Proposed Pedestrian Plaza 48th & Baltimore Delayed Due to Trolley Track Repairs

This post--with pictures!--originally ran in the September 2012 Cedar Park Neighbors newsletter. Didn't receive a newsletter? Consider becoming a member of Cedar Park Neighbors by clicking here. In spring of this year, the University City District received the go ahead on a proposal for safety improvements to the intersection of 48th and Baltimore. The improvements benefit from funds and services provided by the University District and the Pedestrian Plaza Program sponsored by the Mayor’s Office of Transportation and Utilities that seeks to reclaim concrete for communities by transforming excess street capacity into new public spaces for the benefit of pedestrians.

Neighbors in the immediate vicinity were consulted and meetings were held to review preliminary designs. Everyone agreed on the need to introduce traffic calming strategies and safer pedestrian crossings in a redesign of this busy, confusing, and dangerous intersection. The new design will be implemented on a pilot basis and will include repainting of the street in order to demarcate areas available to pedestrians but off limit to cars. Barriers and planters will be installed to protect pedestrians and alert cars to the new traffic configuration. The project will go through a period of observation and evaluation that will allow for adjustment before any permanent improvements will take effect.

The project, originally slated for implementation in June, has been temporarily delayed to allow for completion of the trolley track repairs underway on Baltimore Ave. Residents can look forward to safer crossings when the project commences in spring, 2013.

Beautiful and Bountiful Gardens of Cedar Park

This post--with pictures!--originally ran in the September 2012 Cedar Park Neighbors newsletter.  Didn't receive a newsletter?  Consider becoming a member of Cedar Park Neighbors by clicking here. by Andrea Saylor, CPN member and newsletter reporter

Summer provides a beautiful opportunity to observe one of Cedar Park’s great resources: gardens. Usually grown on once-vacant lots, often tended by groups who collaborate or individuals who share their crops with the community, gardens create green spaces and provide fresh food. Here’s a sample of some of Cedar Park’s gardens.

Warrington Community Garden, 47th & Warrington

The Warrington Community Garden began 40 years ago, on a large vacant area that once held a factory that burned down. The gardeners didn’t own the land, and their efforts were threatened in the early 1990’s when developers expressed interest in the lot. With porch sales, donations from neighbors, and a private lender who helped them with a mortgage, the gardeners raised enough money to buy the land. The Neighborhood Gardens Association, a Philadelphia land trust, holds titles to 29 community gardens in the city, including Warrington, and now the garden can’t be sold to developers.

Nearly 65 gardeners build and decorate plots here, often in unique ways- notice the Cambodian theme on one plot the next time you walk down Warrington. Gardeners contribute annual fees based on plot size, participate in workdays to keep common areas tidy, and attend a harvest dinner together in October. There is a waitlist for plots. The garden also dedicates space to the City Harvest program, a partnership between the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) and others, including 45 city gardens. PHS donates seedlings, grown at other locations, and volunteer gardeners plant them, tend them from spring to fall and harvest and donate the crops. Warrington Community Garden’s City Harvest crops go to the food pantry at the nearby Paradise Emmanuel Tabernacle, where 30 families benefit from the food donations. So far this year, the garden has donated over 600 pounds of fresh vegetables. Carol Bowers and Mary Wallman, who run the City Harvest plot at Warrington, say that other gardeners often donate some of their personal produce, too.

Garden at 50th and Baltimore Last fall, Vanessa Jerolmack began a private garden on a Baltimore Avenue lot she’d purchased with her husband. The land borders their back yard on Catherine Street, and the garden’s first full season started this summer, thanks to a PHS grant. Vanessa joined the City Harvest Grower’s Alliance, part of the City Harvest program that supports individual gardeners. PHS provided soil, hay, manure, raised boxes, and seeds, and in return, Vanessa sells her produce to neighbors at an affordable price. You can find her at Chester and 51st on Thursdays from 4:30 to 7:30, at the farm stand called Farm 51, another City Harvest grant recipient.

St. Bernard Community Garden This community garden has 47 plots and is over 15 years old. Near 49th Street and adjacent the train tracks, the garden sits, often unnoticed, several feet above street level. Gardeners can tend up to three plots per household, pay annual dues of $15, attend workdays, and water their plants with water donated from a next-door neighbor. They have access to a shared tool shed, compost pile, and a shared plot of herbs and berries. Community members began the garden after the house there burned down and the lot stood vacant. The garden has formed a task force to explore how the Neighborhood Garden Association might help them purchase the land. Individuals on the waiting list can expect to get a plot in about two years.

GO WEST! Craft Fest on Sept 29

This post--with pictures!--originally ran in the September 2012 Cedar Park Neighbors newsletter.  Didn't receive a newsletter?  Consider becoming a member of Cedar Park Neighbors by clicking here. GO WEST! Craft Fest features over 50 of the Philly region's most inventive vendors of original arts & crafts, plus live music, food and family-friendly fun. It's all at the Woodlands in West Philly, 40th & Woodland (across from the main trolley portal) on Saturday, September 29 (rain date September 30).

Find a multitude of local wares handmade with care: original artworks, cards, prints, hand-constructed and upcycled clothing, screenprinted tees, ceramics, home goods, jewelry, accessories, cozy knitwear, natural bath & body products, candles, toys, edibles and more. Keep your holiday shopping list in mind, as a handmade gift is not only unique and special, but also supports local, independent small business.

There's live entertainment too! Four amazing acts will perform for your diversion.

Noon: Perseverance Jazz Band, swinging NOLA-style standards 1pm: the Citywide Specials, authentic bluegrass that's finger-pickin' good 2pm: Jay Sand of "All Around This World" engaging world music for kids and their families 3pm: Tinycircus, aerial flights of fancy presented by Tangle Movement Arts

There's also a handful of food vendors for your physical nourishment, including Black Orchid's vegan specialties and West Philly's own award-winning Lil' Pop Shop for dessert! We are looking to accept one or two more food trucks or vendors for lunch/brunch main courses, preferably those that emphasize local, sustainable and responsibly sourced ingredients, presented in a skillful and original way.

The Fest's location, the Woodlands Cemetery, Mansion & Historic Landscape, is one of West Philly's sweetest spots. A true urban oasis, its 54 wooded acres are home to an 18th century neoclassical mansion (open for tours), a community garden, historically significant trees and an apiary, as well as over 30,000 eternal Philadelphians since 1840. The Fest will be near the main entrance, just inside the fence along Woodland Avenue.

Proudly presented by VIX Emporium and As The Crow Flies & Co.

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Cedar Park Neighbors Scholarship Fund

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This post--with pictures!--originally ran in the September 2012 Cedar Park Neighbors newsletter. Didn't receive a newsletter? Consider becoming a member of Cedar Park Neighbors by clicking here. By Laurie Friedman, Scholarship Chair

The CPN Scholarship Committee was proud to present scholarship awards of $1000 this year to each of the recipients named below. We recognize these students for their hard work and success in high school, their service to the community, and their continued commitment to furthering their education at the post-secondary level. We truly appreciate the support of all our neighbors and local businesses who contributed to supporting our youth!

Since 1989, Cedar Park Neighbors (CPN) has raised money and given modest scholarships to support students from the neighborhood in their pursuit of higher education. Unlike many restricted scholarships, Cedar Park’s scholarship offers students funds to pay for any and all school-related expenses, which could be anything from tuition and books, to something as simple as transportation to and from school.

Congratulations to the following Cedar Park Scholars!

Sara Ghebremariam is a graduate of West Catholic High School and will be graduating in December from the University of Pennsylvania where she is majoring in Psychology.

Dung Nguyen graduated from West Catholic High School and is headed into her senior year atTempleUniversity where she majors in Pharmacy.

Antionette Trt graduated from the Philadelphia High School for Girls and is starting her senior year at Hampton University where she majors in Political Science.

Hanh Nguyen graduated from West Catholic High School and will begin her junior year at Temple University in the Fall where she is pursuing a Bachelor’s of Nursing degree.

Zachary Spence graduated from George Washington Carver High School for Engineering & Science and is heading into his junior year at the Howard University School of Engineering.

Briana Lane graduated from West Philadelphia High School and is heading into her sophomore year at Widener University. She is majoring in Psychology.

Dear Cedar Park Neighbors:

First off, I would like to thank you for selecting me as this year’s recipient of the Cedar Park Neighbors Scholarship. As tuition continues to increase, the scholarship is greatly needed. This academic year was successful! I had a number of accomplishments, one becoming a member of the 1867 Howard University traveling basketball team. Not only do I have a passion for the game, but it keeps me focused in all things I do. I have learned in college that time management is crucial. From balancing practices, game days, and my studies I have developed a skill that has proved to be effective. This semester I received all A’s and a C, my best performance thus far. I received a C in my Differential Equations course. It was challenging but with my dedication and the help of my professors and colleagues I received an overall score of a 78. In all, I finished my semester with a 3.5 GPA and made the Dean’s List.

This summer I am back in Philadelphia continuing my internship at the NAVY Yard. My role as an intern gives me hands on experience as a computer engineer and allows me to obtain valuable knowledge outside of the classroom setting. I have been given the task to help develop a simulator for the Navy’s submarine ships. The simulator is composed of two tanks which transfer water between themselves and a reservoir. My responsibility is to construct a computer program that will control the simulator and allow users to conduct preferred functions. I am excited to see my final results at the end of the summer.

Once again I would like thank the Cedar Park Scholarship Fund for selecting me as a recipient of this scholarship!

Best Regards,

Zachary Spence

Membership Update: Greetings From Our New CPN Membership Chair

This post originally ran in the September 2012 Cedar Park Neighbors newsletter. Didn't receive a newsletter? Consider becoming a member of Cedar Park Neighbors by clicking here. Hello All!

I wanted to take the opportunity to introduce myself as the new chair of CPN's Membership Committee! I am very happy to be taking on the job, and as a relative newcomer to the neighborhood I'm looking forward too getting to know even more of you. I also want to thank Laurie Friedman for her fantastic leadership while chairing the committee over the last several years!

Over the next year, the board of CPN will be making a big push to increase membership so that we can better serve the community. Between the long term city planning work being done through the Philadelphia 2035 project, the new changes to the city's zoning code as well as the general increase in real estate activity in our community, we have a unique opportunity to come together to shape the future of our vibrant neighborhood. CPN is consistently looked to as a voice for the residents of Cedar Park, and as such we believe that it's critical to increase both our numbers as well as the overall engagement of our members so that we can truly represent our community.

Our new table at the Baltimore Ave Dollar Stroll (where you can procure a membership for only one dollar!) has gone a long way towards helping us achieve this goal, and we have added 45 new members over the last month through this outreach! It's been a lot of fun to get to connect with so many new members in this way, and we are working to continue to be an even greater presence in the community over the next year.

For those new members who are receiving this newsletter for the first time, welcome, and thank you for your commitment! We encourage you (and older members alike!) to take some time to look over the CPN committee's and see how you might want to become even more involved in the organization.

Thanks again for the opportunity to serve our neighborhood in this way, and please email the membership committee at membership@cedarparkneighbors.org with any questions, concerns, thoughts or ideas that you have in terms of getting even more involved with CPN.

Warm regards, Marcus Presley

How Can We Get a Trash Can For Our Block?

This post--with pictures!--originally ran in the September 2012 Cedar Park Neighbors newsletter.  Didn't receive a newsletter?  Consider becoming a member of Cedar Park Neighbors by clicking here. Many residents, interested in taking on the litter challenge, have asked about how to get a trash can for their block.  There is more to this than meets the eye so we have asked experienced Block Captain, Beth Ellerby, of the 4900 Block of Larchwood Ave. to answer this question and share their block’s wisdom on the matter.

 Block Captain, Beth Ellerby, responds:

The process for obtaining trash baskets for our block was actually quite easy.  We have been an active block association and a member of the Philadelphia More Beautiful Committee since 1995.  We participate in all of their clean-ups and were able to apply through their Adopt a Basket Program.  During our monthly meeting and before applying for the baskets, we discussed how many baskets we wanted and where would be the best placement for these baskets.  We also discussed how the cans would be emptied and the care of the area around the cans.

Our block captain had to write a letter to Philadelphia More Beautiful requesting the necessary paperwork and contract to apply for the baskets.  Once the paperwork was received, it was filled out and the homeowners whose property the cans were being place at, had to sign the contract accepting the responsibility of the can on their property.  They were delivered within two weeks.

We tried several different ways of scheduling the empting of the cans and have come up with monthly rotations as the best solution.  Knowing you have a particular month cuts down on the confusion. We schedule two people each month, one for each can.  We soon realized that we wanted the dome for each can. Without the dome the cans filled up with rain, sleet, snow or ice causing the bags to be very heavy for lifting out as well as messy.  We also bought chains and locks for the cans to secure them to the poles.

We are very pleased with having the cans and have seen a big decrease in the trash that was being discarded by people walk down our block.

Note:  The Philadelphia More Beautiful Committee is a project of the Philadelphia Streets Department.  To learn more, contact PMBC call:  215-685-3981.

President’s Message

This post--with pictures!--originally ran in the September 2012 Cedar Park Neighbors newsletter.  Didn't receive a newsletter?  Consider becoming a member of Cedar Park Neighbors by clicking here. By Michael Froehlich

You know what my favorite part of the week is in Cedar Park during the summer?

Saturday mornings.

Everyone is out on their porches and sidewalks.  They’re sitting at the tables outside the Gold Standard or Satellite or Atiya Ola’s.  It’s elbow-to-elbow at the counter at Cedar Park Café.  Children are starting to filter into Cedar Park playground.  Neighbors are streaming down Baltimore Avenue towards the Clark Park farmer’s market, stopping to talk with one another along the way.

It’s just one of the wonderful things I like about my neighborhood and why I’m excited about serving as the President of Cedar Park Neighbors.

We hope that you were able to come out and enjoy Friday night jazz inCedarParkthis summer.  I’d like to give an enormous thank you to Algernon of Elena’s Soul for organizing the series.  It certainly would not have happened without Algernon—and your donations in the red buckets during the show!  (And speaking of Elena’s, have you heard that their house-made veggie burger is back on the menu?  Go try it.  It’s the best veggie burger in West Philly.)

Hopefully, SEPTA’s track replacement project didn’t inconvenience you too much this summer.  SEPTA came out to our June board meeting to talk about their project.  They’re done replacing the section of track in Cedar Park.  The whole project should be done by mid-September.  At that point, they’ll be removing their trailers from Baltimoreand 49th Street.  And we’ll all be riding the trolley once again.

Have you had a chance to drop into the new Seeds Gallery at5011 Baltimore Avenue (owned by the inimitable Saba, proprietor of Aksum on Baltimore Ave) or Starr’s Boutique at 5015 Baltimore?  They’ve got some beautiful art and clothing.  You need to take a look if you haven’t yet.  And speaking of new businesses, we’re excited that Milan Marvelous has moved The Marvelous Records and Music shop to Cedar Park.  Need some new records?  Check ‘em out.

Finally, I wanted to thank the 48th Street Neighbors Group for the fun Porch Hops that they sponsored this summer.  The 48th Street Neighbors group was formed after a tragic crime inCedarPark last fall.  They realized that looking out for your neighbors (and your neighborhood) starts with getting to know each other a little bit more.  So on two Saturdays this summer, a dozen neighbors held mini-open houses on their porches and invited everyone to drop by.  My family and I had a great time at the first one in June.  (Sadly, we were out of town for the second one!)

I want to acknowledge Monica Allison one more time for the extraordinary work that she did during the last four years as president of Cedar Park Neighbors.  There’s no way that I will ever match her energy and skill at bringing people together to improve Cedar Park.  But I’ll give it my best shot.  And if you have any thoughts on things Cedar Park Neighbors should be doing to improve your part of the neighborhood, please let me know.  You can reach us at 267-531-4147 or by email at contact@cedarparkneighbors.org.

I’m looking forward to being President, because… There’s always something good happening in Cedar Park.

Volunteer To Give Rides To Cancer Patients

This post originally published in the June 2012 edition of the Cedar Park Neighbors Newsletter.One of the greatest challenges cancer patients face is getting transportation to and from their daily hospital treatments. Now YOU can help! PHILLY PATIENT RIDE – a collaboration of the American Cancer Society and Philly Car Share – provides free rides to patients who may have no other way of getting to their life-saving appointments. Volunteer drivers (who use Philly Car Share cars at no cost) are needed for daytime hours – Monday through Friday, between 7 am and 6 pm. Volunteers must be at least 21 years old, have a valid driver’s license and safe driving record, and attend a brief training orientation. Drivers may volunteer as little or as often as they wish. For a rewarding experience, give the “gift of a lift” for a few hours a month or week and make a big difference in the life of a cancer patient.   More information/ sign up: Contact Jamie.McCann@cancer.org or at (215) 895-5359.

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Check out what’s happening in the CPN Scholarship Corner! by Laura McHugh, CPN Scholarship Committee

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This post originally published in the June 2012 edition of the Cedar Park Neighbors Newsletter. This year’s annual scholarship fundraiser on Sunday, March 25 at Dock Street Brewery was once again a rousing success!  With nearly 100 people in attendance and thousands of dollars raised, CPN would like to offer a special thanks to Rosemarie and her team atDock Street, as well as all of the businesses and neighbors that continue to support this annual event through ticket sales and/or auction donations year after year.  Please check out our full list of supporters!

 

Supporting CPN Scholarship Committee events, like our annualDock Streetfundraiser above, is critical to raising scholarship funds for students like Hahn Nguyen, a freshman atTempleUniversity, and one of our current CPN scholarship recipients.  Below, Hahn reflects on what the CPN scholarship has meant to her this first year:

 

“The famous Sir Isaac Newton once said, ‘If I have seen farther than others, it is because I was standing on the shoulders of giants.’  This saying perfectly describes how grateful I feel towards the assistance and help I’ve received from Cedar Park Neighbors and their generous scholarship.  This year, I began to embark on my college journey.  Before I even started, I was very stressed about how to pay for college, seeing as paying for high school was already difficult.  I made my choice to go to Temple in part because of its cheaper tuition compared to many other colleges and my decision was finalized when I got accepted into their new Bachelor in Science Nursing program.  Nursing, specifically neonatal nursing, has been my passion and dream job.  However, not only did I have to stress about paying for tuition and books, I was also required to buy nursing/medical supplies and uniforms for the program.  I felt overwhelmed by the prices of the medical supplies, most of them being over a hundred dollars and more.  But with the help of my Cedar Park Neighbors scholarship, I was able to pay for my Nursing books and some of the supplies such as the stethoscope, scrubs, and sphygmomanometer.  I was always worried that my financial issues would prevent me from living my dream fully, but with this scholarship I have been able to begin my first steps into making my dream become reality.

            I have now finished my first year of college and survived the first year of Temple University’s nursing program.  Although it has been a very difficult, stressful, and time consuming experience, I have enjoyed every minute of it.  Through the first year of the program, I have learned to take patient’s blood pressure and interacted with senior citizens and children at various field work placements in the community.  My passion for nursing has been further ignited and I can’t wait to start my clinicals next semester.  I would like to once again thank everyone involved in the Cedar Park Neighbors scholarship committee for helping me be able to live these wonderful experiences I’ve had this past year at Temple University.”

Sincerely,

Hahn Nguyen

 

If you have not already, it is not too late to support scholarships for Hahn and others in 2012-2013!  You can make a donation through the CPN website or by sending a check to CPN marked “Scholarship”.

 

More information about the Scholarship Program can be found at www.cedarparkneighbors.org.

 

Questions?  Please call CPN at 267-531-4147 or email scholarships@cedarparkneighbors.org.

 

Many thanks to our Scholarship Fundraiser Business Supporters…

 

 Aksum

AnnenbergCenterfor the Performing Arts

Atiya Ola's Spirit First Foods

Atlantic Medical Specialty

Baltimore AvePet Shoppe

BartramGardens

Bed Bath & Beyond

Boost Market

DBA Little Home Repairs

DesiVillage

Dock Street Brewery

East SmithfieldHealthcare

Eastern State Penitentiary

Elena's Showcase Lounge

Firehouse Bicycles

Gold Standard

Green Line Café

Harvard Children's Academy

House of Our Own Books

Lee's Deli

Liz Campion

LongwoodGardens

Morris Arboretum of theUniversityofPennsylvania

NationalConstitutionCenter

New Deal Lumber and Millwork Company

Nigerian African Grocery

PhiladelphiaFederal Credit Union

PhiladelphiaMuseumof Art

PhiladelphiaSuzukiPianoAcademy

Studio 34

Sunray Drugs

Talking Headz

Tom Davis Pharmacy

Tool Library ofPhiladelphia

VientianeCafé

VietnamCafé

Vix Emporium

Wake Up Yoga

Wayne's Garage

West Philadelphia Locksmith Company

WoodlandBuildingSupply

 

and to these individual donors!!

Diane Bezella

Darryl Bundridge

Dr. Gerard Davis

Kitakiya Dennis

James Donley

Bruce Dorpalen

Agnes Dumas

Johanna Fine

Claudia Hamilton

Emily Hirshorn

Hillary Kane

George Karpyn

Richard Keiser

Peggy and Todd Kovich

Judyann McCarthy

Dr. Alice Moyer

Amy Myers

Representative James Roebuck

Lola Rooney

Beverly Rouse

Jen Smith

Maureen Tate and Gerald McHugh

Senator Anthony Williams

Nancy Wygant

Mary Yee

 

Play on, Philly! Flourishes at St. Francis de Sales School

This post originally published in the June 2012 edition of the Cedar Park Neighbors Newsletter. Play On, Philly! (POP) is the innovative music education program that has landed right here in our own neighborhood at St. Francis De Sales School. Inspired by the social development and music education program of Venezuela, El Sistema, POP seeks to enrich the lives ofPhiladelphia youth by providing daily musical instruction in communities which have little access to music education. (learn more on www.PlayOnPhilly.org)

Established in 2011 at St. Francis de Sales School by local musician and POP Executive Director, Stanford Thompson, the program involves 110 youth ages six to thirteen, this in a school with a total enrollment of 550.  In just a short time, the St. Francis de Sales Play On, Philly! orchestra has burst on to the Philadelphiamusic scene with much acclaim. The children are taught by first class musicians and have had opportunities to perform with renowned conductors and work with a number of visiting artists.  In recent months they welcomed the great jazz musician, Wynton Marsalis, who performed for the children and conducted a master class with some orchestra members.  The highlight of their concert season was an opportunity to perform with none other than our Philadelphia Orchestra at the KimmelCenteron May 10 with famed guest conductor, Sir Simon Rattle.  The YouTube video of this special performance is not to be missed and can be accessed at:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_CNz9Vrtk

Greening Lea Elementary by Julie Scott

This post originally published in the June 2012 edition of the Cedar Park Neighbors Newsletter.  

The Greening Lea initiative, begun through a combined effort of the West Philly Coalition forNeighborhoodSchoolsand theEnterpriseCenter, recently took a big step forward. On May 10th, the Community Design Collaborative, the American Institute of Architects -Philadelphia, and the Philadelphia Water Department hosted a design charrette and public presentation to explore creating greener schoolyards inPhiladelphia.  One of the two schools of focus wasHenryC.LeaElementary Schoolwith its large expanse of asphalt at the corner of 47th and Spruce.

 

The day began with an overview aboutPhiladelphiainitiatives to improve schoolyards andGreenfieldElementary School's successful sustainable schoolyard project. Next, the charrette placed Lea students, staff, teachers and community members alongside designers and representatives from the Philadelphia Water Department, Philadelphia City Planning Commission and theSchool Districtonto two teams for brainstorming and discussion.  The charrette drew record-high participation from thePhiladelphiadesign community.  The teams came up with terrific ideas in a short period of time and it was great to see the collaboration between the design professionals, the school/community partners, city agencies, and resource advisors. Later in the afternoon, the teams presented their concepts to an audience of well over one hundred people.

 

The Lea teams came up with remarkably similar ideas about how to transform the yard.  The primary suggestions offered by both teams were establishing the school yard as the main entrance, sectioning the yard into a series of outdoor rooms, developing edges to address stormwater issues and create entrances, solving problems like dumpster placement and reinforcing the identity of Lea.  Team designer, Jen Martel of WPCNS, said, “We considered how the schoolyards could become valued community assets that are populated by individuals, families and community groups when school is not in session. This took the form of modifying existing fences and walls to make the schoolyards more welcoming, creating gateways, and re-thinking the school’s main entrances.”

The next step is for a volunteer design team from the Community Design Collaborative to synthesize the ideas from the charrette into a schoolyard master plan which will include recommendations for phasing and an estimate of probable cost. The master plan report will allow the Lea community to raise funds, develop designs and make the vision a reality.

We Love Cedar Park!

This post originally published in the June 2012 edition of the Cedar Park Neighbors Newsletter. Thanks to all of our volunteers who came out for the annual Love Your Park event inCedarParkon May 12.  Twelve volunteers weeded and mulched all of the tree pits while others planted 10 flats of annuals donated by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society!   Thanks to the cool and rainy weather that followed, park plantings should be off to a great start.  Now we need to do our best to protect the plantings.  We have temporarily installed yellow cord barriers to discourage park users from pulling or trampling the plantings.  Please help us encourage respect for the gardens.  If you see adults or children pulling on the trees or disturbing the gardens please do what you can to comment and educate others about the importance of taking care of our community green space.  If you would like to help with the gardens and receive notice of future work times, please contact Maureen Tate at theCedarParkphone or e-mail listed in this newsletter.

Philly 2035 Coming to a Forum Near You by David Hincher, CPN Board Member

This post originally published in the June 2012 edition of the Cedar Park Neighbors Newsletter. In the fall of this year, the Philadelphia City Planning Commission (PCPC) will begin a district planning effort for University/Southwest Philadelphia. This is part of the Philadelphia2035 initiative that builds upon the citywide comprehensive plan and new zoning code both adopted in 2011. The city will complete eighteen district plans over the next several years. Last year, the Planning Commission finished plans forWestParkand Lower South districts and is currently working on the Central and Lower Northwest districts.

 

The district plan is a community/public process to review all existing properties and uses towards developing recommendations for future land-use. The planning process will involve three public meetings over approximately six months. PCPC has asked CPN and other community organizations to participate in the new district plan for University/Southwest Philadelphia. The district plan will look at previous community plans for input, such as the Baltimore Avenue Community Corridor Design Study that emerged from our 2010 Baltimore Conversation, as well as establish priorities for future neighborhood plans.

 

To inform land-use recommendations, the Planning Commission will comprehensively review location and efficacy of City-owned facilities such as libraries, recreation centers, playgrounds, etc. to assure they are properly zoned and centrally located within neighborhoods. The district plan also inspect underutilized areas at prominent locations, such as intersections of major transit lines, and help formulate plans and appropriate zoning designations to aid in their transformation.

 

The plan will also recommend improvements to public spaces such as streetscape, landscape, storm water management, parks and plazas. To improve community health, district plans will seek to improve access to healthy foods, facilitate physical activity, and promote healthy lifestyles.

 

Civic engagement is an important part of district plan.  For more information on the district plan for University/Southwest Philadelphia and how to participate, go to the following web address:

http://phila2035.org/home-page/district/university-southwest/

 

Zoning News by Maureen Tate, CPN Zoning Committee

This post originally published in the June 2012 edition of the Cedar Park Neighbors Newsletter. The CPN Zoning Committee has been very busy with a constant stream of local zoning issues.  Zoning Committee members also attended a workshop hosted by the City Planning Commission regarding the role of community groups under the new Zoning Code.   Community groups, meeting certain eligibility criteria, now must apply to the Planning Commission to serve in the role of a Registered Community Organization (RCO). CedarPark Neighbors meets the criteria and will submit the registration application.  Under the new zoning code, RCO’s will: be posted on public sites that are made known to zoning applicants to facilitate communication with the local community; receive notification of issues pending within our boundary; have the right to appear before the ZBA on local applications; and be included in design review committees on larger projects impacting our community.

 

The following issues have been considered by the CPN Zoning Committee in recent months.

- 780 S. 52nd Street:  The application for the conversation of the former Apple Storage building to loft apartments was granted by the ZBA.  CPN launched a successful campaign to document community support for this application which was submitted the ZBA.

- 800 S. St. Bernard:  The application for conversion to a three family dwelling was granted by the ZBA following a compromise submitted to the ZBA, by the applicant, to eliminate all proposed additions.  CPN supported neighbors in objecting to the application, advocating for a single family or duplex and  made a strenuous objection to the proposed additions.

- 503 S. 52nd St.:  Application for a take-out certificate for a coffee shop and internet café was granted. Upon notification of nearby residents and businesses, CPN entered a position of No Objection.

- 5027 Baltimore Ave.: Application for a take-out certificate for proposed gourmet hot dog/sandwich business with 4 dwelling units in an existing structure is pending a June 13th ZBA hearing.  CPN sought a continuance on an April 11 ZBA hearing to allow for notification to nearby neighbors, and received no notice of objection.  The applicant withdrew a proposed addition to the 3rd floor.   CPN entered a position of No Objection.

- 4610 Cedar Ave.:  CPN continues to monitor interest by a localPhiladelphia business about possible use of the space for an ice cream parlor.  No application for a use variance has been submitted at this time.

- 4907 Catharine:  An application for a take-out certificate for a counter service vegetarian café with smoothie bar.  Application is pending a July 13 fast track ZBA hearing.  CPN will conduct notification of nearby residents and businesses.

- 5114 Hazel Ave:  An application under review by the Zoning Committee for conversion of a single family house to a triplex.  Neighbors will be notified about an opportunity to meet with the developer prior to a ZBA hearing on July 18.

- 5033 Baltimore Ave.:  An Application seeking legalization of 4 apartments.  No ZBA hearing to date.  The Committee is clarifying application and will conduct notification of neighbors.

- 5016 Walton:  An application for legalization of two family dwelling pending July 18th hearing.  CPN notified neighbors and heard no objection.  CPN will enter a position of No Objection.

-  4618 Cedar Ave.:  An application to legalize new signage was granted by the ZBA despite community and CPN objection.

 

The CPN Zoning Committee generally meets the 3rd Tuesday of the month at 7pm.  If you have questions about any of these issues or are a CPN member interested in serving on the committee please contact the committee at: contact@cedarparkneighbors.org

 

President’s Message by Monica Allison

This post originally published in the June 2012 edition of the Cedar Park Neighbors Newsletter. It's Jazz Season, can you hear the music in the park? Come out and support Jazz in Cedar Park. The first show was held on Friday May 25, 2012. For 12 years, the Jazz Series has been the focal point of Cedar Park on Friday nights in the summer. It is an opportunity for neighbors and friends to gather, children to play, and neighborhood businesses to receive new customers. We cannot stand the thought of the Jazz Series going away, but with the declining economy, we are experiencing a slow down in donations to keep this series going, and we need your help! We only have enough funding for seven shows this year, so would you consider a contribution to Jazz in Cedar Park? All monies raised will be used for the summer jazz series. Donations to jazz in Cedar Park can be made by going to our website or mailing a check to CPN noting in the memo line that it is for Jazz in Cedar Park. Thank you for your continued support.

The City is putting into play its Philly2035 plan. This summer we will be conducting interviews throughout the community to see what people envision for our area of West Philadelphia. Within this newsletter you will find a paper version of this survey. We hope you will participate by filling it out on line or returning this paper survey to CPN at the address above. We would love to receive your personal stories aside from the survey about what you love about Cedar Park. You could be featured in an upcoming newsletter.

In every good organization there should be change in leadership and the time has come for me to pass the torch to our next President. Over the last four years together as a community we have accomplished much. We have had fun. We shared some losses. We have welcomed new businesses and new neighbors. Together we maintained our namesake, Cedar Park and celebrated its centennial. We continued the tradition of jazz in the park and had wonderful fairs. As a community we raised scholarship money for our students, fed families with our Holiday Baskets and beautified blocks within our neighborhood. We had meet and greets at local restaurants to introduce you to some of the food choices we have. In these last four years, we conversed about our vision for Baltimore Avenue and we are embarking on a City plan for 2035. In walking the neighborhood and attending events we have talked about schools, business, housing, politics, and much more. There is so much that goes into serving a community such as ours as we are such a diverse community in many respects. I would like to thank our Board of Directors, both past and present for their continued support and all of our neighbors. Without you, Cedar Park Neighbors could not do the things we do. I would like to thank the businesses along Baltimore Ave. They have all supported the efforts of Cedar Park Neighbors and have opened their businesses to us for many occasions and have supported us financially for many of our endeavors. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank our elected officials who have given me the opportunity to bend their ear about this community over the last four years. I am looking forward to the many things Cedar Park Neighbors will accomplish in the future. It has truly been a blessing and honor to serve as your President these last four years. And now I look forward to serving in the capacity as First Vice President. So, with this newsletter, I turn over the reins to our President Elect Michael Froehlich, I know that you will all welcome him with open arms.

And remember.....there's always something good happening in Cedar Park.

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Help us with the future of Cedar Park survey

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A lot of changes have been happening in our neighborhood. Cedar Park Neighbors is a community association representing all residents in our neighborhood. And the board of directors has asked for your help figuring out what role to play as the neighborhood undergoes change. It’s an exciting time

We’re attracting new residents. People are buying and fixing up blighted property. Some great new businesses have opened up.

But there is also anxiety about the rate of change, especially as rents have gone up, and some residents will face property tax bills that they can’t afford.

The kind of change Cedar Park is experiencing today generates issues about things like affordability, zoning, land use, parking, education, and quality of life. Cedar Park Neighbors is frequently asked by its members to respond to these kinds of concerns.

Additionally, the Philadelphia City Planning Commission has asked Cedar Park Neighbors and other community organizations to give input on its new plan for Southwest Philadelphia and University City. In order to best represent your interests, the board will also use survey responses to guide participation in a city-led planning process. Cedar Park Neighbors will not be writing or creating a plan of its own.

Help make the survey results as meaningful and representative and forward the survey to everyone you know in the neighborhood and reach out to neighbors who do not have internet access. In addition to this online survey, a print version will be distributed through a network of block captains.

We need your help figuring out how to best represent the interests of all neighbors. Please take this survey to share your thoughts:

http://ph.ly/cedarparksurvey

 

Also a printable pdf version of the survey is available here: CPN_Survey

Jazz on Thursdays and Fridays in the Neighborhood.

If it's Friday night in the summer time, naturally, you're at Cedar Park Jazz.  The schedule so far is below.

But what if it's Thursday night and you're looking for some free neighborhood jazz?

You may be in luck.

On occasional Thursdays at 7pm at Malcolm X Park, Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell, the Friends of Malcolm X Memorial Park, Roofers No. 30, Labor Local 57, The Garden Court Community Association, and Philadelphia Parks & Recreation bring you the West Philadelphia Jazz Heritage Series.

Here's the schedule:

June 14...  Napoleon Black and Redeemed

June 28... Blues Vocalist Donna Alexander, Shades of Blue

July 26... Tenor and Sax Man Umar Raheem & New York Connection

August 9... Vocalist Barbera Walker, Barbara Walker Story

August 23... Keyboardist Abndur'Rashid & RUH

September 6... The Budesa Brothers

September 30... The Nate Murray Band

 

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Dock Street Philly Beer Run & Music Fest – Sunday, June 10

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Run off the beer soaked days of Philly Beer Week at the Dock Street Philly Beer Run & Music Fest! The 5-K race through University City ends at Dock Street's Annual Free Music Fest! Bryan Kolesar of BrewLounge returns as Race Director. Official B-Tag timing and race management by the Run the Day. Philadelphia Runner is the equipment headquarters and host for the packet pickup. The run wraps up with our delicious pizza slices and fresh tasty beer flowing at the music fest. The tunes will refresh and excite your mind with an amazing local lineup featuring Hoots & Hellmouth, O’Death, The Extraordinaires, Street Walkers, and Tsunami Rising! All runners receive a token limited-edition pint glass, refreshments from Vita Coco, fruit, snacks and pizza/beer coupons. Plus, a free Dock Street Philly Beer Run t-shirt to the first 50 registered runners. Beer prizes and much more!

Run pre-registration is $35, on-site registration $40. Get on board before spots fill up! Register today at https://www.runtheday.com/app/find/register/841. On-site registration starts at 12pm. Race starts and music fest kick off at 2pm!

A portion of the proceeds benefits the Cedar Park Neighbors Scholarship Fund

Looking to be involved but not up for the run? VOLUNTEER! https://www.runtheday.com/app/find/volunteer_signup/841 Questions? phillybeerrun@gmail.com

Cedar Park Neighbors, West Philadelphia