September 2012

Cedar Park Neighbors Newsletter

President’s Message: What’s Your Favorite Part of the Week?

By Michael Froehlich

You know what my favorite part of the week is in Cedar Park during

the summer?

Saturday morning.

Everyone is out on their porches and sidewalks. They’re sitting at the tables outside the Gold Standard or Satelliteor Atiya Ola’s. It’s elbow-to-elbow atthe counter at Cedar Park Café. Childrenare starting to filter into Cedar Park playground. Neighbors are streamingdown Baltimore Avenue towards theClark Park farmer’s market, stoppingto talk with one another along the way.

Saturday morning is just one of the thingsI like about my neighborhood and why

I’m excited about serving as the Presidentof Cedar Park Neighbors (CPN).

We hope that you were able to comeout and enjoy Friday night jazz inCedar Park this summer. I’d like to givean enormous thank you to Algernongof Elena’s Soul for organizing the series.It certainly would not have happenedwithout Algernong—and your donationsin the red buckets during the show!(And speaking of Elena’s, have youheard that their house-made veggie burger is back on the menu? Go try it.It’s the best veggie burger in West Philly.)

Hopefully, SEPTA’s track replacementproject didn’t inconvenience you too muchthis summer. SEPTA came out to our Juneboard meeting to talk about their project.

S E E D S G A L L E R Y O P E N I N G

C E D A R P A R K N E I G H B O R S S C H O L A R S

C O M M U N I T Y G A R D E N S

WarringtonCommunityGarden membersPeggy Kovich andCarol Bowers, and garden presidentMichael Williamsstand by the CityHarvest plot. Seestory on page 4.

State RepresentativeJames Roebuck, a CedarPark Neighbor andscholarship contributor,congratulated recipientsas the CPN ScholarshipCommittee presentedthis year’s scholarships.See story on page 3.

continued on page 2

Welcome to newCPN PresidentMichael Froehlich.

Story on page 6.

Page 2 CPN Newsletter

President’s Message continued from page 1

They’re done replacing the section of trackin Cedar Park. The whole project shouldbe done by mid-September. At that point,they’ll be removing their trailers fromBaltimore and 49th Street. And we’llall be riding the trolley once again.

Have you had a chance to drop into thenew Seeds Gallery at 5011 BaltimoreAvenue (owned by the inimitable Saba,proprietor of Aksum on BaltimoreAvenue) or Starr’s Boutique at 5015Baltimore? They’ve got some beautiful artand clothing. You need to take a look ifyou haven’t yet. And speaking of newbusinesses, we’re excited that MilanMarvelous has moved The MarvelousRecords and Music shop to Cedar Park.Need some new records? Check ’em out.

Finally, I wish to thank the 48th StreetNeighbors Group for the fun Porch Hopsthat they sponsored this summer. The 48thStreet Neighbors group was formed aftera tragic crime in Cedar Park last fall. Theyrealized that looking out for your neigh-bors (and your neighborhood) starts with

getting to know each other a little bitmore. So on two Saturdays this summer,a dozen neighbors held mini-open houseson their porches and invited everyone todrop by. My family and I had a great timeat the first one in June. (Sadly, we wereout of town for the second one!)

I want to acknowledge Monica Allisonone more time for the extraordinary workthat she did during the last four years aspresident of Cedar Park Neighbors. There’sno way that I will ever match her energyand skill at bringing people together toimprove Cedar Park. But I’ll give it mybest shot. And if you have any thoughtson things Cedar Park Neighbors shouldbe doing to improve your part of theneighborhood, please let me know.You can reach us at 267-531-4147 or byemail at contact@cedarparkneighbors.org.

I’m looking forward to being President,because…

There is always something good happening in Cedar Park!

Great Food. Great Drinks. Cedar Park'sNeighborhood Bar.

4912 Baltimore Avenue

Need some newrecords? TheMarvelous Recordsand Music shop hasmoved to Cedar Park.

By Laurie Friedman, Scholarship Chair

The CPN Scholarship Committee wasproud to present scholarship awards

of $1,000 this year to each of the recipi-ents named below. We recognize thesestudents for their hard work and successin high school, their service to the com-munity, and their continued commitmentto furthering their education at the post-secondary level. We truly appreciate thesupport of all our neighbors and localbusinesses who contributed to supportingour youth!

Since 1989, Cedar Park Neighbors(CPN) has raised money and given modest scholarships to support studentsfrom the neighborhood in their pursuit ofhigher education. Unlike many restrictedscholarships, Cedar Park’s scholarshipoffers students funds to pay for any andall school-related expenses, which couldbe anything from tuition and books, tosomething as simple as transportationto and from school.

Congratulations to the following CedarPark Scholars!

Sara Ghebremariam is a graduate of WestCatholic High School and will be graduatingin December from the University of Pennsyl -vania where she is majoring in Psychology.

Dung Nguyen graduated from West CatholicHigh School and is headed into her senioryear at Temple University where she majorsin Pharmacy.

Antoinette Trott graduated from the Philadel -phia High School for Girls and is startingher senior year at Hampton Universitywhere she majors in Political Science.

Hanh Nguyen graduated from West CatholicHigh School and will begin her junior yearat Temple University in the Fall where sheis pursuing a Bachelor’s of Nursing degree.

Zachary Spence graduated from GeorgeWashington Carver High School forEngineering & Science and is heading intohis junior year at the Howard UniversitySchool of Engineering.

Briana Lane graduated from WestPhiladelphia High School and is headinginto her sophomore year at WidenerUniversity. She is majoring in Psychology.

Congratulations, Scholars! 2012-2013 Cedar Park Scholarships Presented

First off, I would like to thank you forselecting me as this year’s recipient ofthe Cedar Park Neighbors Scholarship.As tuition continues to increase, the scholar-ship is greatly needed. This academic yearwas successful! I had a number of accom-plishments, one becoming a member of the1867 Howard University traveling basket-ball team. Not only do I have a passion forthe game, but it keeps me focused in allthings I do. I have learned in college thattime management is crucial. From balancingpractices, game days, and my studies I havedeveloped a skill that has proved to beeffective. This semester I received all A’sand a C, my best performance thus far. Ireceived a C in my Differential Equationscourse. It was challenging but with my dedi-cation and the help of my professors andcolleagues I received an overall score of a78. In all, I finished my semester with a 3.5GPA and made the Dean’s List.

This summer I am back in Philadelphiacontinuing my internship at the NavyYard. My role as an intern gives me hands

on experience as a computer engineer andallows me to obtain valuable knowledge outside of the classroomsetting. I have been giventhe task to help develop a simulator for the Navy’ssubmarine ships. Thesimulator is composedof two tanks, whichtransfer water betweenthemselves and a reser-voir. My responsibilityis to construct a comput-er program that will control the simulatorand allow users to conduct preferred functions. I am excited to see my finalresults at the end of the summer.

Once again I would like to thank theCedar Park Scholarship Fund for selectingme as a recipient of this scholarship!

Best Regards, Zachary Spence

T H A N K S F R O M A S C H O L A R S H I P R E C I P I E N T

Make a scholarshipdonation throughthe CPN websiteor send a checkto CPN marked“Scholarship.”

S A V E T H E D A T E !

Friday Night Jazz Reunion Party& School Supply GiveAwaywith Denise King

Fri, Sept 28 5-9Sat, Sept 29 Noon to 8PMSun, Sept 30 TBD

Neighborhood Jazz Festival,poetry, ethnic dance & more.

Free book and school supplygiveaway for kids.

Cedar Park 50th & Baltimore

September 2012 Page 3

Beautiful and Bountiful Gardens of Cedar Park

By Andrea Saylor, CPN member andnewsletter reporter

Summer provides a beautiful opportunityto observe one of Cedar Park’s greatresources: gardens. Usually grown ononce-vacant lots, often tended by groupswho collaborate or individuals who sharetheir crops with the community, gardenscreate green spaces and provide fresh food.Here’s a sample of some of Cedar Park’sgardens.

Warrington Community Garden, 47th & Warrington

The Warrington Community Gardenbegan 40 years ago, on a large vacant areawhich once held a factory that had burneddown. The gardeners didn’t own the land,and their efforts were threatened in theearly 1990’s when developers expressedinterest in the lot. With porch sales, donations from neighbors, and a privatelender who helped them with a mortgage,the gardeners raised enough money tobuy the land. The Neighborhood GardensAssociation, a Philadelphia land trust,holds titles to 29 community gardens inthe city, including Warrington, and nowthe garden can’t be sold to developers.

Nearly 65 gardeners build and decorateplots here, often in unique ways—noticethe Cambodian theme on one plot thenext time you walk down Warrington.Gardeners contribute annual fees basedon plot size, participate in workdays tokeep common areas tidy, and attend a harvest dinner together in October.There is a wait list for plots.

The garden also dedicates space to theCity Harvest program, a partnershipbetween the Pennsylvania HorticulturalSociety (PHS) and others, including 45 citygardens. PHS donates seedlings, grown atother locations, and volunteer gardenersplant them, tend them from spring to falland harvest and donate the crops. Warring -ton Community Garden’s City Harvestcrops go to the food pantry at the nearbyParadise Emmanuel Tabernacle, where 30families benefit from the food donations.So far this year, the garden has donatedover 600 pounds of fresh vegetables.Carol Bowers and Mary Wallman, whorun the City Harvest plot at Warrington,say that other gardeners often donatesome of their personal produce, too.

Garden at 50th and Baltimore

Last fall, Vanessa Jerolmack began aprivate garden on a Baltimore Avenue lotshe’d purchased with her husband. The land borders their back yard on Catherine Street,and the garden’s first full season started thissummer, thanks to a PHS grant. Vanessajoined the City Harvest Grower’s Alliance,part of the City Harvest program that supports individual gardeners. PHS providedsoil, hay, manure, raised boxes, and seeds,and in return, Vanessa sells her produce toneighbors at an affordable price. You canfind her at 51st and Chester on Thursdaysfrom 4:30 to 7:30 p.m., at the farm standcalled Farm 51, which is another CityHarvest grant recipient.

St. Bernard Community Garden

This community garden of 47 plots is over15 years old. Near 49th Street and adjacentthe train tracks, the garden sits, often unno-ticed, several feet above street level. Gar den -ers can tend up to three plots per household,pay annual dues of $15, attend workdays,and water their plants with water donatedfrom a next-door neighbor. They have accessto a shared tool shed, compost pile, and ashared plot of herbs and berries. Com mu -nity members began the garden after thehouse there burned down and the lot stoodvacant. The garden has formed a task forceto explore how the Neighbor hood GardenAssociation might help them purchase theland. Individuals on the waiting list canexpect to get a plot in about two years.

Thanks to thesethree gardensand all the othersin Cedar Park,including thefolks on the 4700block of Chester,Farm 51, andthe PentridgeChildren's Garden,who enhance thebeauty of ourneighborhood.

Vanessa Jerolmackin her garden onBaltimore Avenue.

Page 4 CPN Newsletter

September 2012 Page 5

How To Get a Trash Can for Your Block

Many residents who are interested intaking on the litter challenge have

asked about how to get a trash can fortheir block. There is more to this issuethan meets the eye. We have asked experienced block captain Beth Ellerby,of the 4900 block of Larchwood Avenue,to share her wisdom.

Block Captain, Beth Ellerby, responds:

The process for obtaining trash basketsfor our block was actually quite easy.We have been an active block associationand a member of the Philadelphia MoreBeautiful Committee (PMBC) since 1995.We participate in all of the clean-upsand applied through their Adopt-a-BasketProgram. During our monthly meeting,we discussed how many baskets we wantedand where would be the best place to putthem. We also discussed how the canswould be emptied and the care of thearea around the cans.

As block captain, I wrote a letter toPMBC requesting the necessary paperworkand contract to apply for the baskets.Once the paperwork was received, it wasfilled out and the homeowners on whose

property the cans were being placedsigned the contract accepting responsi-bility for the can on their property. Thecans were delivered within two weeks.

We tried several different ways of scheduling the emptying of the cans.Monthly rotations turned out to bethe best solution. Knowing you havea particular month cuts down on theconfusion. We schedule two peopleeach month, one for each can. We soonrealized that we wanted the dome foreach can. Without the dome the cansfilled up with rain, sleet, snow or icecausing the bags to be very heavy forlifting out as well as messy. We alsobought chains and locks for the cansto secure them to the poles.

We are very pleased with having the cansand have seen a big decrease in litter onour block.

Note: The PMBC is a project of the PhiladelphiaStreets Department. To learn more about PMBC,call 215-685-3981.

C A L L I N G A L L B L O C K L E A D E R S !

Whether you are a registered block captain withthe Philadelphia More Beautiful Committee;

the main person who gathers the block for meetings,block parties or cleanups; or just interested in gettingmore involved with your block, we need you!Contact us at contact@cedarparkneighbors.organd put “block leader” in the subject line. Wewill tell you what we have in store for block leaders. Come on, get involved!

Place a trash can on yourblock and reduce litter.

V O T E R S , B R I N G Y O U R P H O T O I D O N N O V . 6

Be sure to register to vote and bring a photoID with an expiration date on it with youto the polls. Bring one of the following formsof identification and make sure it has notexpired. A driver’s or non-driver’s licencehas an expiration date and can be usedas long as it has not been expired for morethan 12 months. A U.S. passport has an expirationdate on it and may be used if the passport is stillvalid. An active duty U.S. military ID, retired militaryID, or military dependent’s ID has an expiration dateand may be used. Photo IDs issued by federal, state,county or municipal governments, and IDs fromaccredited Pennsylvania institutions of higher learningdo not always have expiration dates. If yours doesnot have an expiration date, you can have a stickerwith a current expiration date put on it.

Page 6 CPN Newsletter

Zoning News: New Zoning Code Goes Into Effect

Maureen Tate, CPN Zoning Committee

The CPN Zoning Committee took abrief respite in August after a very

active year to rest up for what will surelybe another. The new City of PhiladelphiaZoning Code went into effect on August 22.While the new code will resolve much confusion and ambiguity in the old code,it will likely present initial challenges as allparties make adjustments to new processes.The new code calls for the establishmentof Registered Community Organizations(RCO’s) to represent community concernsbefore the ZBA. RCO’s were required tomeet particular criteria and make a formalapplication to the Philadelphia PlanningCommission. CPN met the criteria andwas approved as an RCO to representour community on zoning matters withinour established boundaries.

The following issues have been consideredby the CPN Zoning Committee in recentmonths.

4925 Pentridge: An application to convert alarge former industrial building into individ-ual studio/workshop spaces was granted bythe ZBA. CPN entered a letter of support.

5027 Baltimore: Application for a take-outcertificate for proposed gourmet hot dog/sandwich business with 4 dwelling unitsin an existing structure was granted by theZBA. CPN entered a letter of no objection.

4907 Catharine: An application for a take-outcertificate for a counter service vegetariancafé with smoothie bar was granted by theZBA. CPN filed a letter of no objection.

5114 Hazel: A hearing before the ZBA onan application for a conversion from singlefamily to a triplex was scheduled for July18. Following notice of objection by manyneighbors and a letter of objection by CedarPark Neighbors, the applicant sought andwas granted a continuance until September19 at 5:00 p.m. CPN is seeking to clarifythe applicant’s intent and will attend thecontinuance hearing.

5016 Walton: An application for legalizationof a two family dwelling was granted bythe ZBA. CPN filed a letter of no objection.

5103 Pentridge: CPN received notice ofintent regarding an application for a usepermit for a banquet hall that will alsoserve as meeting facility for girls mentoringprogram. There is no hearing scheduled atthis time. The Zoning Committee will workwith neighbors to schedule a meeting so theapplicant can present about the proposeduse to local residents.

Note: The CPN Zoning Committee generally meets the3rd Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. The September meeting will be held Wednesday, September 19. If youhave questions about any of these issues or are a CPNmember interested in serving on the committee, contactthe committee at: contact@cedarparkneighbors.org

By Monica Allison, CPN Vice President

Saturday August 11, 2012 marked thefruition of a dream. The Seeds Gallerylocated at 5011 Baltimore Avenue openedits doors with four artists featured. Theopening exhibit featured works by CharlesBarbin, Artist/Public Murals Designer,Robert Brahin, Documentary Photographer,and Russell Brodie and Jeremy Fahringer,West Philly artists. Upon my arrival, I washappy to see families both inside and out-side of the gallery. The gallery was invitingand relaxed. The food was good as was thechoices of wines. The mission of the SeedsGallery is to create a networking forum forlocal artists and to help seed them into thecommunity. The aim is to seed local artistsby helping to create exposure for their

work, develop their businessskills, and present their work toclients. They will help foster rela-tionships between artists and theirclient base and assist with transac-tions. The Seeds Gallery is not atraditional gallery, so check it out!The Seeds Gallery will have show-ings of local artists and educatethem in business practices.

The Cedar Park area is full of unsigned, butnoteworthy artists who could take advantageof the offerings of The Seeds Gallery and itsstaff. We are excited to have them in ourcommunity. For more information regardingThe Seeds Gallery, contact: Nori James,Executive Director, Seeds Gallery at 267-289-2705 or artists@seedsgallery.com

Cedar Park Welcomes Seeds Gallery

The Seeds Galleryopened on August11th. Check it out!

September 2012 Page 7

GO WEST! Craft Fest features over 50of the Philly region’s most inventive

vendors of original arts & crafts, plus livemusic, food and family-friendly fun. It’sall at the Woodlands in West Philly, 40th& Woodland (across from the main trol-ley portal) on Saturday, September 29(rain date September 30).

Find a multitude of local wares handmadewith care: original artworks, cards, prints,hand-constructed and upcycled clothing,screen printed tees, ceramics, home goods,jewelry, accessories, cozy knitwear, naturalbath & body products, candles, toys, edi-bles and more. Keep your holiday shop-ping list in mind, as a handmade gift is notonly unique and special, but also supportslocal, independent small business.

There’s live entertainment too! Four amaz-ing acts will perform for your diversion.

Noon: Perseverance Jazz Band, swinging NOLA-style standards

1 p.m.: the Citywide Specials, authenticbluegrass that’s finger-pickin’ good

2 p.m.: Jay Sand of “All Around This World”engaging world music for kids and theirfamilies

3 p.m.: Tinycircus, aerial flights of fancypresented by Tangle Movement Arts

There’s also a handful of food vendors foryour physical nourishment, including

Black Orchid’s vegan specialties and WestPhilly’s own award-winning Lil’ Pop Shopfor dessert! We are looking to accept oneor two more food trucks or vendors forlunch/brunch main courses, preferablythose that emphasize local, sustainableand responsibly sourced ingredients, presented in a skillful and original way.

The Fest’s location, the WoodlandsCemetery, Mansion & Historic Landscape,is one of West Philly’s sweetest spots.A true urban oasis, its 54 wooded acresare home to an 18th-century neoclassicalmansion (open for tours), a communitygarden, historically significant trees andan apiary, as well as over 30,000 eternalPhiladelphians since 1840. The Fest willbe near the main entrance, just insidethe fence along Woodland Avenue.

Proudly presented by VIX Emporiumand As the Crow Flies & Co.

Go West Craft Fest at the Woodlands: Food, Fun, Family-Friendly

If you enjoy meeting new people, learningabout different cultures while sharingyour interests, hobbies, and the culture ofWest Philadelphia, then check out DrexelUniversity’s new pilot program, theIntercultural Community Bridge Program!

This new program is a partnership betweenDrexel’s English Language Center and I-Forum that will give participants an oppor -tunity to learn about different culturesas well as a chance to share their uniqueexperiences with each other. Moreover,participants will be able to build meaning-ful and lasting relationships as they enjoyactivities in their community. The time spentwith community members faculty and staffwill give Drexel students a sense of stabilityand a much-needed support network.

Participants will be placed into“community families” that will consistof three international students, two domestic students, a faculty or staff member, and one member from theWest Philadelphia community. Eachfamily will meet once a month fromOctober to April. They can attend avariety of Drexel I-Forum events forfree, meet for dinner and conversation,take part in West Philadelphia events, etc.

As you can imagine, we need as many participants as possible to make this program a success. If you are interested inparticipating or would like more informa-tion, please contact Bethany Shaw-Fallonat 215-571-4139 or brs25@drexel.edu.

Drexel Seeks Members for Community Families

Drexel University’sEnglish LanguageCenter Launchesa New ProgramBridging the GapBetween Students,Faculty, Staff,and CommunityMembers.

By Ray Murphy, CPN Board Member

At the beginning of the summer CedarPark Neighbors launched a survey to

gather residents’ thoughts about the futureof Cedar Park. This information willenable the CPN Board to best representthe interests of all neighbors in regard toissues that come before the association.It will also inform our participation inPhilly 2035, the Philadelphia City PlanningCommission process that will result in anew city plan for Philadelphia whichincludes plans for each neighborhood.Along with other organizations, CPNwill participate in creating the plan forour area. Therefore, your participationin this survey is very important.

If you have not yet taken the survey,please go to ph.ly/cedarparksurvey foran easy to access online survey. Thesurvey is also available on our webpageat www.cedarparkneighbors.org. Hardcopies are available upon request by calling Cedar Park Neighbors.

Although we will analyze responses ingreater detail, we want to share a selection

of quotes that reflect a range of answersthus far.

• I think diversity here is people from allover the world coming together becauseof similar interest and working togetherto achieve those interests. That’s why Ilive here. I think affordable housing andcommercial spaces, safe streets to raise afamily, and communication from allwho want to be a part of the collabora-tive effort is a good way to keep diversi-ty here and keep it coming back.

I’m not a fan of the property taxes goingup and people who lived their wholelives here getting pushed out though.There has to be a balance, but needto communicate their needs just likeeveryone else so there can be a balance.

• We love it here. The urban mix of density nestled among green space, mainstreet familiarity, the close connectionto the city, diversity of neighbors andthe overall walk-ability make CedarPark a lovely place to live. We wantto raise our family here, but the schoolchoices make this a struggle.

Cedar Park Residents Respond to CPN Neighborhood Survey

Page 8 CPN Newsletter

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September 2012 Page 9

Did YOUTake theSurvey?

SURVEY

Help to guide thefuture developmentof Cedar Park by filling out the onlineversion survey atph.ly/cedarparksurvey

Cedar Park Residents Respond to CPN Neighborhood Survey, continued

• Violent crime in the nearby vicinity.Doubts about the quality of local neigh-borhood schools. Too expensive and toomuch house for the monthly payment.

• Having a wide range of residents in termsof age, class, and race. One thing that isrequired to keep the neighborhood diverseis to support existing/long term residentsto stay in their homes rather than sell.We need to make the neighborhoodmore hospitable to long-term residentsthan to college students, and we need tokeep property values stable/reasonable/affordable rather than taking everychance to inflate them.

• It’s in the city, but you can have a yardand park in front of your house, but alsostill walk to get groceries, Vietnamesefood, a drink, whatever. Super diverseand with a progressive history.

• I love this neighborhood! It is the firstplace I have lived that feels like home.The architecture, the trees, the folks wholive here, it is a wonderful neighborhoodfull of beauty and life.

• The primary school options are not suffi-cient for a family-friendly neighborhood.Families are moving here, yet supportingschools has not been a priority of CPN.

• It is not very affordable for middle/lowincome folks to rent alone or even withone other person; I know a lot of peoplewho have been mugged or experiencedsome sort of violence, robbery or vandalism(including myself); the split between theclasses is very evident and cause for alot of the previously mentioned troubles.

• I like that on any walk in Cedar Park,I see diversity in terms of race, class, gender and sexual orientation. It makesthe neighborhood feel real and like a city.I think Cedar Park needs to make surethere are affordable properties and takea nuanced view of both the benefits andchallenges gentrification (as it is alreadywell under way in West Philly) can bring.

• I have to ship my child across the cityand back every day so she can go to adecent school. Also, everything is gettingmore expensive. We can’t pay rent anyhigher than what we have.

• I live in the Cedar Park neighborhoodbecause I feel it is a friendly neighbor-hood, it’s not an anonymous cityscape.

When you live here long enough youknow everybody.

• The neighborhood is changing and, withrising rents and property taxes, the folksthat make this neighborhood great aren’tgoing to be able to afford to live here. Iwant to fight for the folks who have beenliving in this neighborhood for years andnot just make it a “safe” and nice collegearea for Penn students.

• I want to live somewhere where develop-ment is controlled by the people mostseverely impacted by it: long-term poorresidents of color, not middle-class whiteresidents. I’m not sure if this is that community or not.

Respondents Top Three Answers:

How much do each of the followingimpact your decision to live in CedarPark?

Public Transportation 77.9%

Parks/green space 76.8%

Diversity 70.5% As part of the neighborhood plan, thePlanning Commission will be addressingthe issue of zoning to individual proper-ties within both residential and commer-cial areas as well as the character of ourmain streets (Baltimore Avenue, 52ndStreet, etc.). Please rank the followingcharacteristics:

Locally owned and operated businesses within our main streets 67%

New construction (buildings) and new businesses should fit the scale and character of the neighborhood 55%

Provide all necessary shopping needs and services along our main streets 47%

How long have you lived in Cedar Park?

17% 22% 34% 13% 10% 5%

Years 0-2 2-5 5-10 10-20 20-40 40+

As our newsletter is going to pressCedar Park Neighbors was saddened

to learn of the recent death of Rosa BasleyThomas, a long time member and commu-nity leader from the 5000 block of WaltonAvenue. Rosa died at Fitzgerald MercyHospital on Friday, August 3, 2012after a brief period of illness.Rosa Basley was born in Macon,Georgia on December 4, 1941 and wasone of 10 children. Her family moved toPhiladel phia when Rosa was four yearsold. She graduated in 1960 from WestPhiladelphia High School and, shortlyafter graduation, enlisted into the UnitedStates Air Force from which she receivedan honorable discharge. She marriedFreddie Thomas, Jr. in 1961 and wasblessed with a daughter, Lisa Michelle.In 1964, Rosa enrolled in Drexel Univer -sity’s Engineering Night School Programand in 1966 joined the Philadelphia SchoolBoard as an accountant and later workedin their engineering department as anAdministrative Assistant. She worked forthe School Board for more than 20 years.In addition to work, Rosa had manyother passions. She was an accomplishedclothing designer, with a large following

who sought her out to design and makewedding and prom gowns, dresses, suitsand coats and other items for special occasions. An avid gardener, Rosa notonly cared for her own garden but encouraged other beautification activitiesamong her neighbors.

Rosa was a resident of the 5000 blockof Walton Avenue for 35+ years. She wasan energetic advocate for her block andserved as Block Captain for over 20 yearsand was considered the “go to” personand the party person. As a Block Captainshe coordinated block meetings, clean-ups,parties, tree planting and other greeningprojects. Because of her effective blockleadership she was the keynote speakerat CPN’s 2005 Block Leaders Conference.She was always interested to do her partto see our community move forward ina positive way. Rosa also served as amember of the CPN Board of Directorsfrom 2007 to 2009. We have lost a wonderful neighbor who inspired andencouraged many with her hopeful spiritand enduring commitment to communitybuilding. Cedar Park Neighbors extendsour heartfelt sympathies to Rosa’s familyin this time of sorrow and loss.

I N M E M O R I A M

Page 10 CPN Newsletter

Rosa Basley Thomas1941-2002

September 2012 Page 11

Membership Update: Greetings From Our New CPN Membership Chair

By Marcus Presley, CPN Membership Chair

Hello All! I’d like to take this opportunity to introduce myself

as the new chair of CPN’s MembershipCommittee! I am very happy to be takingon the job, and as a relative newcomer tothe neighborhood I’m looking forward toogetting to know even more of you. I alsowant to thank Laurie Friedman for herfantastic leadership while chairing thecommittee over the last several years!

Over the next year, the board of CPNwill be making a big push to increasemembership so that we can better servethe community. Between the long termcity planning work being done throughthe Philadelphia 2035 project and thechanges to the city’s zoning code, as wellas the general increase in real estate activityin our community, we have a uniqueopportunity to come together to shape thefuture of our vibrant neighborhood. CPNis consistently looked to as a voice for theresidents of Cedar Park, and as such webelieve that it’s critical to increase bothour numbers as well as the overall engage-ment of our members so that we can trulyrepresent our community.

Our new table at the Baltimore AvenueDollar Stroll (where you can procure amembership for only one dollar!) has gonea long way towards helping us achieve thisgoal, and we have added 45 new membersover the last month through this outreach!It’s been a lot of fun to connect with somany new members in this way. Weare working to continue to be an evengreater presence in the community overthe next year.

For those new members who are receivingthis newsletter for the first time, welcome,and thank you for your commitment!We encourage you (and older membersalike!) to take some time to look over theCPN committees and see how you mightwant to become even more involved inthe organization.

Thanks again for the opportunity toserve our neighborhood in this way, andplease email the membership committeeat membership@cedarparkneighbors.orgwith any questions, concerns, thoughts orideas that you have in terms of gettingeven more involved with CPN.Warm regards, Marcus Presley

Page 12 CPN Newsletter

A Project of the University City District

The Dirt Factory is a new communitycomposting facility located at 4308

Market Street and is open for drop-offfrom 5 to 6 p.m. every Wednesday.

The Mission of the Dirt Factory is:

• To keep fallen leaves out of the wastestream and in University City;

• To provide a location for the UniversityCity community to sustainably dispose ofits food scraps and other organic waste;

• To generate high-quality organic compostfor use in University City gardens.

The Dirt factory features the high-capacityEarth Tub Compost System, which producescompost year-round from neighborhoodorganic waste. The Dirt Factory is alsoa community education center, featuringresidential scale composting facilitieswhere community members can learnmore about composting at home and gardening using compost.

Drop-Off

Leaves: UCD collects bagged leaves andwood chips from the neighborhood forprocessing at The Dirt Factory. Do youhave bagged leaves or wood chips?To arrange pickup, contact: compost@universitycity.org

Food scraps and other organic material:The Pedal Co-op collects compostablematerial from University City residentsand businesses, with drop-off at The DirtFactory. To find out more about this service, which is available for a lowmonthly fee, contact the Pedal Co-Opat 507-581-4421 or 507-581-4421.

You can also drop off up to 5 gallons oforganic food waste per week at The DirtFactory. The facility is open for drop-offfrom 5 to 6 p.m. every Wednesday, butplease check to confirm those hours beforedropping off. For a list of materials thatare accepted for composting, please visitpedalcoop.org/compost.

Pick-up

Contact compost@universitycity.org if youare interested in obtaining finished compostfrom The Dirt Factory. UCD will contactyou when material becomes available.

Hours

The Dirt Factory is open during scheduleddrop-off times, and for educational andcommunity events. Currently, the scheduleddrop-off time is 5-6 p.m. every Wednesday.Changes will be posted on the UCD website link: universitycity.org/dirt-factory

Upcoming Events

This season, the Penn State ExtensionMaster Gardeners will present a series ofseven workshops related to compostingand gardening. All workshops are free,and will feature raffles, and other give-aways. Check out upcoming workshopsat the link above.

Saturday, October 6, 10:00 a.m.Extending the Growing SeasonIf you love eating home-grown vegetables,learn how your garden can keep producingfresh food well into the fall, and eventhroughout the winter! Master GardnerLauren McEewen will discuss inexpensivetools, such as reusing plastic soda bottlesand old vinyl windows, as well as themore advanced techniques that will keepyour vegetable garden going all year long.

The Dirt Factory Is Open for Business

September 2012 Page 13

Page 14 CPN Newsletter

Cedar Park Neighbors Membership Application/Renewal

● New Member● Renewal● Multi-year (max. 3 years)

# of years_____

● $10 Individual

● $15 Household (2 persons or more)

● $ 7 Senior/Student/Unemployed

● $30 Business

● $40 Sponsor (one free CPN t-shirt!)

Additional contribution: (Write $ amount)

_____ Holiday baskets

_____ Scholarships

_____ Jazz Series

_____ Park

_____ Other, specify _________________________

CPN t-shirt: (Write $ amount if not Sponsor and circle size)

_____ Short Sleeve Adult S, M, L, XL,

2XL, 3XL,4XL, 5XL, 6XL ($15)

_____ Short Sleeve Kids S, M, L, XL ($15)

_____ Long Sleeve Adult S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL ($20)

_________TOTAL ENCLOSED

Name

Address

Phone

Email

● Yes, I would like to receive an email notice witha link to the current newsletter on the CPN website(and do not deliver a paper copy to my home).

Email membership@cedarparkneighbors.orgWebsite www.cedarparkneighbors.orgPhone 267-531-4147

Return form with check to:Cedar Park NeighborsCalvary Community Center4740 Baltimore Ave.Philadelphia, PA 19143

Name

Address

City, State, Zip

Phone

Email

Check your areas of interest for potential participation:

● Block Organizing: Maintain list of Block Leaders, organize forums,

Review block grant applications and help awardees implement projects etc.

● Board of Directors: CPN leadership and decision-making body.

● Cedar Park Garden Tenders: Plant and maintain gardens at Cedar Park.

● Education Committee: Interaction with local schools and parents on issues.

● Fundraising: Special events, grant writing.

● Holiday Baskets: Coordinate and assist distribution to needy Cedar Park families.

● Membership/Newsletter Committee: Promote membership to residents and businesses,

Writing, publishing, photography and distribution of newsletter.

● Property/Housing Task Force: Strategize/respond to issues of deteriorated property.

● Scholarship Committee: Raise funds, promote program, and select awardees.

● Website: Technical support, maintenance, updating info/pictures etc.

● Zoning Committee: Monitor & communicate issues to residents;

represent Cedar Park before Zoning Board of Adjustment.Cedar Park Neighbors is a 501[c]3 not-for-profit organization. All contributions are fully tax-deductible for federal income tax purposes.

September 2012 Page 15

Page 16 CPN Newsletter

CPN Mission Statement:Cedar Park Neighbors is an association of diverse house-holds and businesses based inthe Cedar Park neighborhood ofWest Philadelphia, Penn sylvania.The purpose of the associationshall be to foster collaborationamong all persons living andworking in the Cedar Park neigh-borhood, to promote communitydevelopment, to provide a forumfor communication and commu-nity education, to respond toneighborhood concerns and toadvocate for and promote thegeneral welfare of the CedarPark community.

Newsletter EditorsMaureen Tate & Judy Lamirand

Newsletter DesignJudy Lamirand, Parallel Design

To Contact Cedar Park Neighborsor submit Newsletter items:contact@cedarparkneighbors.orgwww.cedarparkneighbors.org267-531-4147

c/o Calvary Community Center4740 Baltimore AvenuePhiladelphia, PA 19143

CPN Board

PresidentMichael Froehlich1st Vice-PresidentMonica Allison

2nd Vice-PresidentDavid Hincher

TreasurerKaren Allen

SecretaryDorothy Welch Berlind

DirectorsAlgernong Allen Mahari Bailey Sean Dorn Margaret Ferrigno Laurie Friedman Lisa Johaningsmeier Theresa McCole Manzi Shawn Markovich Ray Murphy Sara Nissley Marcus Presley Beverly Rouse Mavil Spence Saba Tedla Courtney Walton Ana Lisa Yoder

“HANDS ON” HOMEOWNER WORKSHOPS

The Preservation Alliance for GreaterPhiladelphia is presents “Hands On”

Demonstration Workshops at theWoodlands, 40th Street and WoodlandAvenue, where owners and aspiring ownerscan learn about the restoration and main-tenance of older and historic homes fromthe conservation staff of the FairmountPark Historic Preservation Trust.

Masonry and Pointing Wednesday, September 19, 6:30 p.m.

Historic Wood Windows Wednesday, September 26, 6:30 p.m.

Plaster Wednesday, October 3, 6:30 p.m.

Roofing Wednesday, October 10, 6:30 p.m.

FREE and open to the public, reservationsrequired. To reserve a space, or formore information, please contact Melissa Jest at 215-546-1146 x6 or melissa@preservationalliance.com.

Sponsored by Sherwin Williams, The Mark Group,Danner Windows, and Limeworks US in collaborationwith The Woodlands and Roxborough DevelopmentCorporation.

CROSSROADS MUSIC FALL CONCERTS

Crossroads is now celebrating its tenthanniversary. The fall 2012 schedule is

now complete, including music from every continent except Australia. You can findthe full schedule and more informationat www.crossroadsconcerts.org.

Also be sure to check out a full line-upof FREE children’s programs on Saturdayor Sunday evenings at 6:00 p.m. beginningSeptember 15. Children’s programs lastfrom 30 to 40 minutes, and are free tochildren under 12 and their parents orother caregivers. Seating is first come, firstserved. Please, no unaccompanied children.Full schedule is available on the website.

All Crossroads Concerts take placeat Calvary Center, 801 South 48th Street.

THANKS TO THIS NEWSLETTER’S SPONSOR: