Tag: Civics

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New Frankford Community Y Stakeholders Meeting

Felicia Richardson of New Frankford Developers Presenting

Friday night my father and I attended a dinner meeting at Gallo’s Friday night for a presentation on the new plan for what is going to happen to the New Frankford Community Y.  Among the attendies were democratic ward leader Dan Savage, State Rep Tony Payton Jr and his chief of staff Jorge Santana, representatives from state senator Christine Tartaglione, and counselwoman Sanchez.  Francis Clay and Barry Howell from the Frankford and Northwood Civics were also in attendance.

After an optimistic initial presentation, discussions of the Y’s future turned contentious and questions of legality were raised when the development team proposed to turn the non profit center into a for profit business, with the Northwood Civic voting last month to file a suit in Orphan’s Court to see the past financial records of the center.

The new proposal, (the main portion is linked at the bottom) has the Y staying a non profit with an infusion of funds from the for profit company New Frankford Developers, which owns an apartment building on the block.  Exclusive the benefits to the community, NFD will profit by the management fee they will charge, along with intangibles such as  having better neighborhood amenities to offer their tenants.

To ease neighborhood local fears, the Y will have an advisory board composed of members of the community and neighborhood associations and also noted they would not be opposed to signing a written community commitment agreement.  As Jorge Santana pointed out, it wouldn’t be a legally binding document, but it would list, in simple terms, the commitment by the Y towards the community it serves.

When questions opened up, there were still issues toward the financial viability of the project, Tony Payton noted that the proposed budget had a high percentage of operating funds from government programs.  Presentation leader Felicia Richardson said that it was a best case situation and that funding for many programs  had not yet been secured.  She said that the minimum opening programs would be the day care and computer centers and that they’d build out from there, she also noted that they’ve already secured a grant writer.  Also raised was skepticism of how this plan would work while Terry Tobin was unable to keep operations afloat before.  Richardson responded that she has composed a team, while Terry was a one man show.

Tons of other stuff to note:

  • Apparently being defensive about a rumor I personally started on the message board about them turning the facility into a teen party mecca, they promised no disco, only family style parties and pool parties
  • Barry Howell brought up that they’ve lost a lot of credibility with the Northwood Civic over the financial records issues, but that stated clearly he’s known Terry Tobin a long time and doesn’t believe Terry Tobin was involved with any financial improprieties.  Ms Richardson welcomed Mr Howell to investigate the records
  • they plan on renaming the Y after the late Edward Becker, the former federal appeals judge that once sat on the board.  They stated they had already approached his family for permission

The meeting ended well, all parties expressed cautious optimism of the future, with the presenters pledging a fresh start.

New Frankford Y Proposal [PDF]

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Coming Up in Frankford

  • Italian Style Family Dinner
    When – Sat, April 17, 4:30pm – 8:00pm
    Where – St. Joachim’s Church, 1527 Church Street, Phila., PA 19124 (map)
    Description – MARK YOUR CALENDAR Every Third Wednesday from September thru May Italian Style Family Dinner The Dinners will be served from 4:30 PM to 8 PM in Fitzmaurice Hall Take-out will be available. COST: $8.00 for Adults, $4.00 for Children. Come Join us!
  • Northwood Civic Association Meeting
    When – Tue, April 20, 7pm – 8pm
    Where – St. James Lutheran Church, at Castor Avenue and Pratt Street. (map)
  • Frankford Garden Club Meeting
    When – Tue, April 27, 6:30pm – 7:30pm
    Where  – Wissinoming Recreation Facility (map)
    Description – we need to iron out Plant Sale plans and plan more trips! Bring your ideas and a bite to eat. Coffee and tea provided by Nancy.
  • Frankford Special Services District Board Meeting
    When – Mon, May 3, 8:30am – 9:30am
    Where – St. Mark’s Church, 4442 Frankford Ave, Griscom Street entrance. (map)
    Description – Open to the public.
  • Rachael Ray Shines on Frankford High
    When – Mon, May 3, 10am – 11am
    Where – TV ABC (map)
    Description – Rachael Ray show comes to Frankford.
  • Frankford Civic Association Meeting
    When – Thu, May 6, 7pm – 8pm
    Where – Frankford Hospital – 2nd floor conference room (map)
  • Frankford Garden Club Annual Day-Before-Mother’s Day Plant Sale
    When – Sat, May 8, 9am – 10am
    Where – In Front of the Frankford Library, corner of Frankford Ave and Overington St (map)
    Description – We will have “Growing from Seed” Workshop at the Sale and at the Park VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
  • LOVE Your Park Day in Overington Park Planting, Mulching Flower Beds and “Growing From Seeds” Workshop
    When – Sat, May 8, 12pm – 3pm
    Where – Overington Park (map)
    Description – LOVE Your Park Day in Overington Park Planting, Mulching Flower Beds and “Growing From Seeds” Workshop
  • Historical Society of Frankford program
    When – Tue, May 11, 7:30pm – 9:00pm
    Where – 1507 Orthodox St., Philadelphia, PA 19124 (map)
    Description – FRANKFORD’s “SLOW FOOD” EFFORTS and LEGACY HSF Collections and Frankford Friends School Students HSF’s 2010 exhibit features aspects of food in Frankford and the Northeast. Frankford Friends School students have been researching food, urban farming (such as Kensington’s Greensgrow Farms — national leader in urban farming), and other aspects of slow food. View HSF’s display of historic food use, preparation, and storage items.
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Frankford Civic Association Meeting

The Frankford Civic met Thursday night at Aria Health (Frankford) at 7:00 PM.  The meeting called to order by Frances Clay and the minutes  from last month’s meeting were read by Brian Wisniewski.

The first item on the agenda was a zoning issue related to the property at 1845 Wakeling Street.  It is a commercial property presently zoned as residential.  It has never been a residence but now must be officially rezoned to be legal.  You can view the presentation made by Tom Citro, the expediter for the owner, at our YouTube channel.

Pete Specos went over a zoning issue regarding 4314 North Penn Street.  Owner wants to convert it to a two family dwelling.  The hearing is scheduled for next week.  The issue of 1715 Harrison Street from last months meeting was also discussed where the owner wants to convert if from a two family to three family dwelling.  The Civic issued a letter of opposition to the ZBA for that change.

Next up was Jason Dawkins of Councilwoman Sanchez office with an update on the Philadelphia Recycling Rewards program.  This program is a no brainer.  You get free stuff for your trash.  All you need to do is recycle.  The City saves money and you get something.  Recycling bins are available at Tony Payton’s (4665 Frankford Ave.) office and Tina Tartaglione’s office (Bridge and Large Streets) as well.

Jason also talked about the proposed Stakeholders/Town Hall meetings on the issue of recovery homes. The meetings may possibly be scheduled by the summer.  Some rational discussion about the recovery house issue followed.

The book he mentions (“How it works”) is available in our book store.

Mayor Nutter sent Lauren Vidas (Coordinator, External Affairs and Public Engagement at City of Philadelphia) , Dr. Don Schwartz (Health Commissioner) and Carl Williams (Deputy Streets Commissioner) to explain the budget options that have been proposed to close the 120 million dollar budget gap for fiscal year 2011.  The discussions focused on the proposed tax on sugar sweetened beverages and the trash collection tax.  They also made the point that the mayor is open to any reasonable proposal to increase revenues but at this point does not believe that further service cuts are possible or realistic.

This Saturday, park cleanups are scheduled all over Frankford.  Check the upcoming events for more information.  The next meeting of the Frankford Civic is scheduled for May 13th.  At that meeting, folks who would like to join the Civic and become a voting member may pay their annual dues of $10.00.  The Civic needs your support to continue doing the vital work that needs to be done.

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Coming Up in Frankford

  • Deni Playground Cleanup
    When – Sat, April 10, 9am – 2pm
    Where – Deni Playground, Church Street at Leiper Street (map)
  • Frankford Parks Cleanup
    When – Sat, April 10, 9am – 12pm
    Where – Wilmot Park, across from the Second Baptist Church of Frankford at Mulberry and Meadow streets (map)
    Description – Frankford residents who have been working on plans to improve some small local parks will meet in Wilmot Park at 9 a.m. on Saturday, April 10, across from the Second Baptist Church of Frankford at Mulberry and Meadow streets. They and other volunteers will be participating in the Mayor’s Citywide Cleanup. Jason Dawkins, an aide to Councilwoman Maria Quinones-Sanchez (D-7th dist.), said during the group’s meeting on Monday that cleanup efforts will focus on: ¥ Wilmot Park on the 1800 block of Meadow; ¥ Hedge and Plum Recreation Center, on the 1600 block of Orthodox St.; ¥ A small parcel next to Hedge and Plum; ¥ A vacant lot across from Hedge and Plum; ¥ The Gambrel Recreation Center, at Wakeling and Ditman streets; ¥ A small parcel at Duffield and Meadow streets; ¥ A small parcel at Tackawanna and Wilmot. For the mayoral cleanup day, Dawkins said, the city will provide brooms, gloves, rakes, shovels, bags and graffiti-removal kits. Volunteers may bring other equipment they think they might need, such as rope, twine, mowers or weed-whackers, but they should not bring gear such as chain saws.
  • Overington Park Cleanup
    When – Sat, April 10, 10am – 1pm
    Where – Overington Park – Leiper and Orthodox Streets (map)
    Description We lost two trees in the storm on Saturday. One, the top was blown off and the other uprooted after all the rain. We reported the downed trees and are waiting for the clean up . Good news PHS is planting more trees in our park. Starting April 5th for two weeks they will be planting around the city. We are to get around 10 new trees. They came out and looked at our park and fell in love. We want everyone to love Overington park so come out and enjoy it! We are holding a clean up on April 10th from 10 till 1. We will mulch our new trees and clean out our flower beds, getting a start on the spring growing cycle. We need your support so come out and join us for a positive experience in Frankford, making this a beautiful place to live.
  • Grand Army of the Republic Museum Open House
    When – Sun, April 11, 12pm – 5pm
    Where4278 Griscom Street, Philadelphia, PA 19124 (map)
    Description – Presentation at 1:30 PM: “Bloodshed on Lafayette Square” The assassination attempt & attack on Seward Hugh Boyle
  • Historical Society of Frankford program
    When – Tue, April 13, 7:30pm – 9:00pm
    Where – 1507 Orthodox St., Philadelphia, PA 19124 (map)
    Description – Following a brief introduction to the founding generations of the Greenwood and Bault families, Torben Jenk will share a sideshow of Globe Dye’s monthly one-page illustrated publication “LOCAL COLOR, For Insiders Only” (published at least from 1942 through 1969). “LOCAL COLOR” is an incredible visual record of the social traditions of Frankford, including wonderful brief stories and photos within the Globe family of the employees, births, marriages, retirements, plus improvements to the products and factory. One favorite article is: “Passing Of An Old Globe Custom. It’s only a matter of five or six years since brides-to-be left the plant after the Globe wedding celebration, arrayed in a mock bridal veil, and leading a tiny pig, a duck, or a turkey, amid laughter and good wishes from the girls they left behind. There was nothing official about it, but it was one of the perquisites of a job with Globe, spontaneous and gaily ushering a friend on her way to happiness. In the early days, when this ‘custom’ originated, Frankford was on the edge of the big city. Young couples often set up housekeeping where there was a bit of land on which to keep a pig or raise poultry. Today, there is no pig, no duck or turkey due to the meat shortage. But the gay send off is just as hilarious as ever, the bridal array faked as cleverly, and the feeling just as deep. It’s the spirit of the occasion that counts, not its form. It’s only two or three months ago that we saw Albina Krull leaving, arrayed in her bridal costume to be come Mrs. Albert McGarrigle.” (October 1946, attached, with photo of Albina Krull with veil and piglet on leash!). Please bring your own mementos of Globe Dye, and other social traditions of Frankford, to share with the audience. Copies of “LOCAL COLOR” will be circulated.
  • Italian Style Family Dinner
    When – Sat, April 17, 4:30pm – 8:00pm
    Where – St. Joachim’s Church, 1527 Church Street, Phila., PA 19124 (map)
    Description – MARK YOUR CALENDAR Every Third Wednesday from September thru May Italian Style Family Dinner The Dinners will be served from 4:30 PM to 8 PM in Fitzmaurice Hall Take-out will be available. COST: $8.00 for Adults, $4.00 for Children. Come Join us!
  • Northwood Civic Association Meeting
    When – Tue, April 20, 7pm – 8pm
    Where – St. James Lutheran Church, at Castor Avenue and Pratt Street. (map)
  • Frankford Special Services District Board Meeting
    When – Mon, May 3, 8:30am – 9:30am
    Where – St. Mark’s Church, 4442 Frankford Ave, Griscom Street entrance. (map)
    Description – Open to the public.
  • Rachael Ray Shines on Frankford High
    When – Mon, May 3, 10am – 11am
    Where – TV ABC (map)
    Description – Rachael Ray show comes to Frankford.
  • Frankford Civic Association Meeting
    When – Thu, May 6, 7pm – 8pm
    Where – Frankford Hospital – 2nd floor conference room (map)
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Temple Journalists Profile Northwood’s Excel Academy

Temple’s journalism students have made another visit to 19124 as Jennifer Reardon and Maria Konidaris profile the Excel Academy in it’s first year of operation on the grounds of Friends Hospital.  Camelot Schools of Pennsylvania, Excel’s operator, has been contracted by the school district to bring students that have fallen behind in other northeast Philly high schools the opportunity for them to catch up and graduate.  It received unanimous approval for its zoning variance last fall by the Northwood civic.

The last time they stopped by was for a piece on Frankford’s Main Street.