I just walked back from Penn Treay Park this morning. It was a sad sight, a distraught mother calling out to her (presumed) drowned son, whose body still has not been recovered from the river. There were family members, police, news crews waiting for the body so they could get their family in grief images on the 11 pm news, and the usual crew walking the dogs.

It seems that this woman's son jumped into the river from the damaged pier that is fenced off on three sides, not the end facing the river. This pier apparently was damaged about 2 years ago when a barge broke loose and struck it during a storm. The city wants the barge company to pay for repairs, while the barge owners say that it was an act of God, and that the city should pay.

What is it going to take for the city to realize that it is in our best interest to just get rid of that pier? Every summer you hear the familiar story on the news, child drowned at Penn Treaty. I'm not saying that if there were no pier, that no one would still swim there, but I do think that it will greatly reduce the amount of people that do.

I don't know if this could be a FNA issue or what but something has to be done. Kids will be kids, and as long as there is pier, there will always be distraught mothers call out for their dead child.

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Teahead215
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I actually like the pier there. I wish they (City or Barge Co.) would repair it. I like the view of the waterfront south of Penn Treaty. I am sure with the new condos going up it will look even nicer. I enjoy rollarblading to Penn Treaty, I enjoy taking my dog there and I really enjoy watching the fireworks at Penns Landing from there.

Not to sound too insincere but there is a certain level of responsibility afforded to each parent. I think the city should keep the pier and parents should keep their kids from jumping off it. Or at least educate them to the consequences.

There has to be some kind of accountability for this eyesore and apparent death-trap. And while I agree about parental responsibiity, this "attractive nuisance" could be easily dealth with. Sue the city or sue the barge company (act of God, my ass), let's hope the pier gets fixed or demolished soon. I am so glad I have not witnessed the tragedy playing out in one of my favorite local spots.

I like the pier also, but history has shown that it creates a dangerous playground for local kids. The parental responsibilty I'm not too sure about. I know during my teenage years if my Dad said don't jump off a pier, that would make want to even more. You know how kids are. One way or the other, something must be done. Maybe they should post a photo of a drowned kid, to scare off would be swimmers. park rangers did that (dead dehydrated person) at the Grand Canyon to warn people not to go too far along the trails without water and proper gear. It seemed pretty effective. I would take a guess that most people wouldn't like to go to Penn Treaty and see a dead child posted though. Although it sure beats seeing a body being drug lifelessly out of the water.

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Teahead215
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It's called darwinism.

People have been swimming in the waters off the park for years, Every year, someone dies. We all knew this the last time I swam there with my friends back in 96. Yet we still went in, and 3 KHS students died that day.
Take the pier down, and people will still swim there. Just like they swim at spots all up and down the river. To be completly honest, the park is not even a popular destination anymore. Tioga Marine Terminal is.

It's completly retarded to suggest taking the pier down, because of other people's stupidity.

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"Outside of the battlefield, your enemy can be your friend"...Kojiiro.

Evil unchecked grows. Evil Tolerated, poisens the entire system.

Personally I thinks its pretty stupid and retarded (to use your wording) to go swimming when 3 people drowned that same day. The pier should be taken down based on the fact that it is damaged, dangerous, and an eyesore.

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Teahead215
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Reread what I wrote, then you'l understand that they did'nt drown, untill after we had been swimming there. They were swimming with us. We knew people drowned there. Just like we know people drown in the ocean
somtimes, yet we still go to the beach.

Damaged and dangerous is a moot point as long as the pier remains fenced in.

As for the eyesore part, I can think of alot of things around here that are eyesores, and should come down, and the broken pir would be at the bottom of the list.

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"Outside of the battlefield, your enemy can be your friend"...Kojiiro.

Evil unchecked grows. Evil Tolerated, poisens the entire system.

Swimming in the Del River is completely retarded. Yuk.