Center City District Makes Another Mistake

Before I left Philly, I needed to run an errand. Much to my dismay, when I arrived at the southwest corner of Rittenhouse Square, I saw these devastatingly ugly garbage cans. While this isn't the first time that Center City District (CCD) has made a terrible design decision, shame on them! Rittenhouse Square is an important public space, with a distinctive design. I don't know why the entrance was shown such little regard. There are other garbage cans inside Rittenhouse, so why ruin the elegant entrance with these? Or, why not replace the cans inside the park. Hideous. To me the garbage cans are a blight. All over town. Sure, we need cans that prevent bag blow outs, but these seem like a waste of money in a cash strapped city (much like the late-to-the-game and completely ineffective Office of Sustainability.) Bottomline, bad placement and ostentatious waste of money in the name of the environment.

Comments

[RJ White]

Actually, these are from the round of solar compactors recently installed around the city by the Streets Department.

The CCD compactors were a pilot program and only three were installed last year, at 7th/Chestnut, 15th/Walnut and 18th/Walnut.

http://www.centercityphila.org/pressroom/prelease071008.php

[Sarah]

Good to know. Too bad there isn't coordination between the Streets Department and CCD. Either way, both cans are ugly.

[Sarah]

Apparently the ugly cans are a collaboration between CCD and the Streets Department. So, back to my first point: bad work CCD. Looks like the left and right hands of overpriced garbage can world aren't communicating.

http://www.bigbellysolar.com/news/115/city-philadelphia-center-city-district-partner-solar-powered-trash-demonstration-project