September 14, 2006 Issue
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Classified Chestnut Hill Local Online Editor Don't Miss an Issue, Tell us what you see or ©2006 Chestnut Hill Local Winner of One |
From our readersRecalling Karl Thanks so much to Len Lear for the article he wrote about Karl Strandberg. My heart sank when I saw Karl’s obituary in the Inquirer. Recently I’d been asking friends if they had heard from him. I’d had an urge to hang out and chat with Karl as I’d do every so often when I was working for the CHCA. I’d see that he was burning the midnight oil, as Len mentioned, and I’d sit with him and chew the fat a bit. I loved those chats with Karl because he knew a lot and had a grounded perspective on the many issues we faced in the news business and in life in general. It was especially nice to watch Karl glow when the subject of his grandchildren came up. I’ll think often of the times I’ve spent with Karl. I’ll miss him and wish I had one more time, one more chat.
Marie Lachat Nuturing evolution We started with a card table. Nineteen years ago there were no picnic tables or benches on the hill. I brought a card table each morning and took it home each evening. We stood around this table, using binoculars to identify and count migrating raptors and recorded this information for the Hawk Migration Association of North America. That was the beginning of the Militia Hill Hawk Watch. Over the years the park gave us picnic tables. We appeared on the news and were discussed on the radio. Two national magazines wrote about us and there have been many newspaper articles. This publicity brought more people to the park and it qualified for a year-round heated bathroom to replace the pit-toilets (we do not miss the smell). Meanwhile, the trees around us grew taller. We have watched children grow up, and sadly, some of our group have passed away. Some families felt that their loved ones had enjoyed the park so much that they asked that memorial donations be sent to the Hawk Watch. With these funds we contributed to a drinking fountain, installed a number of benches with memorial plaques and built a mini-pavilion that meets the requirements for the American Disability Act. And all around us the trees have grown taller. In 1995 we raised $8,000 towards the construction of the original deck. At that time, we put in the butterfly garden and the bird feeders. These proved to be a great addition to the park. This outdoor classroom is a meeting place used year round; a place to sit with dry feet in winter weather and a place from which to photograph birds and butterflies. A group of us gather here who love being outside in the natural environment. We study everything: birds, butterflies, mushrooms, amphibians, trees, flowers, moths and other insects. If someone has a question we look up the answer in our many reference books. For two months each year we have conducted an unofficial mini-environmental learning center. And we watch the trees as they grow taller. Many members of the group form the core of a strong volunteer base for the park. On work days we have done everything from removing staples from the picnic tables to removing nettles from the edge of the butterfly garden. We work hard and feel proud of our flower beds, painted signs, clean parking lot and many other accomplishments. The last three years the number of migrating raptors we have been able to record has been affected by the trees growing taller all around us. This year the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has felt that what we have achieved is valuable enough to support. They have constructed a new observation deck, 12 feet higher than the original deck. Now we will look over some of the trees and benefit from a less obstructed view of the sky. I’m tremendously gratified when I see how far we have come from that original card table. Marylea Klauder |
