Not Just Equipment

Allentown Faith leaders and Residents win a $50,000 commitment to Franklin Park

Last Wednesday, 75 residents, teens, and parents, and faith leaders from Center City Allentown as part of Congregations United for Neighborhood Action (CUNA) rallied at St. Stephen Outreach Center at a meeting with Allentown Parks and Recreation Director Greg Weitzel to secure $50,000 in new playground equipment for Franklin Park.

"It's not just playground equipment," Reverend Maritza exclaimed as meeting participants waived posters reading the same sentiment in the air. "It's a message of hope in a city that needs it."
Last December, Director Weitzel shared with Reverend Maritza the possibility of the city obtaining funds to remove the existing playground play structure and replace it with new equipment.  Wanting to secure these funds and make a case for future investments CUNA leaders, residents, teens, organizing Wednesday's meeting to make it loud and clear to the Department of Parks and Recreation that the investment would be well worth it.

Guadalupe Mella, Allentown mother of 3, shared in a moving testimony that this couldn't come at a better time. "It would mean so much to not only my kids but all kids in the area and struggling moms like me to have a safe park in walking distance."
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Anthony Archilla, a 21 year old of Allentown,  and member of the Allentown B-Boys a break dancing crew who practice in Franklin Park and St. Stephen Outreach Center, shared his experience from two months ago when waiting for his b-boys to arrive for practice he was jumped by 20 teens.  "I was hurt and angry but we can't let the violence win."  In his moving testimonial, Anthony shared that he is not giving in or giving up and that he wants to challenge the Allentown Parks Department to do the same.

A portion of the evening was a research report, in which meeting organizers told the story of Franklin Park, how it started as Franklin Elementary School.  In the 1960's the school was shut down and razed, leaving a large open space.  For close to 50 years the space sat underutilized housing only the remnant play structures associated with the elementary school.  Around 15 years ago new playground equipment was installed.  As it stands now the equipment is some of the oldest in the city of Allentown, with some portions simply boarded up due broken features and unsafe playing conditions.  Yet despite the condition Franklin Park is cherished by the surrounding community and used by hundreds of children and families daily.

Upon the completion of the research report, Esteban, another member of the B-Boys commented that everyone in this city as a child or teen had drugs, gangs, and bad choices offered to them but there were adults, resources, and activities that provided most of us an alternative so we didn't go down that path.  Esteban then challenged the city officials and the residents gathered to make the right decisions that children and teens of today would have the same resources, activities, and positive influences so they too can make the right decisions.  He concluded that we can start by securing the funds for the playground.

Following the presentations, Director Weitzel committed that the funds would be secured for Franklin Park.  "Right now we have $50,000 allocated towards the project."  He then explained that after seeing such a large community presence at the meeting that he would work to secure more for Franklin Park.  "We're excited and hopefully we can find more dollars to do more improvements."

Wrapping the evening up, Reverend Maritza explained the importance of this effort.  "The good things and the bad things all happen in that park. Now there is a plan to clean up the park and make it a beacon of hope for the future. The Lord has bestowed us with a wonderful gift from the city of Allentown." Reverend Maritza added, "It is hope, it is vision and it is joy. This will be an attractive place in the neighborhood and give kids a place to exercise."

Next Steps

• The department of Parks and Recreation agreed to invest $50,000 in new playground equipment; they also agreed to use the long term vision and recommended renovations for future park improvements such as: Refurbished Pavilion with new concrete surface and moving the existing flower boxes to a location more ideal for the community garden.
• The department of Parks and Recreation agreed to partner with CUNA in both the removal and installation of new equipment by organizing both a closing ceremony for the outgoing equipment and a ribbon cutting for the new equipment.  City officials shared that the outgoing equipment will be re-purposed and sent to Haiti for a playground there.