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New Frankford Community Y

As reported on 6abc.com, the New Frankford Community Y is in peril.

The community Y is self-funded but has received state grants; an anticipated grant for $200,000 didn’t come through last year.

Tobin hasn’t been able to pay his employees for about a month.

“They’ve hung in there with me which is fantastic, I mean, they’re great people,” Tobin said.

The 800 Y members, who have depended on the center’s gym facilities and only indoor pool in the area are stunned by the proposed closing.

The ripple effect of the housing collapse and economic downturn continue to hit Frankford in the form of funding cuts.

It was confirmed, at the Frankford Civic Association meeting tonight, that the Y will close on Friday.  There is some hope that another operator may be found for the facility.  Discussions with at least two interested parties have taken place but no deal is in place as yet.

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The Frankford Synagogue

When I was the Stearne school a few weeks ago for career day, I was chatting with Terry Weck, the math coordinator, about Frankford history.  She grew up in the neighborhood and had lots of memories of things that aren’t there anymore.

adath-zionOne building that is still here is the former Synagogue on the 4300 block of Paul Street.  It was called Adath Zion and was built to serve the numerous Jewish merchants who had businesses along Frankford Avenue.  You can preview the book “The Jewish Community Under the Frankford El” By Allen Meyers and Carl Nathans on Google here.  The synagogue  moved up to Pennway Street in 1956.

Interesting note on how people come and go in a neighborhood.  The city is always reshaping itself.

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Bake Sale Help and the Festival Flea Market Space Is Available For Frankford’s June 20th Festivities

Everyone is aware that we have a message board right?  I’m reposting a couple events notices that have been brought to our attention:

damyankee posted:

The flea market in the Park on June 20th is taking shape, we have had a good response but plenty of space left. Its $5. a space and the money goes to keeping up the park and buying flowers. Come on in and sell where all the action is. Please conatct 215-537-5750 or claycarver@msn.com. WE have sun and plenty of shade to set up in. Thanks for looking.
John

and crazymommy writes:

From 8-3 pm on June 20th , Overington House will be holding a bake sale and if there are any groups or local companies who would like to make it a project for the day to have members or employees come to help out that would be super! Can you bake, help clean up, bag, or just be generally help full on that day? Its all for a good cause! There will aso be a Frankford Festival at Overington Park and a two block multi family yard sale going on that day. Face painting and hack sack demonstration too. Should be a pleasant day of fun and shopping! Also volunteers needed to pray for great weather as this is an out door event!! Call Ann Mason at 215-535-7680 to sign up.

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Metal Work For Silk City’s Beer Garden is Being Made In Frankford

Over the weekend I teased you about what Jason Roberts was working on over at the Dye Works.  Well the wait’s over, because….

These doors

silk-city-doors-low-angle-1250


being constructed at the Globe Dye Works inside this building

end-globe-building

are going to set up where the gate is here:

Silk City's Chain Link Fence Where Beer Garden Gate Will Be

Anyone recognize this place?  It’s Silk City.

Silk City is so cool it’s regularly listed in Philebrity.  Take a second on all this.  It’s shocking.  It can’t be.  Yet it is.  Nothing grows in Frankford.  Nothing.  And it’s not the only example I have to show you.

You’ll have to excuse me for being a drama queen about this but this something good coming out of Frankford and I’m just trying to drill it home.  I’ll have more on the metal work already setup tomorrowish.  And I’ll have more the other stuff going on in the months to come.

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Good News/Bad News: Some Non Profit Calls Us Inner City, But Their List Calls Out Frankford Company Amuneal For Excellence

amuneal

I’ve never heard of Amuneal, nor was I aware they were in East Frankford down on Darrah St between Margaret and Foulkrod.  But they made it to 51 on the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City‘s list of 100 fast-growing companies located in the “inner city” of a U.S. metropolis.

Taken from their website:

From building shielding components for space shuttle missions, to designing and manufacturing retail and architectural environments, amuneal has become a premier design collaborator and fabrication company with a fearless approach to business: THERE ARE NO LIMITS.

Kick ass guys, way to go.

Now, Neast Magazine wonders what our thoughts are on Competitive Inner City refering to Frankford as “inner-city”, well let see what they say is an inner city.

Inner cities have 20% poverty rate or higher, or two of the following three criteria:

  • poverty rate of 1.5 times or more that of their MSAs
  • median household income of 1/2 or less that of their MSAs
  • unemployment rate of 1.5 or more that of their MSAs

Now MSA stands for “Metropolitan Statistical Area“.  And Philadelphia’s is huge.  So it’s not just Frankford getting compared to other Philadelphia neighborhoods.  It’s matching up against Montgomery, Bucks, and all the other counties in the Deleware Valley.  So alright, I’ll agree with that.  You can call us inner city, just say it to our face.  And don’t no one forget, it’s not where you’ve been, it’s where you’re goin’.  And Frankford’s coming up.