if there's not enough room for Parks and Recreation, there's plenty of room for the intellectual 180 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 property to help solve our budget process and our budget problem. So if you want to chip in and volunteer for that as well, there's no line at that door.
All right, sir. Good afternoon. Please state your name for the record.
Good afternoon. My name is Adam Krom, and it's an honor to be with you today and it's an honor to be among such worthy applicants. And I know that that's been said a lot, but I really wish that the entire city or a larger crowd could be here to see the energy and the potential of the Park. And for anyone that didn't have the benefit of applying for the Fairmount Park Commission, I applied in 2007, went through that process, got pretty far along, and I can't tell you how different this is and how much energy this sort of reveals within the populus of the City of Philadelphia. It's really quite 181 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 inspiring. So ask me about that sometime. In terms of why I was applying for the Parks and Recreation Commission, I was encouraged to by others, because I believe that as a planner, I have some attributes and some contributions to offer the City. I work for the company Wallace, Roberts & Todd, which has already been described here today, and I've worked there for many years, or, well, not compared to Richard, who I guess goes back about 45 years. Only for me about six or eight years. In that time, I've worked around the City for various CDCs, such as the Fairmount Neighborhood CDC, and after we wrote the neighborhood plan there, which was my first project at WRT, we signed up for the tax program where we contributed $100,000 to the CDC for its operations through our business taxes. I've also been involved with the New Kensington Waterfront Plan and 182 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 the Central Delaware Civic Vision that was recently completed by Penn Praxis, as well as GreenPlan, worked for the Philadelphia Water Department on green streets, Cobbs Creek, Parkway, et cetera. So in that work as a planner, I think that I've not only experience across the City of Philadelphia and all of its great assets, but I also bring the experience of having worked around the country and having traveled quite extensively. So my personal goals for the Parks and Recreation system are to return the facilities to a state of good repair; to improve the ecological functioning of the Park; to encourage greater pedestrian, bicycle and transit access to the Park, because Philadelphia as a walkable city is also a city that has a large portion of the population that does not drive; and also to assist in the creation of world-class recreation facilities. 183 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 Last summer in our office, we had an intern from the Charter High School for Architecture and Design, Jamal, who I think was from Point Breeze, and he's currently a student at Syracuse University studying architecture. And while he was at WRT, I would talk with him about his perception of the Parks and Recreation system in the City, and he expressed, frankly, quite a lot of frustration on the state of the basketball courts, the public pools, the park and just in general with the facilities, because he knew from visiting friends and family in other places that there were better facilities out there and that there was a greater potential. And he was pretty certain that things could get better. Enrique Penalosa was inspiring to me. He spoke at Penn a few years ago. He's the former Mayor of Bogota, and he's fond of saying that children are a kind of indicator species. If we can build a 184 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 successful city for children, we will have a successful city for all people. And he was one of the -- while he was Mayor of the City, he pushed for the expansion of the park system, the construction of libraries and something called ciclovias, which was where we closed the major streets to automobiles on the weekends and turn them into recreation spaces for bicycling, skating and calisthenics, exercise, et cetera, not only from a recreational standpoint but really a social integration to create social cohesion within the City.
So in talking with Jamal, who was 17, he really convinced me that we have to do a much better job of serving the youth of our city, because we really want to retain our talented youth and we want to have them choose to live in the City of Philadelphia and contribute in the future. So by investing in parks and rec, we really are securing our future as a city. 185 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 Now, as you know, the Trust for Public Land recently estimated that Philadelphia's park system provides billions of dollars in direct value to City government and residents. We often talk about how much parks and rec costs. We're not as often talking about what it pays. 1 billion in cost savings for citizens," which is about 100 times the amount that the City spends on parks each year. So in the midst of the current financial turmoil, I hope we can retain the perspective to realize that this is a temporary situation, and as we look forward, I hope we continue to improve the Parks and Recreation system to not 186 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 only make our city more livable, but because it will essentially be paying us dividends in the future. I loved the quote earlier from the gentleman that said that if you look around you and you don't see a leader, then maybe it's your turn. I read a number of years ago the quote from Mahatma Gandhi that said that you have to be the change that you want to see in the world, and I try to remember that every day. So I think that -- I'm really glad that you put the call out to the City to serve on the Commission and I'm really impressed with the results. So I wish you good luck, and I hope that we all can assist the Parks and Recreation system in the future. Thank you.
Thank you very, very much for your testimony. Good afternoon.
Good afternoon, everyone, ladies and gentlemen. My name 187 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 is Kim Labno and I am here today to express my sincere wish to serve as a member of the Commission on Parks and Recreation. I don't have written testimony to submit today, but I'll be happy to do that this week, and I have submitted letters of recommendation from representatives of White Dog Community Enterprises, the City's Department of Recreation and Penn State Outreach Center in Philadelphia. My professional experience qualifies me for the position. I have a lot of experience with land assessment, land regulatory and property right issues, watershed management and environmental stewardship/sustainability activities, like storm water management, urban agriculture. I have relationships with people within these groups, and that is borne out in my application materials and my letters of recommendation. So with my remaining minute or 188 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 so, what I wanted to do was to focus on my personal passion and commitment towards the City's environmental movement. I have dedicated hundreds of hours in volunteer work in a variety of capacities, but I want to touch on two projects that I'm most proud of. The first is as a volunteer member with the Philadelphia Urban Food and Fitness Alliance. This is a work -- this is a youth-driven advocacy work group that's funded by the Kellogg Foundation to identify and solve problems associated with children's health and wellness. The youth went out into the City and surveyed over 650 households, provided a very good database for us to address, and what they found was that accessible, affordable food and safe opportunities for play were the biggest obstacles and the most important things for children's health and wellness and their family's health and wellness. 189 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 I'm very proud to have worked with White Dog Pennsylvania Health Management Corp., the City's Public Health Department and others in the first phase of the project, and I'm proud to be part of the second phase of the project, which will be the Action Plan submitted to Kellogg Foundation that can bring millions of dollars into the City to support our urban sustainable ag movement and also our recreation activities. The second thing I'm very proud of is, in the last six months, I have been the leader in connecting a number of groups in South Philadelphia where I live to form the first community garden in the Lower Italian Market. I brought together leaders from Passyunk Square Civic Association, Capitolo Advisory Committee, the Department of Parks and Recreation and community neighbors to create this garden, which will be about 3,000 square feet in the first phase and hopefully 5,000 square feet in the second phase. 190 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 The monies that we generate from our dues will go for infrastructure improvements that the Park can't afford because of the City's budget constraints, and in addition to the softball league fees, we hope to have the opportunity to subsidize our after-school childcare program, which is really important for working parents to have a safe place to have their kids after school. These are just two of the activities that I've been involved with on a volunteer basis, and I would certainly work very hard as a member of the Commission to benefit the City at large and its recreational opportunities. I want to thank the Council very much for their time and wish good luck to everyone.
Thank you very much, and thank you for appreciating this process, that clearly Councilman Clarke and I had a vision, and your comments really bode well for what we 191 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 thought was possible. Thank you very much. Patrick Lamb, Robert Lambert, Anthony Langford. Mark LaVelle, Robert Lipschutz, Andrew Lofton, Von Love. (Witnesses approached witness table.)
You're certainly welcome to join the witness table. You're welcome to have a seat, sir. Please, if you could move the mike over, we'll start with the gentleman on my extreme left. State your name for the record.
Okay. Not a problem. I just want to make sure I don't miss it up here.
I apologize. 192 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 That's forthcoming.
First of all, I'm going to take this opportunity to thank you, Madam Chairperson and Councilmembers, for giving me an opportunity to give testimony as to why I feel I should be considered for a seat on this new Commission. A little personal background about myself. I was born in New Jersey and raised partially in New Jersey. During my life in Philadelphia, I lived in the Strawberry Mansion section of Philadelphia, 33rd and Oxford Street. So I lived right around the corner from the park, which was my big backyard, so to speak. I have a Bachelor's of Arts Degree in Political Science and I've taken some graduate classes in public administration in hopes of one time obtaining my Master's in public 193 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 administration. But one of the reasons why I want to go over my qualifications, that over the years of my volunteer experience, I've gained a great deal of knowledge, skills and experience being involved with the Fairmount Park system. Much of this experience was hands-on. This, plus some of the other additional qualifications I bring to the table, make me well suited to be a member of the Commission on Parks and Recreation. By serving in the capacity as a Friends of East Park member and rising to President of that organization, which is now a 501(c)(3), it has given me an opportunity to forge relationships with the Fairmount Park staff and to become involved with the inner workings of the Fairmount Park system. As a member of the Friends of East Park and being greatly influenced by my mentor, Ms. Floyd Dotson, she urged us to get involved and get active. We went on to 194 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 have the Friends of East Park lease the 33rd and Diamond Street -- or I should say 33rd and Oxford Street driving range, golf driving range, from the Fairmount Park and the City of Philadelphia. So we had a lease agreement that ran for approximately six or seven years until they decided to put the lease -- their driving range up for new contracting and RFP. So we no longer have that lease. But in the interim, I have been involved with the Fairmount -- or I should say the Mander Advisory Council, the 33rd and Diamond Street Rec Center, which oversaw the recreation and sports programming for the Mander Recreation Center, and our council's long persistence eventually was rewarded with a swimming pool being placed there at that Mander -- at the Mander Recreation Center during the Rendell Administration. And it was like a ten-year endeavor, but we were successful and persistent. So that pool was one of the first pools that 195 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 had been placed, a new pool, in that part of the City in many years. I was also a past Treasurer of the John Coltrane Society, which is now abolished. If anyone is familiar with the jazz music, John Coltrane House was on 33rd and Oxford Street, and cousin Mary, which was his cousin, was very active in keeping that legacy ongoing.
To continue, I'm also an active committee person at 33rd and Oxford Street and have been for over years. I'm working with the 17 Philadelphia Horticultural Society with 18 the land care, the vacant land care 19 initiative, and we have been charged with 20 cleaning and maintaining 100 lots for 2009. I'm also a Board member of the Astoria Mansion Community Development Council, and we're actively involved with currently having development of 25 housing units in the very near future. 196 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 And these are just some of the qualifications that I bring to the table, and hope I am strongly considered to be a candidate for this Commission. And I want to thank you for your time.
You're very welcome. Thank you for your testimony. Good afternoon.
Good afternoon. My name is Patrick Lamb. First, I'd like to thank you for the opportunity to testify today, Madam Chairman and Councilman Clarke. I applied for the position on the Commission on Parks and Recreation because I believe that my 34 years of experience in building and maintaining recreational facilities, as well as directing special events for the City would contribute to the Commission's goals. In addition, as a member of Philadelphia Parks Alliance and the Friends of Gorgas Park, I continue my 197 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 strong commitment to our parks and recreation centers as critical factors in promoting community economic development. When the maintenance departments of Fairmount Park and Recreation are combined, personnel and equipment will have to be reassigned, and some maintenance facilities may have to be abandoned. Neither department has the number of maintenance personnel it needs. Therefore, it is extremely important that the decisions made concerning maintenance operations meet strategic goals. Of course, these decisions will be made by the Parks and Recreation Commissioner, but I believe the Commission can play an important role in advising him on these matters. My service in the Recreation Department also included years 22 supervising the Department's Special 23 Events Unit. Both Fairmount Park and the 24 Recreation Department are involved in supporting special events. When both 198 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 departments are combined, a special events policy for the combined department will have to be developed. The current policy requiring that the City's costs for special events be borne by the event's sponsor is workable for small events. However, for large events, such as the Mummers Parade, the Bike Race and the Broad Street Run, City funding has been decreased and an alternate sponsorship must be identified. If appointed to the Commission, I can contribute my years of experience in working with the leaders of these events, as well as community groups to build consensus, to recommend strategic initiatives to sustain, support and expand special events. Thank you for your attention to my testimony today. I am happy to answer any questions.
Thank you very, very much. Good afternoon, sir. 199 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057
Good afternoon. It looks like you and I are sticking it out.
My name is Robert Lipschutz and I'm addressing this testimony to Chairwoman Reynolds Brown and to the absent members who are not here. Oh, there's Darrell Clarke in the back. I'm offering myself as a candidate for the Commission on Parks and Recreation to represent, quote, "the over 70," end of quote, voters and taxpayers and because I am now semi-retired with the time, energy and qualifications to do the job. I have been a general contractor for more than 50 years. I was responsible for the architectural design, development and construction of the Philadelphia Aquarama, the Embassy Suites and the L.S.G. Sky Chefs Building at 200 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 Philadelphia International Airport. I have also been involved closely with land acquisition and construction of five Federation Senior Citizen Housing buildings. Other projects are listed on the attached brochure. I submitted one brochure to you. Of late, I have been a consultant to the construction industry. I could bring to the Parks and Recreation Commission extensive overnight camping experience. For example, I have been involved for 60 years at Camp Reeta and Arthur as a camper, counselor, specialist in pioneering and nature studies and ultimately President of the Camp Board of Directors, a volunteer position. The above has given me experience in watershed management -- I have battled the flooding Perkiomen many times -- preservation of green space and natural habitats. I am an ardent supporter of pragmatic sustainability in all areas of our city. My years in general contracting 201 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 and consulting have allowed me to develop a knowledge of assessment and valuation of properties, as well as the machinations in acquiring them. I have no personal holdings in any lands or properties that might influence or affect my judgment. Since I was a boy, I have enjoyed the many pleasures of Fairmount Park, as a scout, cyclist and supporter of the Dell, the Mann Music Center and the Playhouse in the Park. I would like my grandchildren to be able to experience the Park and other green spaces as I have. My years of working as President of a major synagogue, of the camps and of Federation Housing have honed my fundraising skills. I would happily put them to use in the services of this Commission. In fact, I offer you all of my skills and experiences, plus the knowledge that I owe no one any favor. 202 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 Thank you.
Thank you very much, gentlemen. You have distinguished yourself. Yesterday our youngest candidate was 21. So now we can factually say that we have candidates everywhere from to 70. 10
Mark LaVelle, Andrew Lofton, Von Love, Reed Lyons, Elizabeth Milroy, Jennifer Nagle, Michael Walker and Anthony Waskie. (Witnesses approached witness table.)
You're welcome to take the witness seats, and the rest of you may sit in the black chairs behind the witness table. If you have testimony, we'd love to have that. Okay. We'll start to my extreme left. Please. MR. LaVELLE: Thank you, ma'am. I just wanted to start off by saying it's an honor and privilege to sit in front of you and be able to lend my experience to you. My name is Mark LaVelle and I'm 35 years old and I live in the River Ward area. And don't hold this next sentence against me, but I'm employed by the Philadelphia Parking Authority. So hopefully the people don't get tickets outside here. 204 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 I'm applying for this opportunity for this volunteer program, and I stress the volunteer program because in the River Ward area, we have the Penn Praxis, which is going to be developing along the riverfront. And I have the full backing of between Fishtown, Kensington, Port Richmond, as far up as Bridesburg of volunteers. I have over 300 signatures of committed volunteers, which will further if I get elected to this position, and even if I don't, are willing to join in this program. I know I'll be an outstanding member of the Committee because of my deep passion for the Parks and Recreation in the City of Philadelphia, which I frequently use as Director of many sports leagues and tournaments. I'm also a volunteer football, soccer, basketball and baseball coach in the River Wards area, which I work with many youth in the area, encourage them through sports to 205 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 achieve their best and respect themselves and others. I have many ideas in fundraising which can help our great city overcome our financial hardships; in particular, with the Recreation Department. I organize a sports tournament every year at three recreation centers in the River Ward; in particular, the Margaret "Peg" McCook Scholarship Fund and Sports Tournament, which over the last ten years helped me raise scholarships in excess of $275,000 for kids entering high school in our area. These kids do not have to participate in the sports program to be eligible. We look on hardships with the area. And not to taking away anything from the children, when we organize these tournaments, they raise close, just on the three-day weekend, they raise close to 37,000 between the three every year. It brings 300 teams not just from the City of Philadelphia. As far 206 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 away as Brooklyn, as far away as Boston, Massachusetts come down every year to play in this tournament, which in turn brings into our great city and vice-versa. The winners of my tournaments I send up there at no cost to them to represent our City of Philadelphia. I'm currently working with all the unions to provide anywhere from lighting from our International Brotherhood of Electric Workers, to fencing from our ironworkers and grounds keeping and the asphalts for us to further our playing conditions. I have many more ideas which are long in detail, and if I am considered for this position, I believe they will succeed in the advancement of our Parks and Recreation and all the goals that we set forward from this day forward. Thank you in advance for your time and consideration. 207 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057
Thank you very, very much. And let the record show we do not discriminate because of where people work. You don't ever have to apologize for that. Thank you.
Madam Chair, members of Council, my name is Elizabeth Milroy. Thank you for this opportunity to explain my interest in serving on the Philadelphia Commission on Parks and Recreation. Thanks to your efforts and Philadelphia's voters, this is a new day for Philadelphia's parks and playgrounds. I appreciate the challenge City Councils now face in crafting a vigorous new department from two departments with very different histories, cultures and mandates. I am the internationally recognized authority on the history of Philadelphia's green spaces. I am a Professor of Art History and American 208 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 Studies at Wesleyan University. I am also a homeowner, voter and taxpayer in Belmont Hills, Lower Merion Township. I earned a doctorate at the University of Pennsylvania, and I have maintained close ties to Philadelphia for over 30 years. I want to serve on the Commission so that I can share my unique, holistic understanding of how Philadelphia works. I teach and write about the past so Philadelphians will enjoy a better and stronger present and future. Friends and colleagues encouraged me to apply to join the Commission. As my reference letters attest, I inspire people to work together even in challenging situations. I share stories and ideas in a way that helps others to see solutions clearly. And I have the abiding devotion of a longtime Park user. I have worked in collaborative facilities planning, personnel management and grants administration. I am a team 209 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 player and consensus builder. I believe that effective advisors are those who know their audience and listen carefully, who understand the context of a particular challenge or opportunity and, most important, who respect the constituents with whom they work to find equitable solutions. I carry no 10 political agenda beyond a concern for the nurturing of Philadelphia's Parks and Recreation facilities. I believe that everyone in the Greater Philadelphia region should be able to enjoy these resources equitably. The new Department of Parks and Recreation will have to manage one of the largest collections of historic sites in the nation. But it is through these places that we come to know ourselves as citizens and neighbors. It is crucial, therefore, that at least one member be familiar with the challenges of historic preservation so she can assist the City in identifying viable new approaches to 210 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 adaptive reuse that respect history while enriching the community. Knowing our history makes our future that much stronger. The resume attached to my application lists my professional and community activities and my qualifications. For your interest, I have enclosed a published essay on parks history with my testimony. Thank you again.
Good afternoon, Madam Chairperson, members of the Committee. My name is Reed Lyons and I'm delighted to be here today in support of my application to serve on the Philadelphia Commission on Parks and Recreation. By combining the Fairmount Park Commission and the Department of Parks 211 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 and Recreation into a single Commission on Parks and Recreation, City government will benefit from a coherent approach to regulating our recreational resources. This Commission requires a sense of vision and leadership to develop resourceful strategies to protect our recreational areas, promote sustainability and make Philadelphia an attractive destination for our citizens, as well as for tourism and private investment. I have spent my professional career forging relationships between the public, private and non-profit spheres in order to incentivize economic and urban development. When these sectors work in tandem, there is boundless possibility. My candidacy for service on the Commission is supported by a unique blend of educational, government, legal and civic experience. As a practicing land use attorney at Blank Rome LLP in the City of Philadelphia, I have extensive 212 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 knowledge in matters pertaining to land development in many Philadelphia neighborhoods. My skills allow me to provide advice on a broad array of subjects impacting the Commission, including real estate acquisition, urban planning, sustainable development and legislative analysis. I have worked on land use and planning issues for a myriad of clients, most recently providing valuable service in connection with City Council's consideration and approval of the proposed American Commerce Center at 1800 Arch Street. In addition to my legal career in the private sector, I provide a committed service in the government and non-profit spheres, affording me the opportunity to examine issues pertinent to the Commission from a multi-faceted vantage point. In 2002, I was awarded a competitive government fellowship with the New York City Urban Fellows program, which combined full-time employment at 213 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 the Neighborhood Development Division of the Department of Small Business Services with a year-long seminar series exploring the complex mechanics of municipal government. Throughout my tenure, I worked to foster economic and community development through partnerships between the public and private sectors. Specifically, I conducted an efficiency analysis to transform New York City's dispersement of federal Community Development Block Grant funds to local development corporations into a merit-based process mandated with standards of accountability. I believe I can bring my ideas from my experience in government to this Commission. By engaging the private sector, the Commission will not only bring significant financial resources into the fold, but will engender a sense of citizen participation, where ideas are vetted in an open and transparent forum. 214 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 My active involvement in non-profit organizations such as Operation Understanding demonstrates a commitment to building bridges between various constituencies in the Philadelphia community. As an alumnus and Co-Chair of the Operation Understanding Young Friends' fundraiser, I have experienced addressing the challenges of raising money in uncertain economic times. Operation Understanding is a non-profit organization committed to promoting diversity and cross-cultural dialogue between the African American and Jewish communities in the City of Philadelphia and subsists entirely through fundraising. It will be incumbent on the Commission to seek alternative means of securing financial assistance for our Parks and Recreation system. I am eager to use my experiences to assist the Commission in meeting this difficult challenge. Notwithstanding my academic and 215 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES.
090057 professional qualification, I am fervently committed to the City of Philadelphia. I am a lifelong resident of the City of Philadelphia, the son of two Philadelphia School District teachers and a graduate of George Washington High School and the University of Pennsylvania. This city is blessed with a vast and rich portfolio of recreational space that can be marketed and used to position the City for great success in the 21st century. I believe that I will bring a sense of energy and innovation to the Commission. My passion and commitment to the City of Philadelphia will translate into being a passionate and committed advocate on behalf of the Commission. I bring to the table a fresh voice, embodying a new generation of Philadelphians eager to serve in municipal government. I would like to thank you for the opportunity and for your 216 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 consideration of my application. I would be happy to answer any of your questions.
Thank you all very, very, very much. Thank you very much. Jennifer Nagle -- please be seated. Michael Walker, Anthony Waskie. And if there's anyone else who would care to testify, you're certainly welcome to come to the witness table. (Witnesses approached witness table.)
Okay. If you could state your name for the record. Please, sir, we'll be sure to take that. So if you could please state 217 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 your name for the record and we'd be happy to get started.
Good afternoon, Madam Chairperson, members of the Committee. My name is Andrew Zellers-Frederick, and I first must admit that I am in awe of the vast talent --
Andrew Zellers-Frederick. It's the very last one. They were fitting me in today.
Not a problem. I just want to make sure I have you on my sheet.
And I'll have my testimony. I'll be able to bring it over tomorrow.
Okay. Terrific. Just for my record here, please spell your last name for me.
Terrific. 218 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 Okay. Proceed.
I just wanted to admit that I am really in awe of the vast talent, passion and expertise that was in this room today. I really appreciate the opportunity to participate in this process. I am currently the Executive Director of the Masonic Library and Museum of Pennsylvania, the national historic landmark directly across the street from City Hall. I bring my expertise in the cultural field, including years with the National Park Service, and wholeheartedly offer it today to the City of Philadelphia. I sometimes think that sites that are within Fairmount Park are overlooked when our other treasures in the City, like Independence Hall, are highlighted to the world. I believe these sites and our related natural and recreational resources need to be strongly promoted to our schools, and 219 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 they also will serve as a major magnet to attract visitors and new residents to Philadelphia to help our current economic status. As a lifelong resident of the area and as an individual who has worked within the boundaries of Fairmount Park, for years I was the Executive Director 10 of Historic Rittenhouse Town in the 11 northwest where I helped transform a 12 previously neglected site into an asset 13 for the City. I am, therefore, very 14 familiar and experienced with the 15 logistical operations of Fairmount Park 16 and its historic and natural value to the 17 citizens of Philadelphia and to the region. Fairmount Park is one of the crown jewels of Philadelphia and deserves to be treated as such by all that utilize and benefit from it. As a possible Commissioner, I strongly believe I can bring the necessary expertise on all levels to this volunteer position, 220 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 utilizing every resource currently at Fairmount Park's disposal and many more that can be developed. I believe I have the professional contacts that would be a great benefit to Fairmount Park, as well as the experience with the agencies' professional staff, which, again, I worked with for years. 10 I advocate the necessity of 11 beginning a major campaign to make all 12 the region's citizens aware of the 13 quality of life that Fairmount Park 14 brings to enrich this region and the City 15 of Philadelphia, and the tremendous loss 16 we would suffer if we did not have it. 17 We truly have a prize which the majority of communities throughout the world can only dream of, and it deserves to be treated as such. As a possible Commissioner, I know I can bring this appreciation and the needed expertise to further foster this feeling. From working for more than a 221 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 quarter century in the region's cultural community, I know the ways to successfully function with strained and limited funding and other resources which would benefit this position. Over my tenure, I have accomplished more with less, and I know I can do the same if selected. I have really not much to add, with everybody else that was here today, but to thank you for this time, and I really commend you for the difficult decisions that you're going to have to make in the near future. So thank you very much.
You're very welcome. We'll take that. Good afternoon.
Good afternoon. Thank you for remaining to the bitter end. Anthony Waskie. I'm a resident of Philadelphia, a Professor of History and Languages at Temple University, and I believe I possess a range of skills and 222 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 background, experiences and qualifications that could benefit, I feel, the Commission and the utilization of the park -- better utilization of the park and recreational facilities. Forty-year educator on all levels of education, from kindergarten to graduate study. I have experience in foreign languages, language teaching, cultures and peoples. I was a participant in athletics, both as an athlete myself and -- in years past -- and coaching, both in scholastic level and also on the community level in several different sports. Advisor to student and community groups, organizations, event planning, community service projects and especially fundraising projects. So I'm a member of many Boards of Directors of several non-profit, historical, educational, military and preservation groups and societies with fundraising experience. I'm a historian with specialization in Philadelphia history, 223 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 particularly Civil War history, out of which sprang Fairmount Park, and the history of city organizations. I've authored books, other works, articles and presentations on these subjects. And I have extensive experience in tourism and tourism management, founded a tour company, historic tour company, here in Philadelphia, History and Mystery Tours of Philadelphia. Tour guiding, creating tours, research and development of historical tours in the past. I have also done many, many, many tours of historic Fairmount Park and other historic sites in the City, bringing in groups from all over, particularly with the Civil War bent, and they were marveled at the various opportunities available coming to Philadelphia and particularly the parks and recreational centers. I just wanted to briefly cite some of the organizations that I've been associated with over the years. The 224 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 Board of Friends of Laurel Hill Cemetery, where I am also a historian and author of a guide in history of Laurel Hill; the General Meade Society of Philadelphia, Founder and President; the Meade Educational and Scholarship Foundation which we've generated that raises funds for scholarships. We've adopted the General Meade School here in Philadelphia, 18th and Oxford, providing them with funding, with books, with programs and so on. The Civil War and Emancipation Studies program at Temple; the Gettysburg Battlefield Preservation Association; the Grand Army of the Republican Civil War Museum and Library in the Frankford section of Philadelphia, where I serve as Vice-President and Museum Historian; the Octavius V. Catto Society, and we use one of the recreational facilities at 6th and Lombard called Star Garden for a ceremony and presentation each year to honor that famous Civil War and civil rights hero of 225 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 Philadelphia, Octavius Catto; Friends of Penn Treaty Park and many others. My theme would be to bring and promote the history of Fairmount Park and the recreational facilities and make that better known. " And I see that researching and capturing and making available the rich history of the sites within the Park, the monumentation, the buildings and the training sites and so on, the centennial sites, would promote visitation. I would like to publicize it and work on publicizing it -- I've been doing this with many of these organizations for many years -- what is available, create history walking tours with signage, brochures, audio and visual access to show people what is available and what can be had, what can be done. Organize educational tours on a regular basis, historical events to draw visitation to 226 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES.
090057 sites and educate the public, and also create fundraising activities, of which I'm quite familiar, by the way, having been involved in some of these Boards over the years, to fund the events, educational and recreational activities for all. So my whole emphasis is going to be on emphasizing, bringing forth, promoting the history of these sites that are little known, little appreciated and certainly a need to be better known and made known. Thank you very much.
Thank you, and thank you for your perspective in terms of what you bring. Good afternoon.
Good afternoon, Councilwoman Reynolds Brown and Councilman Clarke and to my audience. Thanks for sticking around. It's been a wonderful afternoon to hear everyone's credentials and what 227 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 they would love to bring to the Park. I'm very excited to be here. This is an amazing experience for me, and what a wonderful place to be in, where laws are made and policies and decisions are discussed for residents like me, residents of Philadelphia. I'm one of 250 candidates --
Sorry about that. I got a little ahead of myself. I'm one of only 250 applicants, and what a wonderful testament that is to the change that will only benefit our Parks and Recreation system. I've worked with the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau for six years. My primary focus is marketing Philadelphia as a sports destination. This means filling hotel 228 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 rooms and driving visitor spending. I'm very proud to have the opportunity to work in this area, so much that it creates an economic impact for our region and it creates jobs and maintains jobs in the tourism and hospitality industry. Many of the events I work on place Philadelphia in a national and international spotlight. As for today, our men's NCAA Basketball Tournament, the Army-Navy game, the 2008 Olympic Trials. These are all wonderful events that really place Philadelphia in a very, very special spotlight. I'm privileged to work with our region's leaders on these events. I've worked with the Administration of the Fairmount Park Commission and the Administration of the Department of Recreation, all contributing to help to determine the feasibility of these events for our region. This could be a weekend soccer 229 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 tournament where five playing fields are needed. It could be a professional beach volleyball tour stop gracing Fairmount Park, or it's our 2016 Teen Olympic bid effort, which Philadelphia was one of five candidate cities vying for the 2016 Teen Summer Olympics, which I still have faith in and I believe will happen for our region. Bring on 2026. I will be here. The joy and fulfillment I have for my career is a direct reflection of my 29 years as a resident in South Philadelphia in the Grays Ferry community. I grew up in Philadelphia's Park and Recreation system, from Markward Playground and Schuylkill River Park to Linear Playground, Singer Square and Vare Recreation Center. These are still the closest parks to me today, as I've recently purchased a new home at 29th and Tasker, reinvesting in a neighborhood I grew up in. I believe my investment is an example for young adults. I believe 230 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 similar investments will help make our neighborhoods better every day. This is continuing to grow the vibrancy we need to continue our legacy as a city of great neighborhoods. I think we've had at least ten neighborhoods represented today, and that's been extremely wonderful. There are incredible synergies between the events I have worked on and the impact to our communities. For instance, visiting Athletic Rec at 26th and Masters with USA boxing Olympians and Olympic hopefuls, donating gymnastics equipment after the Olympic Trials to Vare Recreation Center, participating in fundraising and planning efforts to support 2,500 students from the School District to attend the Army-Navy game for the past five years. These experiences are life-altering for an inner city child, and the excitement on their faces when you see them and they're part of these opportunities, it's overwhelming. 231 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 We need to continue to provide meaningful, educational and memorable influences for everyone. I'm here today as a candidate. It's been especially a wonderful, wonderful experience, again, listening to 49 folks throughout the afternoon, all with wonderfully great credentials. But I am here as a candidate. I'm here to advocate for youth. And I'm a young adult who works, lives, plays and is ready to serve in Philadelphia. I want to contribute to the many opportunities for growth that there are within our Parks and Recreation system. I believe I am called to further expand my role by entering into public service, and I want to do this by being a member of the new Commission on Parks and Recreation. And if I'm selected to serve, I would be honored to implement the goals and aspirations of our Park and Recreation system.
Thank you very much and thanks 232 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 for sticking around, again.
No. I just want to thank -- is this the last group? I just want to thank everyone, although you are not within earshot of all wonderful applicants that we've had today, and we look forward to day three. Thank you so much for coming in.
Let me close by saying that I agree with you 2,000 percent. We did have an extraordinary reach of wonderful candidates, and of the 54 that were scheduled to appear, 44 did appear and offer their testimony. So we thank you for your interest in this important mission. The City Council Committee on Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs is recessed until March the 24th at 2:00 233 3/19/09 - PARKS - RES. 090057 p.m. Thank you very much. (Committee on Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs recessed at 4:55 p.m.) - - - 234 CERTIFICATE I HEREBY CERTIFY that the proceedings, evidence and objections are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by me upon the foregoing matter on March 19, 2009, and that this is a true and correct transcript of same. ______________________________ MICHELE L. MURPHY RPR-Notary Public (The foregoing certification of this transcript does not apply to any reproduction of the same by any means, unless under the direct control and/or supervision of the certifying reporter.)