In typical fashion, Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora strained for the last word after public opinion lambasted him for destroying trees, clearance of foliage and obliteration of an ecosystem in Stacy Park — all in the name of BBQ. The environmental invasion along the Delaware River will use hundreds of thousands of granted dollars as Gusciora attempts to lure residents toward the shoreline. If Elon Musk offered $1 million each time Mayor Gusciora whimpered to The Trentonian about being criticized and subsequently demanded OpEd space, Trenton would not have to beg for money from state and federal agencies or sing to Starbucks, “Baby, please don’t go.” Now, Mr. Gusciora, in need of Big Boy pants regarding being criticized, wants residents to believe that all trees removed from the Delaware River renovation site were diseased; all brush ripped out from that space belonged to invasive species; and, all exiled birds, insects, squirrels and woodchucks were involved in a conspiracy to overthrow city government. Mr. Gusciora squinted through rose-colored glasses again and delivered a desire to turn back the clock, not to coincide with Daylight Saving Time, more a rollback of decades. “This restoration aims to restore the vistas of the Delaware as they were intended and as they looked 50 years ago,” Gusciora offered in an Op-Ed. Please, someone tell Mr. Gusciora he’s not former Mayor Arthur Holland and that as Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris alerts — We’re not going back. Gusciora continues this disillusioned belief that Trenton moves toward a replication of Princeton without voicing one word about improving the city’s education system. A quick exercise of word association. Princeton (education). Trenton (poverty). Nearly 28-percent of city residents barely have a pot to put peas in and Gusciora sirens residents to the banks of the Delaware River. The Gusciora Op-Ed said nothing about how this new project will need more security, nor a word about luring people to the banks of the Delaware River and the dangers such attractions pose. Amazingly, Mr. Gusciora failed to address issues raised here and by others regarding whether the city sought advice from environmental agencies before destroying a green area; did not reveal which company earned the contract for this undertaking; added no information about portable toilets being added to the Stacy Park landscape; nor whether each employee working on this project held proper credentials to earn wages there. We asked for assurance that these workers earned adequate wages from their employer. No answer. If perception matters, the script along the Delaware River parallels a Donald Trump narrative that Black people are losing jobs to undocumented immigrants. Mind you, in political parlance, such statements do not necessarily have to tether honesty only look like Trump-eted truth. Sadly, Mr. Gusciora believes that whatever he writes or espouses somehow neutralizes or invalidates criticism here or from social media sites. His normal shtick offers a righteous indignation should someone challenge his leadership acumen and decisions. Numerous readers disagreed with this untimely Delaware River project although organizations that support ecological communities abandoned their missions of habitat protection, fearful of being exiled politically. Most people involved with maintenance and upkeep of Trenton parks know that city workers struggle to keep up with their responsibilities to mow grass, empty trash cans, and maintain safety. Trenton operates more than enough parks and recreation areas for now. Mr. Gusciora mirrors a couple barely getting by with four children, lying down to make a fifth in complete disregard of future challenges. George Page Park faced high weeds and trash cans that overflowed regularly this past summer. People consumed alcohol without any threat of security. Homeless persons pitched a tent in nearby Hetzel Field while two men lived in the woods for more than six weeks. A walk into their now abandoned encampment near the Assunpink Creek shows the damage humans can inflict on environment. Deterioration of conditions received significant coverage in this space, yet, Gusciora and his minions never responded as ego and personal grudges prevented them from action on behalf of residents and Mother Nature. Gusciora failed to mention how guests would get their charcoal, coolers, and other items into this new recreation area. A text message sent to interim Recreation Director Paul Harris gained no response. The mayor has pitched such an inordinate number of pies into the skies of Trenton that he should consider opening a bakery, perhaps in empty storefronts on South Warren St. or the bank-owned old Barbero Bakery on Conrad St. Being a poor city should mean fiscal responsibility, understanding the needs of Trenton residents. The Gusciora Op-ed showed a circa 1970 photo of cleared space in Stacy Park along the Delaware River. Not one person appeared in the picture — a harbinger of this new script. If there had been a crowd of residents frolicking and barbecuing, perhaps, no, it’s still a hard sell. Let’s play along with this foolish gambling behavior, even give the mayor a final whimsical last word before his next Op-ed. Gusciora expressed a dedication, “to making Stacy Park a place where families can gather, where (lead contaminated) children can play, and where everyone can reconnect with the natural world.” L.A. Parker is a Trentonian columnist. Find him on Twitter @LAParker6 or email him at [email protected].