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Street Demonstration in Grays Ferry

I don’t usually post news that is not directly related to Frankford but this sounds like something that would happen here.

To demonstrate this residential, Southwest Philadelphia community’s opposition to the introduction of a PRIVATE PRISON for 400 Inmates on the same block as a day care center and a school – and one block away from a church.

The residents, businesses, community groups, block captains, and institutions of this area of Southwest Philadelphia oppose the placement of a PRIVATE PRISON in their neighborhood.   There was no effort to engage or alert this community to this two-year, underhanded effort to put this prison in the heart of a residential community.   Residents did not know a PRIVATE PRISON was being planned.  Residents did not know there was a Zoning Board hearing about the prison on January 27, 2010!
Now the community is fighting back and coming out to let their voices be heard.  Residents and community groups have organized to write letters to the Zoning Board opposing this prison.  Residents are contacting their City Council representatives to let them know they do not want this in their neighborhood.
And on Wednesday, February 9th, at 4:30pm, residents are taking to the streets to show the rest of the neighborhoods in the City that they might be next – so need to stand up for their neighborhoods before their neighborhoods become dumping grounds.
Is there no civic association in Grays Ferry?
DATE:                         Wednesday, 09 February 2011
TIME:                          4:30 PM
LOCATION:               Street in front of Proposed 400-Bed PRIVATE PRISON
5213 Grays Avenue, Southwest Philadelphia