[RP TownTalk] Calvert Park

[Alice Ewen Walker]

I think we may be talking about two parks -- Kira means the one behind the
elementary school that backs up to the river. (I think)

We did a volunteer tree planting project out there on October 16. Public
Works brought a backhoe and removed tons of vines and overgrown brush that
had engulfed several picnic tables and many, many trash cans. (I guess
more cans kept getting added as the vines took over?) It looked pretty good
when we were done, though we did not pick through the woods to remove all
the litter.

I agree, it is demoralizing seeing condoms and other trash in this area, as
well as along the river, and I hope that our town can prevail upon Park and
Planning to do a better job attending to the needs of this
area.  Volunteers have removed car batteries, grocery carts, and all kinds
of crazy stuff during litter clean ups along the river.

That said, the bleak visual picture is not all due to littering. Consider
that most of the garbage you see along the river banks is actually coming
from sewer overflows during heavy rains. The water level gets very high and
can leave trash pretty far up in the tree branches, along the banks, and
everywhere. High rains means our combined sewer systems overflow and dump
untreated sewage (including condoms etc.) into the river. Trash that people
toss into storm grates also ends up here.

That's a pretty sorry situation too, but it may make you feel a little
better knowing that not ALL of the garbage you see is being dumped here
intentionally.

Alice


On 11/27/06, Andrew Farrington <somefool at dvnt.com> wrote:
>
> Kira,  Thanks for posting!
>
> I have not seen Calvert Park in anything but good shape, but then I guess
> I haven't climbed the steps in a few months.
>
> Today I stopped on my way home at the hardware store for graffiti remover,
> and obliterated the ugly three-way race-war from the phone box in front of
> Gepetto's.  I guess I just wanted to brag.  And now I have.  Cleaning up
> condoms sounds like less fun.
>
>   -Andrew Farrington
> 4605 Queensbury Road
>
>
> On Mon, 27 Nov 2006, kira branson wrote:
>
> > I am wondering what can be about the Calvert Park area alongside
> > Riverdale road nearly across from Riverdale Elementary.
> >
> >  Being a nice day I took my lunch from school to the park by the river,
> > something I will not do again anytime soon.  Aside from the trash
> > scattered about, which seems absurd considering the amount of public
> > trash cans, I lost count of the condoms laying about and relationally
> > lost my appetite.
> >
> >  I guess it is a good thing that condoms at least are being used but I
> > doubt the park is an appropriate nor legal venue for these activities.
> >
> >  I know fences, clocks, parades and politics...thoughtfull growth and
> > development topics are part of this community but down past the historic
> > neighborhoods and brick paved sidewalks, around where the surviving
> > feral hens, cocks and other wild things live, there extends the town of
> > Riversdale and even though we haven't entirely figured out how to
> > integrate different cultures and socio-economic groups in Riverdale let
> > alone the world, to ignore the separateness and coincidentally condom
> > refuse is to prevent the wholesome growth and development of this whole
> > community.
> >
> >  What can be done about the nocturnal orgies occurring in the park,
> > should it be a concern for the image of River dale and the healthy
> > living conditions of the people in the surrounding apartments. Is it a
> > reflection of some underlying issue that should be dealt with by our
> > whole community.  In my opinion it is hard for a community to have a
> > healthy self-esteem when it is surrounded by trash reflecting self and
> > communal disrespect.
> >
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