(March 20, 2007)GLOUCESTER CITY NJ--I have read with dismay what sounds like the death knell for the Fort Nassau Playground. I think that to withdraw or diminish support for the operation and productive enjoyment of this gift to the City's children from its citizens would be a tragedy.
One can almost see a tear in the eyes of folks who have written letters about this, and I share their feelings. I felt the same way when the City was "forced" to abandon the bus shelter at Broadway and Market Street.
And, I guess our experience with that one made us give up on the idea of placing any at the City's other main bus stop at Broadway and Monmouth Street.
Other towns, including Camden, have these bus shelters at major stops. How welcome they are on inclement days, or just as a place to take a load off for a few minutes.
Philly has two shelters – one for NJT and one for SEPTA – at every corner on East Market Street.
And, anyone who's seen the joy on the youngsters' faces when they play at our fine playground has no doubts as to its value. I saw that look when my grandkids played there.
I think I understand the reasons for abandoning these simple civic amenities: the money it costs for constant repairs due to vandalism, and utter frustration at not being able to fix them as quickly as they can be destroyed.
Urbanite Jane Jacobs had an idea that Rudy Giuliani picked up on that was credited with the reduction in crime in New York City – the "broken window" theory.
The idea is that if a broken window shows up on the front of a house, it sticks out like a sore thumb if it goes un-repaired, and casts a pall over the whole street that says "I don't care" to anyone passing by. Then someone throws a rock through another window in the house and that goes un-repaired, then the neighbors decide not to fix their broken windows either, then rocks start to be thrown through more windows and then the rock-throwers start climbing in through the holes, and so on.
We should be selective, because we can't keep on top of all of it all the time. A small pot of money should be there to protect a small handful of things around which we've simply drawn a line in the sand that says: "Not Here."
I would start with replacing the bus shelter and fixing the new playground. Each and every morning, someone from the highway department could check these two sites, and any damage to them would be fixed immediately.
The police might run an extra patrol or two past Fort Nassau in between visits to the Budget Inn.
By picking achievable goals, then funding and manning them appropriately, we might create a starting point from which to move on from that first broken window.
Stephen N. Roche, Gloucester City
NOTE: Mr. Roche died on December 13, 2013 see here
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LETTERS/FT. NASSAU PLAYGROUND VALUABLE
Posted here on March 20, 2007
(March 20, 2007)GLOUCESTER CITY NJ--I have read with dismay what sounds like the death knell for the Fort Nassau Playground. I think that to withdraw or diminish support for the operation and productive enjoyment of this gift to the City's children from its citizens would be a tragedy.
One can almost see a tear in the eyes of folks who have written letters about this, and I share their feelings. I felt the same way when the City was "forced" to abandon the bus shelter at Broadway and Market Street.
the Fort Nassau Playground. I think that to withdraw or diminish support for the operation and productive enjoyment of this gift to the City's children from its citizens would be a tragedy.