Posts Tagged Union Terrace
A New Beauty: Snowfall across the Parks
Posted by Andrew Kleiner in Read this on February 26, 2010
East side Reservoir:
Canal Park
Trout Creek Parkway
Lehigh Parkway
Union Terrace:
Between plants,
in the wilderness
of deep summer,
thick noise in
leaves and branches
Cricket violins,
locust hum,
prancing frantic
mantis dances
on the ground.
Listen,
know the sound.
Today
globe snow and
silence.
cake trees,
iced creeks,
white mutes.
Nature
stranger
under accumulation.
(I stood, cold,
I watched the snow fall.
The world seemed wearied.
I am wearied by this world. )
Snow melt,
freeze,
melt, snow again.
Soon,
a birth of familiar sound-
nature to spring
beginnings
For today,
a new beauty.
For more snow posts:
Secret Union Terrace
Posted by Andrew Kleiner in Uncategorized on February 2, 2010
On June 21st 2009, my brother and I walked deep into secret Union Terrace. I took some pictures and upon saving them to my computer, promptly lost them. Yesterday, as I was making the slide show for youtube, I rediscovered them in a mislabeled folder and today I can finally share that journey with you.
On the Allentown Parks and Recreation map it is considered part of Union Terrace. Thing is, of our many parks, Union Terrace isn’t the wildest. It is a recreational green space created during the W.P.A park expansion projects of the 1930’s. This part of Union Terrace is very different and without a path, boundaries, or even a sign; it is almost a secret.
It certainly isn’t tame.
Here, stumbling around the dense growth of mid summer, the truest beauty of an ecosystem is revealed. That beauty is succession, and in this section of Union Terrace, it is everywhere.
An important key to that unbelievable process is decomposition, and it was strikingly evident here:
It was hot that afternoon, but the crowded growth felt cool. No asphalt to absorb the heat, nothing paved, no concrete.
Trees, vines, shrubbery, all the eye could see
Hard to believe, I was standing in a city and barely a football field from me was MLK Boulevard. 
The best experiences, the moments worth writing a blog about are in these half hidden places that seem to glow with the ability to extend the consciousness, even for a brief second.
You can get lost in less than two city blocks, but there is always the reminder that even here, in the thriving succession of an ecosystem, the mark of humanity is never far away.
Park Log Supplemental: After the Thunderstorm
Posted by Andrew Kleiner in Read this on June 16, 2009
Yesterday, it was my intention to document the thunderstorms affects on Cedar Beach Parkway, during the storm. The kitchen in my house flooded (which was awesome) so I had to do damage patrol before I could go. I found some very interesting things.
Cedar Beach Parkway
I arrived to find Cedar Creek filled to the brim.
A close inspection of the surrounding area revealed that there had been a brief flash flood. There were pools of water on the lawn grass and the long grass in the buffer zones was flattened.
It appeared that the reflecting pools, recently emptied, had filled back up before the city intended them to be.
The parking lot next to the picnic tables and across from the pool had also fallen victim to the flash flood.
Union Terrace
During heavy rain events, the streets in the low lying area around the terrace are very flood prone. I found Union Street slightly underwater.
The creek, here too was full. I saw that the city has turned on the fountains in the lake, which are designed to improve circulation and clean the water up a bit.
Lehigh Parkway
Here is where I made a very cool discovery. As I drove into the Parkway, a thick mist was hovering over parts of the creek, the road, and well pretty much everywhere.
I couldn’t figure out why right away. It wasn’t hot enough for the macadam to be letting out enough heat to cause it. I didn’t think the contrast between the surface temperature of the Little Lehigh and the air was great enough to cause it either. I was confused. Until I saw this:
That is a serious accumulation of hail. The melting of which is the cause of the mist. Had I arrived earlier I may have been greeted with a Parkway that looked more like there should have been lights in it than green trees.
There were examples of the erosive power of water everywhere.
The Little Lehigh was as swollen as Cedar Creek.
The mist gave the Parkway a mysterious and beautiful appearance.
So far this June we have had about 200% of the normal precipitation we usually receive on average during the entire month. With a ten day forecast that does not have one day where we will not have the possibility of rainfall, flooding could become a serious issue in the Lehigh Valley this summer. This is of course after we had a nearly seven inch deficit in total precipitation for the year heading into May.
It is very interesting to document the affects of these storms on our parks but it is also the effects of runoff and suburban drainage which swell our creeks much more than they used to be. It will help the flood plains of places like Cedar Beach Parkway when more of the surrounding creek area is reforested. Reforesting helps hold soil, which prevents erosion and creates soil that requires more water so that there is easier absorption.
If the current weather pattern holds for a long time, we could be in some trouble with water this summer.
Allentown Park Log 10: Union Terrace.
Posted by Andrew Kleiner in Uncategorized on June 5, 2009
Union Terrace, now called Dadonna Terrace is an impressive place. A large earthen amphitheater with stone stairs and a stone stage area were built here in the 1930’s as part of the WPA.
A few weeks ago, Movies in the Parks showed Pirates of the Caribbean here. It was a great night and a wonderful example of using a park to make something really interesting and fun happen. It would be great to see more movies or concerts happen here during the summer months. I would love to organize a concert here. (If you’re reading this WDIY, let’s do it!)
The Terrace is a near continuation of Cedar Beach Parkway with Hamilton Boulevard separating the two. A little farther past the terrace is the Lehigh Parkway; DT is almost hidden between the two.
Next to the stage and amphitheater is a large, nearly stagnant pond. 
When I was growing up, during the winter, people used to ice skate here when the weather was cold enough. I don’t believe that happens anymore because of warmer winters and/or safety issues. There are a few metal sculptures on each side of the pond that are reminders of the skating.
Given its location, DT is much more urbanized than its neighbor parks bit even still I was able to see an assortment of animals and wildflowers. 
There were an abundance of a certain type of fish in the pond that I have yet to positively identify. It was nearly black with nearly neon blue markings and a touch of white of its tail and dorsal fin. I couldn’t grab a good picture because of the water.
I hope that as plans for revitalizing our parks move forward that somewhere in the works are plans for increasing the use of Dadonna Terrace. Like I wrote in this post, DT is one of the criminally underused venues here in Allentown and it might be the most unique if not the most beautiful. 
Last nights Movie in The Park
Posted by Andrew Kleiner in Uncategorized on May 16, 2009
I checked out the movie at Union Terrace last night and I have to commend Movies in the Parks and the city of Allentown on a job well done. I also have to give a thank you to the weather gods who provided such a beautiful early summer evening for a night out in the park.
Union Terrace was buzzing with children, families and laughter. The little leaguers who play for UT were out in full force selling glow sticks to help raise money for new jerseys. I felt like a royal ass having no cash on me (stupid debit card)…
The important thing about the movie at Union Terrace last night was the sense of community I felt sitting there on the WPA created amphitheater. I wasn’t around when the plans were drawn up for UT but I can imagine that what occurred there last night might have very well been one of the intentions of the designer.
I look forward to seeing more movies in the parks, and I hope awareness of this wonderful free series of events is raised across the city. Next time, I will make sure to have a couple of paper bills in my pocket, just in case.
