Editorial | Spring cleaning

On a sunny Saturday afternoon, it's not uncommon to find Penn students hiking, biking and walking through Philadelphia's Fairmount Park.

The park - one of the largest urban parks in the nation - spans nearly 9,200 acres, and includes trails, concert venues, public art and historic sites, among many other features.

But Fairmount Park isn't perfect. Plagued for many years with poor upkeep, financial instability and disagreements regarding space usage, Fairmount Park has, in the past, lacked strong and capable hands to guide it in the right direction.

This spring, according to the Philadelphia Parks Alliance, the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas will appoint new members to the Fairmount Park Commission. The commissioners will serve five-year terms and oversee nearly all aspects of the Park's management.

Over the years, the process for selecting these commissioners has improved, but there is still more that can be done as far as the quality and experience of appointees.

Although the court ultimately chooses the commissioners, there are many ways for members of the Penn community who use and care about the Park to get involved.

Write a letter to those involved in the decision-making process or join one of the numerous groups devoted to improving the Park. This is one of the few opportunities Penn students may have to actually make a difference within the seemingly insurmountable Philadelphia bureaucracy.

Too often, Penn students are accused of not taking an active enough role in assisting the city functions they use on a day-to-day basis in their time of need. This is a great way to prove those critics wrong.

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