Off with its head!

The Daily News has a multi-part feature today on the Fairmont Parks Commission (see previous story here), the gist of which can, I think, be summarized by the headline of the editorial that kicks it off: DEATH TO THE PARK COMMISSION. [ahem] Essentially, they say that Recreation could handle the job better.

When we first began our intensive study of the city's parks for our 2001 series, "Acres of Neglect," we found Fairmount Park in a pathetic state of decline, neglected by city leaders, and often tragically abused by park users.

Conditions now are better, they admit, but far from where they should be, as illustrated in their comparison of specific aspects then and now. The third piece in this series profiles and rates the current members of the commission, giving short bios, attendance records, and overall appraisals for each.

Make of this what you will. They plan to follow up this barrage with more pieces over coming days, so perhaps they will make their case that Recreation (or the new fusion department envisioned by Clarke and Reynolds-Brown) could do better.