Has the Devil's Pool Trash Situation Been Improved? Signs Point to Yes
The Friends of the Wissahickon report on the issue.
There is significantly less trash at Devil's Pool now than there had been earlier in the summer, according to the Friends of the Wissahickon.
The organization, which has been working with the Student Conservation Association (SCA) this summer, has been attempting to educate people on leaving trash there and on issues surrounding swimming in the popular destination. Swimming in the Wissahickon Creek is illegal, but many do it anyway, particularly in the Devil's Pool area.
The SCA crew has reported they are finding approximately 95 percent of litter at the area left in bags. That's an improvement over previous years.
Police have also often been patrolling the area and issuing citations to people who litter or swim.
Park rangers from the city's Parks & Recreation department have also increased their presence in the Wissahickon. They're focusing on potential violations like illegal parking, swimming, diving, littering. Rangers are also working to ensure open container laws are followed and that all dogs in the park are on a six-foot leash.
Cathy
3:32 pm on Sunday, August 12, 2012
About ten days ago my husband and I spent an hour picking up trash strewn on the path from the Valley Green bridge leading to Devil's Pool (never made it that far). We were hiking the day before and saddened by what we saw. We filled four garbage bags with bottles, cans, paper, plastic, a few pieces of clothing and most perplexing of all, plastic bags of dog waste. Why bother to pick up after your pet if you're going to fling it all into the woods? We quit after an hour as the humidity was stifling and the bags were heavy but we barely covered a quarter mile. It's beyond my understanding how anyone can spoil such a beautiful place.
MN
8:27 am on Monday, August 13, 2012
My sons and a friend went to Devils Pool last week and came back shaken by what they'd seen: some teens/young adults going through other people's stuff and clearly stealing cash, i-phones, etc. When confronted, one of them pulled out a metal rod weapon. My kids left, but were distressed that they weren't able to warn the group of girls who were swimming (with these guys) about the real and potential harm.
I learned about this after the reports of the thefts emerged. We talked about calling 911 even when you're leaving. Like the writer, above, I'm also saddened by the trash in this stretch of the woods. But I really want to issue a warning to other parents NOT to consider this a safe place for unsupervised kids at this point. Especially young women. I am relieved that those girls only suffered loss of property and that my kids were not harmed.
I'm glad the police are patrolling this area more frequently, but as my kids pointed out, it's still hard to access and makes crimes of opportunity quite easy.
We all need to encourage our teens young adults to respect this place and keep it clean. They should also know that it's a place where unsafe things are still happening.
cnr
10:16 am on Monday, August 13, 2012
It's not just Devils the falls up from wise mill also, the low life puertorican that come from north philly, 9th st and east lehight ave they trash the park but who can blame them that's the way they live in the ghetto and they bring the ghetto with them wherever they go. To fix the problem fill in the pool as they did a few years ago, but then again they will find another spot to trash CR.
Dee
3:41 pm on Friday, August 17, 2012
Just because people are from North Philadelphia does not mean that they are the ones doing it. I am far from prejudice, and my nephew and brother are Puerto Rican. What about the white trash? I am white myself also! But the comment above this is crazy!!!