Work has been moving along on the Frankford murals. The panels on the building opposite Womrath Park are almost finished. Work on the wall of the building that faces the North end of Womrath Park is underway.
I met Cesar Viveros there this week with two other artists as they were mounting the painted panels and on the prepared surface of the wall. This wall is large and is made up of many individual panels that have been painted previously. The people who participated in the community paint days will be able to recognize what they painted.
Each wall has to be prepared before the panels, made of a strong but thin cloth, are attached. After the panels are mounted, there is some touch up work necessary but you can see from the slide show below that it is already shaping up as a monumental work.
There will be a ceremony in the Spring when the last work is complete. Until then we’ll continue to post updates.
If you happen to go by, feel free to stop and say hello to the artists. They are a friendly bunch and like to talk about their work.
Alan Butkovitz, Philadelphia City Controller, updated the Civic Association on the shortcomings of the 311 system and the police surveillance camera systems. He also addressed the issue of the proposed Actual Value property tax proposal which is under study by the city.
Also on the agenda were zoning issues:
The owner of 4679 Darrah Street is seeking a variance for car repair at the location which is a limousine service. This would include auto repair and body work on the premises. He is also seeking approval to provide service to the public. He was accompanied by his attorney, Jack Bernard. However, upon examination, the zoning application held by the Civic was not the current one under consideration. The issue was tabled until the next meeting when all the paperwork is current.
The operator of a family day care home at 4327 Penn Street is seeking a variance for increased capacity up to 12 children. She says she needs the larger capacity to cover times when care hours overlap. Day time children get picked up at 6 and late day children are dropped off starting at 5pm. So for a period of time she would be over capacity. No vote was taken on that issue at the meeting.
An upcoming issue is an application by a business located at 2102 Bridge Street for a liquor license related to a restaurant to be opened. The owner is in the early stages of the process and has not provided more information to the Civic.
The next meeting of the Frankford Civic Association will be held on November 1st at Aria Hospital in the 2nd floor conference room.
Lisa and Ben Handy watched the ribbon cutting at the new building at Frankford Friends School with more than curiosity last Saturday. They stood holding the hand of their daughter Angelina, a 6 year old student at the school, knowing that the school had taken a giant leap ahead in improving the physical facilities. It is not that they were dissatisfied, they praised it highly when I talked to them a few days later in their cozy living room in their house on Sellers Street in Frankford.
They moved into that house on the day Angelina was born and as many new parents do, began thinking about schools. They had not become Quakers at that point and were not really aware that there was a Friends school only blocks away. Things happen in life and they became aware of the Society of Friends as they were searching for a place of worship. The Quakers seemed like it might be good fit and they paid a visit and it just felt right. So when it was time for Angelina to start school they were willing to to what they thought was the best thing for her and aimed at Frankford Friends.
The tuition is a large hurdle for them but they believe it is well worth it. The philosophy of the school fits in with their beliefs; a form of education which will develop an attitude of courageous independence, a readiness for responsibility, and a spiritual basis for life. Ben and Lisa are now looking 8 years ahead and wish that Friends could have a high school running by the time the have to think about that.
The new building does present a contrast to the old. On the one side is the meeting house, a wood frame clapboard structure. Only feet away is the new building of glass and steel with a skin of warm toned clapboard style boards. On the inside, it is big with classrooms in the back away from the street. On the street side is an open space that could be a gym, auditorium or play space. The ceiling soars high and the space is filled with light.
See the slide show below:
The building was dedicated in honor of Madge Trickey who was a vital part of the Meeting and school for many years. You can read about her in this piece by Joe Hohenstein at this link. Congratulations to Frankford Friends who got this project done the Quaker way.
