Frankford Community Blog | Local News, Events, Community Resources
At their meeting last week the Northwood Civic Association voted to approve a new car wash in the Juniata Plaza shopping center on Castor Avenue reports the Northeast Times in this weeks edition. Read all about that and the other issues they are working on now in the Northeast Times.
The Northeast Times projects the agenda for the meeting of the Frankford Civic Association this Thursday.
Developer Vaughan Buckley wants to build 16 rental units at 1710 Pratt St., a few blocks from Frankford Avenue near Duffield Street. Buckley came before the civic association May 7 because he wants members’ OK for a zoning variance he needs to build on the property. The parcel currently is zoned for one structure.
Also at the June 4 session, members expect to hear more about city inspections of neighborhood drug rehabilitation facilities and recovery houses.
Sounds like another meeting that everyone will want to attend.
The Frankford Civic Association Met on Thursday May 7th at Frankford Hospital. Over 30 were in attendance. On the agenda for the meeting:
Jason Dawkins adddresses the Frankford Civic Association
The next meeting of the Frankford Civic Association is scheduled for June 4th.
Close to 50 people crowded into the conference room last night at Frankford Hospital for the Frankford Civic Association meeting. Concern about the possibility of a recovery house at 1522/24 Church Street, in a residential area, so close to a church and school, seems to be having an effect.
Related to that issue, Jason Dawkins, of Maria Quinones-Sanchez office noted that a Frankford stakeholders meeting is scheduled for next week to update the community on the progress being made on the overall problem of the drug businesses in Frankford. This is not a public meeting so hopefully news will get out.
Zoning issues were discussed with approval given for several applicants. However, the representatives of one applicant were sent packing after being confronted with evidence gathered by the Civic that work was being done to the property without permits and of doubtful quality. Frankford just will not put up with this foolishness any longer. The Civic has given notice, do it right or don’t do it.
A new applicant for the expansion of a business on Frankford Avenue, along with his representative, made his presentation and did a very professional job of informing the Civic of his proposed plans. That was a model for how the process should be.
The next meeting of the Frankford Civic Association will be on May 7th.
You hear a lot about recovery houses in Frankford but I had never visited one so I asked Jeanna Goodwin, president of New Desires Inc., if I could stop by and talk to her. Tuesday morning we sat down in the twelve foot high ceilinged front room of New Desires on Leiper Street and I asked some questions.
New Desires was founded by Jeanna’s father, the late Fred Courduff, about 12 years ago. He didn’t set out to start a recovery house. It evolved from his desire to help others find the path to recovery that he, himself, was on. New Desires now has two houses, both on Leiper Street, serving about 30 residents.
What does New Desires do? They provide a place and structure for people who are trying to get their lives back together and move away from addiction. They come voluntarily and stay as long as necessary. They are not committed by the judicial system or anything like that.
New Desires, Inc.’s Residential Recovery Houses are community based, peer-group oriented, residential facilities that provides food, shelter, and recovery services in a supportive, non-drinking, drug-free environment for alcoholics and other drug addicts. Services provided by our recovery house include individual and group recovery planning, alcohol and other drug recovery education, group support, recreational activities, and information about and assistance in obtaining health, vocational, and other community services.
Some residents stay on more or less permanently as they might in one of the other boarding houses you find here and there in Frankford. Of course they are free to leave at any time and some do. A supervisor is always on duty to ensure that the program is being followed and the rules are enforced.
Jeanna co-founded the Frankford Recovery House coalition a few years ago to attempt to unite the legitimate recovery houses in the face of unfavorable publicity. There are five organizations within the coalition at present. Jeanna is well aware of the problem caused by recovery houses that merely take a check and provide no services to their residents.
Jeanna - President, Steve - Housing Supervisor and John also on staff
This is not an endorsement of New Desires but rather an attempt to understand what we are talking about in regard to recovery houses.
