Local Government TV

Wednesday, June 26, 2019

Vandalism Prompts A’town to Close Park Restrooms

From Allentown: Effective Saturday, June 29, the City of Allentown Department of Parks & Recreation will be closing several park restroom facilities due to a heightened level of vandalism incidents over the past several weeks.

 

The damage assessment includes broken toilet fixtures; paper towel and soap dispensers ripped off walls; electrical outlets destroyed; trash cans emptied; locked doors pried open and graffiti sprayed throughout the facilities.

 

Restroom facilities at Canal, Jordan, Keck, Percy Ruhe, Roosevelt, and Trout Creek West parks will be locked to the public unless a permitted usage is scheduled.

 

To assist in addressing vandalism issues, park users who witness acts of vandalism in progress are encouraged to report them by calling the Allentown Police Department Non -Emergency number at 610-437-7751 or using the Allentown 311 Quick Reporter App. The Allentown 311 Quick Reporter App allows park users to submit the location, description and pictures of vandalism that has occurred. This information is key to assisting the city track trends and proactively address issues as needed.

28 comments:

  1. Will the last person to leave Allentown please turn off the lights.

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  2. Maybe it was miss Mayor and crew that ripped the toilets from the structure!

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  3. This is a why we can't have nice things. It is the curse of Fed Ed that will haunt the A-hole city.

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  4. Allentown is dying city get out now if you can

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  5. The only question is how badly will the continuing decline of Allentown hurt the rest of the Lehigh Valley.

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  6. Those in the know know that Allentown’s parks, it’s last great asset, have been neglected since the beginning of the criminal Pawlowski administration.
    It’s only going to go downhill from here.
    It’s worse than most people imagine.

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  7. A 27% tax increase and this 'Old Fart' of a Mayor decides to close the restrooms.Now what, people have to whiz in the open risking an open lewdness arrest.Welcome to the 3rd. World

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  8. The discarded diaper alone are a significant problem in these parks.
    Why aren’t cameras being deployed at these sites?
    The low lifes know what everyone who goes to the parks does. The parks are patrolled rarely when they are patrolled at all.
    The worse things get in center city. and things are getting worse in and around the NIZ, the less the parks are patrolled.
    As it stands South Allentown often has not a single patrol car.
    It’s a well known secret.

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  9. Allentown is a one-party town. It has the kind of city via the elected leaders that is has repeatedly voted for. Please enjoy.

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  10. Maybe it wasn't vandalism.

    Pressure build-up from discarded plastic straws?

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  11. Why not put cameras in every stall.

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  12. Reasons for vandalism include boredom, anger, racial and ethnic tensions, socioeconomic disparity and personal issues. Vandalism occurs in suburban and urban areas, and is committed by males and females. Vandalism is most common among teenagers, with the highest rates reported among high school students between the ages of 13 and 14. Another cause for vandalism can be drunkenness and being in la la land because of being high

    So I infer in Allentown that most of the parks restrooms which were located in buildings that were south of Downtown , North of Downtown , East of Downtown will be closed... That is indeed a sad state of affairs because of this foolish behavior exhibited by these so-called outstanding Allentown citizens whoever they are …

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  13. Old white men on the rampage.
    I blame patriarchy.

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  14. MLK Pool never recovered.

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  15. White privilege is responsible, as always.

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  16. There is no question it is the old white men causing all this damage. Before old white men took over the streets of Allentown things were nice. The parks were clean then all the old white men from NJ and NY and other areas moved in and the city has gone to Hell.

    I blame Mayor Dadonna for encouraging the conversion of single family homes into mass cheap apartments to house all these e old whiet men.

    Sad time in A-town. White male privilege is indeed a curse.

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  17. Old white men. Who needs them.

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  18. Using toilets to relieve oneself is passe.

    Sincerely,
    San Francisco

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  19. By closing the restrooms, the city will have visitors using park grounds for their private business.

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  20. Where are those super council members? Why don't they help?

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  21. Anonymous said...
    Those in the know know that Allentown’s parks, it’s last great asset, have been neglected since the beginning of the criminal Pawlowski administration.
    It’s only going to go downhill from here.
    It’s worse than most people imagine.

    June 26, 2019 at 6:11 PM

    Thank you for writing this. All folks have to do is check out the destruction of "the Parkway's" entrance. Now renamed "Ode to Sewage City." Chain link fences. Above ground sewer lines. Roads cut through once park grasses. Water storage buildings where once beautiful grasses hillsides welcomed visitors. Ironically, there even signs "No Picnic Tables." Of course not. Who ever thought this was a park! Who at city hall is proud of this project! And where are the geese? One day they're at the water edge. Next gone. How?

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  22. will O'Connell do any thing to help this so called democratic controlled city?

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  23. As it stands South Allentown often has not a single patrol car.
    It’s a well known secret.

    June 26, 2019 at 6:50 PM

    Mack Blvd. Vehicles 50 mph on that long stretch of emptiness. Never a patrol car in sight.

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  24. I support this policy. I hope that APD can formulate a plan to proactively address the dirt bike gangs that are taking over the City's streets. This is a very scary issue and hopefully its just seasonal. The dirt bike gangs are reckless, lawless and defiant. They are intimidating to everyday law abiding citizens.

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  25. Maybe Allentown will turn into San Francisco where the potty squad is out daily cleaning the feces from the street.

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  26. Agree with 7:46: Old white men street thugs are riding up an down Allentown streets, They weave in and out of traffic on bikes, Dirt bikes and even atv's. They actually play chicken with cars. They will surround a vehicle and kick at it. Woe to the poor driver that bumps one and has to stop. They will be dead. The old white men have taken over Tilghman street an dare expanding across the city.

    Old White men, who needs them!

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  27. This why we can't have anything nice anymore in our parks because of stupid people that have nothing better to do with themselves or think its cool to vandalize public property. I bet they would not like it if someone vandalized there property. NOW its off limits to LAW abiding people that actually care & think the restrooms where good to have open wile on walks. But someone always has to ruin it for everyone else.

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