Parks charter change: Fixing a broken system

Lauren Bornfriend and Alexander "Pete" Hoskins are, respectively, executive director and president of the Philadelphia Parks Alliance

Next week, the voters of Philadelphia will have an opportunity to fundamentally reform the city's parks and merge Fairmount Park and the Department of Recreation.

The proposed charter change on the ballot Tuesday is about increased accountability and transparency, more public input, better management and, ultimately, cleaner, greener, safer parks and recreation. It's about the revitalization of our neighborhoods, the economic development of our city and the health of our citizens. It's about creating better opportunities for our children and establishing a sustainable city.

The Philadelphia Parks Alliance disagrees with suggestions that this referendum is attempting to fix a system that isn't broken. It is broken, and it has been for too long.

Thanks to the heroic work of Philadelphia's parks and recreation staff and the unmatched dedication of volunteers, there are many wonderful parks in our city.

But others are in disrepair and deteriorating. Too many of our playgrounds and ball fields are damaged. And too many of our parks are plagued by vandalism and dumping.

In fact, when citizens recently inspected a third of the city's parks, they found clear evidence of "brokenness" at every site. Rundown and graffiti-covered fences, park buildings and benches were among the problems, as well as invasive species, erosion and inadequate bathrooms.

The bottom line is that the state of our parks is not good enough. We can do better, and the people of Philadelphia deserve better.

That's why, for the last three years, the Philadelphia Parks Alliance has facilitated a vigorous discussion among stakeholders, experts, citizens and government officials about how to make the parks better. Now it is time to act.

What will charter change do? With the current park commission, land deals involving parks are ad hoc, often with little or no public input. A newly established Parks and Recreation Commission would, for the first time ever, establish guidelines for parkland protection, including acquisition, lease, sale and development of land and resources - with more consideration of public input and best practices.

With this charter change, park commissioners no longer would be appointed by a panel of judges in private. There would be an open process, with public hearings, for nominating qualified candidates. The mayor would make final appointments and be held accountable for his choices, as well as for the condition of the parks in general.

The majority of U.S. cities have combined parks and recreation departments, many with assets similar to those in Philadelphia.

Despite the dedication of many park commissioners, Fairmount Park's "independent" status has cost it dearly. The park's budget has been flat for decades, while the combined budget of every other city department has risen.

In June, Mayor Nutter and City Council approved the largest increase in park funding in decades - a significant first step toward reversing the trend of marginalizing Fairmount Park.

With the charter change and a reformed department, funders and potential partners who have been unwilling to invest in the current system would be more likely to collaborate. A combined system also would be more likely to attract top talent.

Nutter has made this issue a priority, committing to streamlining parks and recreation management and to making Philadelphia the nation's greenest city. There is much work to be done, and the alliance and its constituents will hold Nutter and future mayors accountable.

The need for a reformed parks and recreation system in Philadelphia is greater than ever.