Lakes runneth over

Although the scene is hardly comparable to the Kevin Costner movie Waterworld, the flooding that has taken over walkways and picnic areas in FDR Park, Broad Street and Pattison Avenue, is still remarkable.

Trashcans bob up and down under trees like abandoned buoys, birds mingle on the tops of partially submerged benches and joggers veer into the streets to avoid flooded paths.

The deluge is the result of a two-pronged problem, according to Sam Curry, the director of operations and landscape management for the Fairmount Park Commission.

Tide gates in the Navy Yard that are used to regulate the flow of water in and out of the park have rusted out and broken, and the task of repairing them has been difficult at best.

In addition to attending to the broken gates, workers also have had to contend with high tides and recent heavy rainfall, all of which have contributed to flooding throughout the park and on the golf course.

In spite of all the water-related problems, Curry is optimistic that the gates will soon be fixed.

"The Water Department has graciously offered to make the necessary repairs in the Navy Yard, and they’ve already had new gates manufactured," Curry said. "They’ve been working hard over the past few weeks to get the new gates in place, and are now hopefully close to completing the job."

The news couldn’t come soon enough for residents like Mary Anne Cedrone, who, like many of the park’s patrons, would like to be able to take a stroll without putting on a pair of galoshes.

"It’s a shame because the water really is everywhere," said Cedrone, of the 2500 block of South 19th Street. "You can’t enjoy walking by the gazebo or any of the other nice spots in the park."

Or, as Curry pointed out, even sitting on a bench.