We got an email yesterday from a concerned neighbor on Titan Street in Pennsport, telling us about another threatened pocket park in this neighborhood. We immediately flashed back to the situation we told you about last winter, when Manton Street Park was on the verge of being built over before developers and neighbors were able to reach a compromise. This time, it’s Titan Park, located at 108-10 Titan St.
Current view
According to Myles Goodman, representative of Friends of Titan Park, this space was likely designated a pocket park in 1976, as part of a citywide pocket park initiative. Previously, it featured wood benching on steel framing, a mural, and a model of a motorcycle for kids to play on. Over the past several years, the park has more or less disappeared, though the pedestal on which the motorcycle once sat remains. As newish neighbors have made efforts over the past year to beautify the lot, it came to their attention that the Redevelopment Authority had agreed to sell it to a private developer. Which is a shame, because the group has some serious beautification ideas.
One possible plan
The Friends of Titan Park don’t want any City money or assistance, as they have numerous volunteers ready to step forward and help with the landscape architecture, the construction labor, and donation of materials. This is a slightly different scenario from the Manton Street situation, where the Department of Public Property listed an overgrown former park for sale online and had a formal agreement of sale in place. In this case, City Council will need to issue an ordinance to sell the lot, and from what we understand, there’s no formal obligation to sell until that happens.
Slightly different angle
Currently, the Friends group is collecting signatures for a petition to present to City Council, and is also finalizing plans for the site to pass along to Councilman Squilla. If you’re interested in learning more about their efforts, you can email the group here.
Meanwhile, do you think the City should sell this property to a private developer? Or is it better if the neighborhood is willing to come forward and turn it into a legit public green space?