Council panel holds rare recess hearing
By Jeff Shields
Philly.com, September 1, 2009
City Council held its first hearing of the summer recess today, as a joint committee on the Environment and Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs heard testimony about the possibilities of irrigating city ball fields using captured rainwater.
Councilman Jim Kenney sponsored legislation in April to investigate the feasibility of using technology that would cut down on expensive sprinkler systems and help the city manage storm water that drains from paved streets and into the city's sewer system. Kenney provided aerial photos of 14 fields that are a mess by mid-summer.
œOur residents, especially our youth, deserve to have properly maintained fields for recreational purposes, Kenney said in a press release before the hearing. œUnfortunately, the reality is that many of our fields turn into dust bowls mid-way through the season. By effectively using storm water, we have the opportunity to improve field conditions and begin looking at creative, cost-saving ways to make significant improvements.
One technology would collect rainwater underground and make it available to grass roots without the need for sprinklers.
After the hearing, Kenney said the next step is understanding the costs and savings of such systems. Asked whether he scheduled the hearing during the Council's three-month recess to show that Council members were actually working during the summer, Kenney smiled.
"No," said Kenney. "I like hearings like this because it brings to the fore ideas that department heads and Council members need to hear."
Also at the hearing were Council members Blondell Reynolds Brown, who co-chairs the joint committee, Curtis Jones Jr., Donna Reed Miller and Frank Rizzo.
Council's first session of the fall is Sept. 17.
Councilman Jim Kenney sponsored legislation in April to investigate the feasibility of using technology that would cut down on expensive sprinkler systems and help the city manage storm water that drains from paved streets and into the city's sewer system. Kenney provided aerial photos of 14 fields that are a mess by mid-summer.
œOur residents, especially our youth, deserve to have properly maintained fields for recreational purposes, Kenney said in a press release before the hearing. œUnfortunately, the reality is that many of our fields turn into dust bowls mid-way through the season. By effectively using storm water, we have the opportunity to improve field conditions and begin looking at creative, cost-saving ways to make significant improvements.
One technology would collect rainwater underground and make it available to grass roots without the need for sprinklers.
After the hearing, Kenney said the next step is understanding the costs and savings of such systems. Asked whether he scheduled the hearing during the Council's three-month recess to show that Council members were actually working during the summer, Kenney smiled.
"No," said Kenney. "I like hearings like this because it brings to the fore ideas that department heads and Council members need to hear."
Also at the hearing were Council members Blondell Reynolds Brown, who co-chairs the joint committee, Curtis Jones Jr., Donna Reed Miller and Frank Rizzo.
Council's first session of the fall is Sept. 17.