Fellow Lehigh Valley blogger, Michael Molovinsky has long pined for a return to the days of old where the parks are concerned in Allentown. One of the things Molovinsky has wanted to see happen looks like it has. The city has cleared the grass and exposed the old stone walls alongside the spring near the Robin Hood parking lot.
Fair enough.
Thing is, they have allowed for an unimpeded flow of storm water run off from the parking lot to enter this source of water and I recommend that the city allow the grass behind the spring (where it is at an incline) to grow out to serve as a buffer to protect the water. The amount of gravel in and around the spring shows how much such a buffer is needed. (And a proper riparian buffer through the Parkway should really be happening and proper “Grow Zone” management and removing the generators by the spring on the other side of the former trestle bridge and and and and…..)
I think they skimmed some algae while they were at it as well. The algae is from runoff…. yeah, you know the drill.
#1 by michael molovinsky on July 24, 2010 - 10:55 am
andrew, i was unaware that they revealed the stone until reading this post. as you know, my recommendation was only for about 18 inches of buffer cutting on either side of the pond and channel leading to the bridge. the buffer was already intersected by the pond and channel anyway. as far as the gavel runoff from the parking lot, some the area was already mowed because of the disc golf tee-off. i will inspect the site myself and post. there are many miles of stream bank in allentown parks, but only one WPA spring pond with miniature bridge, with no more on the horizon
#2 by michael molovinsky on July 24, 2010 - 11:05 am
andrew, from studying your photo’s let me add this; unless a path is cleared (mowed) from the parking lot to the pond, there would be no access to the feature, and little point of revealing it. perhaps parking lot runoff could be prevented with a small earthen curb.
#3 by Andrew Kleiner on July 24, 2010 - 11:38 am
Hey Michael,
I didn’t mean to infer you wanted to see further environmental destruction, just the stone clearing… My enviro rant in this post is unrelated to your desire for restoration.
At this point, the entire Lehigh Parkway needs an environmental overall — I don’t see it happening with current administration and city players.
#4 by annoymous on July 24, 2010 - 2:53 pm
Oh Andrew!
What News!
Now Please Help Us Get Those Boulders Off The Line of Mature Trees Along Academy Road.
#5 by annoymous on July 24, 2010 - 6:35 pm
Andrew,
You can’t imagine how remarkable this feat is.
That precious little hand laid cut stone bridge has been covered and hidden with weeds at least 10/12 years. Thank you and Mr. Molovinsky for all your care and concern.
#6 by michael molovinsky on July 25, 2010 - 12:52 pm
this morning i inspected the spring pond. it is unclear to me where and when the gravel andrew observed came from. between the gravel parking lot and the spring pond area the old bridle path is now paved. furthermore, there are concrete curb stops on the lot which would prevent most gravel from traveling. the six inches of sod indicate that the pond stones have been covered for a long time. most of the southern or creek side of the pond stones have not been revealed. there are large saplings on that side, and restoration there may not be practical. i plan to contact greg weitzel as to his intentions now for the pond. was it revealed just to accommodate the disc golf portion of sports fest, or does he plan on leaving the public have enjoyment from the feature? i would hope that the grass between the paved path and pond remain mowed; i believe any gravel runoff occurred long ago before the path was paved.