Develop Fairmount Park?

The Inquirer reports today that legislation (Bill #090380) has been introduced in City Council that would amend uses permitted in Recreational Districts (parks, for instance), thereby opening the park up to private development and construction of such things as catering facilities and single family homes on park grounds.

Apparently, the bill, introduced by councilwoman Joan L. Krajewski, was intended to address concerns with the Glen Foerd Mansion on the Delaware. Her spokesman claimed that the bill would be amended to focus on Glen Foerd and a meeting was set for Friday to discuss the bill's problems. The Philadelphia Parks Alliance opposes the bill and states that it "demonstrates the dire need for guidelines for parkland use that was mandated by the park reform Charter referendum passed by the voters last November." A conference center and catering facility smack in the middle of Fairmount Park sounds pretty horrible to us too.

The bill is scheduled to be heard by the Committee of Rules on June 3rd and could potentially be voted on in Council a few days following. A poll on the Inquirer site shows that of 1353 respondents (at the time of this writing), 1297 were against the opening of Fairmount Park to development. Let's just hope that majority takes the time to call their councilperson to voice their opinion.

Image Credit: Flickr user elizabethps.