Capital funds allocated to fix pond problems at Pastorius Park

Posted 10/4/16

by Kevin Dicciani

Work is in the offing for the pond at Pastorius Park after Councilwoman Cindy Bass committed the use of capital funds to address the problems that have plagued it for the past …

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Capital funds allocated to fix pond problems at Pastorius Park

Posted

by Kevin Dicciani

Work is in the offing for the pond at Pastorius Park after Councilwoman Cindy Bass committed the use of capital funds to address the problems that have plagued it for the past 17 years.

Earlier this summer the pond was inundated with a number of issues. Its three circulating pumps, overwhelmed by years of accumulated debris and sediment, were no longer operable. As a result, the pond was filled with stagnant water, inorganic sediment, algae blooms and dead fish.

The park is owned by the City of Philadelphia, although the Friends of Pastorius Park (FoPP), a volunteer, nonprofit organization, has maintained the pond for nearly 15 years. The FoPP said it would not be able to utilize the pumps until the pond was cleaned and dredged, an endeavor that it said it lacked the funds to undertake. To find a solution, then, the FoPP began meeting with the Chestnut Hill Community Association, Parks and Recreation, and the office of 8th District Councilwoman Cindy Bass.

After months of meetings, Councilwoman Bass agreed to use capital funds to pay for the restoration of the pond. The funds will pay for the removal of accumulated debris, sediment and organic matter from the pond, as well as the cost of draining and refilling it. The actual cost has not yet been established.

“The investment was a no-brainer,” Bass said. “Although there are a number of parks and playgrounds throughout the city that need help, we thought that this issue was a relatively quick and easy fix. There was also an incredible amount of support from the community. I’m thrilled we were able to come to a resolution.”

As a regular visitor to Pastorius Park, Bass said she recognized how important it was to restore the pond to health for the sake of both its wildlife and the community at-large.

“I've taken my daughter there, I’ve gone there with my dog for a run, and it’s a special place – and we wanted to keep it special,” Bass said.

Tracy Gardner, president of the FoPP, said her organization was very appreciative of the support of Councilwoman Bass and the support of all the park’s shareholders.

FoPP is immensely grateful for both Councilwoman Bass' strong words of appreciation for Pastorius Park at our recent meeting, and for her even stronger action, committing capital funds to restore the park's pond back to health,” Gardner said.

Gardner said that once the accumulated matter is removed there will be a much greater capacity for clean, oxygenated water in the pond. When that task is completed, she said the FoPP will be able to resume maintaining the pond and operating its three circulating pumps throughout the park's water system, including the stream and moat. The circulation provided by the pumps will help distribute regular anti-algae treatments and suppress mosquitoes.

Parks and Recreation’s consultant and sub-contractor, Princeton Hydro, an ecological and engineering consulting service that specializes in aquatic and terrestrial ecology, will take over the anti-algae treatments in the future. But first the pond’s invasive species, such as koi, goldfish and carp, must be removed, as the algicide treatment is toxic.

Gardner said the FoPP will take on the expense and oversight, under the direction of a local pond specialist, of relocating the fish to a private, creek-fed pond. The remaining wildlife will be relocated to the park's cleaned and water-filled moat area, where it will be fenced off from the public. Once the cleaned pond is refilled, the animals will be returned.

Laura Lucas, president of the Chestnut Hill Community Association, said the CHCA was grateful for Councilwoman Bass’ capital investment and “for her willingness to work with us on issues that affect residential quality-of-life issues.”

“This park is an important neighborhood treasure and affects so many people's lives, from those who come to visit the park for our events, walk their dogs, enjoy a picnic, meet friends or enjoy a quiet moment in one of our most beautiful green spaces,” she said.

Lucas added that the CHCA hopes the restoration of the pond will lead to greater use of the park for weddings and other events, including the Pastorius Park Concert Series.

Moving forward, Gardner said the next steps entail developing a scope of work, obtaining quotes for the work and getting a contract in place with a qualified provider. Even though she said the FoPP will do everything it can to help Parks and Recreation accomplish this, Gardner said it is ultimately the city’s responsibility.

The timing of the restoration remains a concern for the FoPP, Gardner said, adding that fall is the optimal time to do the work, as it will cause the least amount of disruption and disturbance to the park and its wildlife. She hopes the city will be able to complete the work by the end of this year, saying that if they are not able to accomplish this, they risk moving into the next high-usage and concert season.

“Ideally, it should be done this fall, before this year's end,” she said. “If that doesn't happen it really can't be done in the winter, so early spring would be the next opportunity. But that will depend on weather. We really need a relatively dry period to pull this off. Any later than that and we're back in to the high-usage and concert season, and that would be unfortunate.”

Even without a timetable in place, Gardner said the FoPP, as stewards of Pastorius Park, will continue to be committed to ensuring that park-goers have a safe and enjoyable experience every day.

“With the timely cooperation of Parks and Rec and the city, the FoPP hopes to return Pastorius' pond and water system to health for both the wildlife and the public,” she said.

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