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Panel recommends county park improvements
Wednesday, October 25, 2000 By Mark Belko, Post-Gazette Staff Writer
Allegheny County's nine parks are "rough diamonds" that could sparkle with the right polish: more funding, more attention and a new form of management, a study has concluded.
Among its recommendations, the parks and recreation transition committee also is asking the county to consider building a new golf course at Boyce Park, adding new nine-hole courses at North and South parks, and closing the ski slopes at Boyce.
It also believes the county parks should be linked by trails with city parks and other recreational assets; supported more by user fees than tax dollars; and used as an economic development tool to sell the region.
But the committee's chief recommendation was to create a five- to nine-member commission appointed by Chief Executive Jim Roddey to oversee all aspects of the parks, including operations, programming and fundraising.
Right now, the parks system is a "stepsister" of the Public Works Department and suffers as a result, said committee Chairwoman Louise Brown, a former city parks director.
"As a stepsister, it does not get the focus, the attention, the resources that really are needed to make it one of the best parks systems in the country," she said.
The creation of the commission, with its own executive director, staff, and focus, could change that, the committee said. The idea is not new: Former county Controller Frank Lucchino first advanced the concept, which was later embraced by former commissioners Mike Dawida and Bob Cranmer.
It also is under study by Philadelphia-based Wallace, Roberts and Todd, a planning and design firm that is being paid $625,000 to develop a master plan for maintaining and improving the 11,914-acre parks system.
While Roddey, who appointed the transition committee, called the recommendation a good idea, he said he first wanted to consult with county council members to determine their interest in it.
"I want council to be comfortable with the idea," he said.
Under the commission, the county would continue to own the parks, he noted. All parks employees would keep their jobs and all labor contracts would be honored, he said.
At least one council member, Joseph Natoli, D-Morningside, a former city and county parks director, said the idea is worth exploring.
Councilman Vince Gastgeb, R-Bethel Park, chairman of the parks and special events committee, said he was intrigued "to the point that we have to pursue it."
The transition committee said a parks commission could open doors to foundation and grants funding that for the most part now is off limits to the county. Commissions have been able to secure such funding in other counties, it said.
And there is no doubt that the parks system is in dire need of money.
In adjusted dollars, the county will spend the same amount on its parks this year -- $16.9 million -- that it did in 1976. And the money comes from Allegheny Regional Asset sales tax revenues, not county property tax dollars.
"The combined impact of the [20 percent tax cut enacted in 1996] and the second-string status of the parks have resulted in a system that can at best provide only the basic park/recreation services," the committee said.
"The park system's full potential will not be attained due to the lack of operating and capital funds to turn these 'rough diamonds into real gems,' " the report said.
The committee also said the county should consider shifting away from tax dollars to user fees to support the parks.
The county's practice of providing discounts on the rental fees for some park facilities to churches, nonprofits and other organizations also came under the committee's scrutiny.
The committee was concerned about a "lack of consistency" in determining which "special groups" were eligible for discounted fees and the amount of the discount they received. It said fees should be the same for all facility rentals regardless of nonprofit status or other considerations.
However, that does not mean senior citizens shouldn't get a discount to play golf.
Additional facilities, such as a new golf course at Boyce Park and adding more courses at North and South parks, could help the county to increase revenues, the report said. North Park now has 18 holes and South Park has 27.
It also said the county should consider closing or replacing facilities that lose money, including the Boyce Park ski slopes.
County Communications Director Margaret Philbin said the county loses about $120,000 a year on the ski slopes, due mainly to the cost of snowmaking.
Roddey said he favors adding the course at Boyce but isn't sure about closing the slopes, saying he first wants to look for ways to make them more cost-effective.
The committee also called for improved and expanded transit service to the parks; private sector partnerships to fund programs and facilities, better wildlife and resource management; and better marketing, including promotion of the parks as a potential tourist destination.
In another report released yesterday, the health department transition committee generally gave the agency good marks. "They found a department that is well run and that is doing a good job," Roddey said.
In its recommendations, the committee said the department should consider establishing an "immunization registry" to better track the control of infectious diseases; adopting state air quality standards while keeping the enforcement local; and eliminating the county plumbing code and turning over that function to municipalities as part of the permitting process.
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