December 2007

Cedar Park Neighbors Newsletter

Best Wishes from Cedar Park Neighbors to All – A Merry Christmas,Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa and a Healthy and Prosperous New Year!

by Carol Walker, CPN President

Cedar Park Neighbors (CPN) looksback on 2007 with a feeling of gratitude,hope, and renewal.

Gratitude: For the support of ourmembership during this past year.Your good wishes, your participation,support and your kind words helpstrengthen and motivates the Boardeven more. We thank you!

Hope: That what the CPN membershipsets out to accomplish, will be accom-plished, with all of us working together,slowly but surely, meeting by meeting,event by event it will be completed.

Renewal: And we look forward to2008 with renewed vigor, purpose anda recommitment to continuing to makea positive difference here in Cedar Park.

A lot has been accomplished. Dock Streethas opened, the Wine & Spirits shopwill be opening very soon. The newVietnam Restaurant will open shortlyalong Restaurant Row. The murals in theparking lot next to Benny’s Barber Shopand the A-Space are almost complete.

Our park gets a new playground in addi-tion to the renovations that have alreadybeen completed. Pedestrian lighting iscoming to Baltimore Avenue all the wayto 52nd Street. The triangle at 46th &Baltimore has broken ground. Also, ourblock captains and block leaders continueto be a gift to our neighborhood throughtheir commitment and good work toimprove their blocks and build abetter community.

Our plate is full, but there is room foryou — we could use your help activelyserving on a committee. We are workingon many issues — Zoning, HousingProperty Task Force, Block Committee,Block Grants and the Education Commit-tee, a new committee chaired by a newCPN member, Ms. Shani Evans. This com-mittee will be reaching out to the schoolsin our area to be of service and support.

So I look forward with great optimismto meeting the challenges that lay ahead.CPN is strongly committed to this neigh-borhood and will continue to do all thatcan be done to continue to make CedarPark the best neighborhood in the Cityof Philadelphia.

Holiday Baskets

Our annual Holiday Baskets Project,providing food for local familiesthrough local churches andorganizations, is underway.Volunteers are needed topack food on Saturday,December 22, 2 – 4pm(NOTE THE NEW TIME!) atSt. Francis de Sales SchoolAuditorium, 47th Streetabove Springfield Ave.For information and tovolunteer please contactcommittee co-chair: JoannePham, 215-386-8102.

There is alwayssomething goodhappening inCedar Park!

Education Committee Forms

by Shani Evans, CPN Board Member

On November 29th, ten Cedar Park resi-dents discussed strategies for supporting

local schools, students, and parents at thefirst Cedar Park Schools Committee meeting.Our next steps include collecting informationfrom local schools about how our committeemay be helpful and developing a plan for ourwork. Anyone interested is invited to partici-pate in our next meeting at the CalvaryCommunity Center on Tuesday, January15th at 7pm. More information, includingminutes from the first meeting, can be foundat https://cedarparkschools.wikispaces.com.

Page 2 CPN Newsletter

by Monica Allison, Park Co-Chair

It was a beautiful fall day when thesitting walls facing Catharine Street

were completed in Cedar Park. TheMural Arts program, with the PhiladelphiaHorticultural Society and University CityDistrict, in conjunction with Cedar ParkNeighbors, did enough fundraising to havethe sitting walls completed to match thesitting wall at the 50th street entrance ofthe park. The falling autumn leaves per-fectly complement the newly painted walland tiles. The Mural Arts program hadour original artist Mike Smash andJohnny Bus come back and completethe project. As in the past they havenot disappointed us. Thanks guys!!!

The design for the new playground hasbeen completed. Demolition and buildingshould begin in the spring of 2008. Theplayground design includes play equip-ment to accommodate ages 2-10. Thedesign of the equipment and play areawill lead children into the park, insteadof onto 50th street as the current designdoes. To bring cohesion to the park, theplayground will be partially enclosed byfencing similar to the fencing at the Mem-orial Garden. The colors will complementthe existing landscape. So over what mayseem to be a long winter, look forward tospring when the next phase of work willbe done in our park. Enjoy your Holiday!

Park Improvement Moves On to the Next Phase

Thank you for recycling!

by Peggy Nowak, Recycling Coordinator

Our CPN recycling program needsyour help! Over the past 15 or more

years, this program has been the majorsource of funding for CPN’s activities.Now the City recycling program hasexpanded its curbside pickups. This hasresulted in a reduced number of recyclersat our 50th and Baltimore pick-up spotevery first and third Saturday of the month.

And... if you feel so inclined we’d loveto add you to our list of volunteers (aboutone Saturday every six months) to assistneighbors as they drop by with theirrecyclables. To volunteer for recyclingcontact CPN: 267-531-4147;contact@cedarparkneighbors.org.

We Need You!! Continue To Recycle With Us at 50th and Baltimore!!

This brand-new versionof the teeter-totter isone of several new play-ground equipment piecescoming to Cedar Park.Looks like fun!

Page 2 CPN Newsletter December 2007 Page 3

by Dorothy Berlind, CPN Secretary andRepresentative to the UCD

UCD informs us that light poles havebeen delivered and are ready to go—

we await final documentation from theStreets Department and PennDot beforethe final phase of actually installing thelights. The original plan was for lightingfrom 45th to 50th Streets on BaltimoreAvenue; in response to the community’sdesire to extend the lighting to 52nd StreetUCD sought additional funds from theCity and thanks to support from theCouncilwoman received that fundingfrom NTI money.

This project is the result of several surveysin University City that indicated that im-proved pedestrian lighting was a very highpriority for the community. Businesses onthe Avenue placed safety as the secondmost important issue for them, right afterparking. A survey of existing lightinglevels on Baltimore Avenue showed asignificant number of large gaps, leavingmany dark areas on the corridor. Thelights are 14 feet high and will be spaced

80 feet apart. They will replace the over-head street lights and will meet the nation-al lighting standards for sidewalks androadways. The project is being funded bygrants from the William Penn Foundation,PennDot, and the NeighborhoodTransformation Initiative.

And, the lights will shine on our newlybeautiful Cedar Park, a new Wine andSpirits store, lovely new planters installedby UCD, and community folk out andabout dining, and shopping, and doingerrands at the new and old shops andrestaurants on the Avenue. Somethinggood is always happening in Cedar Park!

New Baltimore Avenue Pedestrian Lighting Will Extend to 52nd Street

Cedar Park Block Leaders Meet to Identify Common Concerns

Approximately 40 block leaders attended the Third Bi-Annual

Block Leaders Conference at GreaterEnon Baptist Church on Saturday,November 17. Participants gathered insmall group discussions and to get toknow nearby block leaders and identifycommon concerns. Speakers addressedseveral issues that frequently arise forblock leaders. Mr. Michael Spokane,of Park Pleasant Nursing Home, and Ms.Julie McNair, of the Philadelphia Corpor-ation on Aging, shared information andresources addressing the needs of elderlyneighbors. Mr. Brett Mandel of Philadel-phia Forward provided an update onPhiladelphia tax assessment issues andanswered residents’ questions. Mr. MartyCabry, of Councilwoman Blackwell’soffice, and CPN President Carol Walkertalked about zoning issues and howcommunity residents can have a voicein addressing local zoning changes.

Participants were also challenged by ques-tions while playing a neighborhood census

game prepared by Angie Coghlan andNaomi Fiordomondo. The lucky few withthe closest answers to the questions tookhome a special prize — boxes of gourmetchocolates donated by John & Kira’s Cho-colates (www.johnandkiras.com). Theselocal Philadelphia treats were recentlyfeatured on Oprah, in Gourmet magazineand rated best chocolate by ConsumerReports. The day ended with lunch.

CPN acknowledges the work of theBlock Organizing Committee in organizingthe conference: Angie Coghlan, NaomiFiordomondo, Beth Nixon, Rosa Thomas,Maureen Tate and Carol Walker. Blockleaders also were given an updated BlockOrganizing Kit full of information andresources for problem solving, block clean-ups, block grants, city resources,crime prevention, safety tips, etc. Ongoingblock leaders’ forums will be held in 2008.If you are interested in this committee orwish to get a Block Organizing Kit, pleasecontact Maureen Tate, 215-726-8664,tatemch@aol.com.

Participants got to knowone another and sharecommon concerns at theBlock Leaders Conference.

Page 4 CPN Newsletter

Several Cedar Park members andresidents have recently received special

honors for leadership and service. Weare proud to call them neighbors andcongratulate them for achievements.

Monica Allison, CPN’s very own vicepresident, affectionately known as the“Park Lady” was honored as a Volunteer ofthe Year by the Pennsylvania HorticulturalSociety, at the annual Party For the Parkson December 6, for her leadership in therenovation of Cedar Park. Monica hasbeen a vigilant advocate for Cedar Parkand was instrumental in working with theCPN Park Improvement Committee ondesign, establishing the new gardens andplanning the new playground. She hasorganized Spring and Fall Into Your Parkevents, monitored daily use as well asmaintenance and safety concerns, mediat-ed issues between neighbors and users ofthe park and has established a friendly andwelcoming atmosphere. We salute Monicaand express our gratitude for her greatefforts on behalf of the community.

Arthur Read, General Counsel for Friendsof Farmworkers, Inc, a legal servicesprovider in Philadelphia, was awarded the2007 Morris Dees Justice Award at a recep-tion in New York on November 15. Theaward is named in honor of Morris Dees,co-founder and chief trial counsel for theSouthern Poverty Law Center in Alabama.The award is given annually to a lawyerwho has devoted his or her career to serv-ing the public interest and pursuing justice,and whose work has brought about posi-tive change in the community, state ornation. The award recognized Art Readfor nearly 30 years of tireless, courageous,and effective representation of farmworkersand immigrants. Art is a lecturer and authoron workers’ rights and is well known forhis advocacy on behalf of Pennsylvaniamigrant workers, especially in the mush-room industry. We congratulate our neigh-bor Art Read for this award and honor

him for his commitment to legal serviceson behalf of those who suffer injustice.

Joshia Cohen (14) and Noah Cohen (15)of the 800 block of South 48th Streetreceived the Junior Block Award of the Yearin the 2007 Philadelphia More BeautifulCommittee Clean Block Contest at theannual PMBC Awards Banquet in Novem-ber. Sons of Seth and Ann Cohen, theseyoung men exemplify civic involvement.They were nominated for the award byblock captain Michael Williams, whocommends them for their work assistingelderly neighbors, maintaining public spacesaround Calvary Church by weeding,watering grass, pruning, picking up litterand many other efforts on behalf of theirneighbors. Honor students at DelawareValley Christian School, the boys alsovolunteered in the summer months, inCamden and Chester County, workingon neighborhood projects as well as men-toring children and assisting with literacyprograms. Joshia and Noah are also BoyScouts who are currently working on theirEagle Badges. Their 48th Street neighborsas well as the entire community whichbenefits from their hard work are indeedfortunate. We applaud their commitmentto service and the model they provide forother young people in our community.

Cedar Park Residents Honored for Leadership and Service

by Timothy Martin and Drew Petersen

based upon the story by E.T.A. Hoffman

A Classic Holiday Fairytale Playing at The Calvary Center

4740 Baltimore AvenueDec. 7-29 at various times

Visit us online at www.curiotheatre.org

Or call 215-525-1350 fortickets and showtimes

NOTE:Winter classes begin January

26; also after school classes onMondays beginning January 28.

Curio Theatre Company Presents The Nutcracker

Monica Allison, our veryown Vice President, washonored as a Volunteerof the Year by the Pennsyl-vania Horticultural Society

December 2007 Page 5

by Maureen Tate, CPN Vice-President

Anew façade has generated excitementand relief among neighbors antici-

pating a new Wine and Spirits Store forBaltimore Avenue. Four years ago, as weaddressed park improvement issues andother concerns along the Baltimore com-mercial corridor, Cedar Park Neighborsnamed a new State Store as one of itsgoals in the long-range plan for neighbor-hood improvement. CPN approached thePLCB and launched an effort to documentresident concerns and collaborate with thestate agency to identify a new location forthe new, expanded, full-service Wine andSpirits Store.

The opening of the new store is plannedfor January 14. A grand opening withfurther community involvement will bescheduled a few weeks following. CPNrepresentatives have been invited to do awalk-through of the new space as soon asconstruction debris is cleared, and we arein the process of dialogue with regionalmanagers to plan for the opening. Manyneighbors have asked questions and raisedconcerns about the product line that willbe carried in the new store. CPN and thePLCB staff will plan how to obtain inputfrom local residents and businesses aboutwine selection and other products thatneighbors would like to purchase locally.

CPN will continue to monitor manage-ment of the new store in order to ensurethat problems associated with the old storedo not recur. We have emphasized to thePLCB that we expect a store that isan asset to the business corridor and thatsupports responsible alcohol consumption.

Neighbors whopatronize the new storewill help grow a newlocal customer base andensure that this reinvest-ment in our businesscommunity is a success.

After

New Wine and Spirit Store to Open in the New Year

Before

Cedar Park Blocks Are Beautiful

Two Cedar Park blocks participated in this year’s PhiladelphiaMore Beautiful Committee Clean Block Contest, the 5000 block

of Catharine Street and the 800 block of S. 48th Street. A total of41 blocks from around the city competed. The competition had tobe stiff, because these two Cedar Park blocks are among our bestlooking and best spirited. Although neither block was among thetop four receiving awards, the Junior Block Captains from 48thStreet did receive the Junior Block Award. In addition to beautifi-cation efforts, participating blocks prepared block histories andsummaries of activities. The contest judges arrived in buses withpolice escorts and were welcomed by cheering neighbors. Forty-eighth Street residents involved children from St. Francis de SalesSchool who greeted judges singing and dancing to a variation ofa song from the musical Hairspray celebrating West Philadelphia.It is hard to imagine how the winning blocks could top that!

Congratulations to our neighbors of the 800 block of 48th Streetand the 5000 block of Catharine for lifting your blocks up asmodels for what others can do when they work together.

THE ST. FRANCIS DE SALES ORGAN RESTORATION SOCIETY PRESENTS:

A ChristmasSampler

St. Francis de Sales ChoraleAnnual Concert

Sunday, December 16, 20073:00 PM

St. Francis de Sales Church 47th St. & Springfield Ave.

No admission charge.

Donations great and small gratefully accepted for the Organ Restoration Society.

Page 6 CPN Newsletter

by Michael Spokane, Director ofAdmissions, Park Pleasant Nursing Home

Park Pleasant Nursing and RehabCenter has been part of the University

City community since 1947, when EdwardBrody took an old boys’ school andconverted it into a nursing home. Thatbuilding still stands at 4703 KingsessingAvenue and can be used for communitymeetings and events. The new building, at4712 Chester Avenue, still family owned,is administered by the founder’s daughterNancy Kleinberg, M.Ed., LNHA. ParkPleasant is unusual in today’s climateof large, impersonal nursing homecorporations because it has long beenrooted in our community and givespersonal, individual-centered service.

In addition to providing short andlong term care, Park Pleasant offers ourcommunity education on all aspects ofnursing home care. Anyone may call toask questions, learn about the types ofcare offered and payment issues. TheAdmissions Director, Michael Spokane,MA, recognizes how important it is forhim to educate community members aboutnursing home care. Spokane says, “It isfar better to learn about all this before afamily is in an emotionally charged, urgentsituation. Medicare, Medicaid, rehabilita-tion therapy, short term respite stays arecomplicated.” Mr. Spokane is availableto the community by phone and is alsowilling to speak to community groups toanswer questions and provide information.

Park Pleasant residents come from theirown or relatives’ homes, straight fromthe hospital or from other nursing homes.Many come for short periods to recuperatewhile receiving care and physical, occupa-tional or speech therapy. Others makethis their home for years. However longthe stay, there is an effort made to providea calm, home-like atmosphere and to keepthe residents integrated in community life.There are weekly visits from the ChesterAvenue Dog Park. Temple Universitystudents who are learning English as asecond language come weekly. There is anongoing relationship with the PhiladelphiaMural Arts Project, and Donald Genslerfrom the project and a University ofPennsylvania instructor comes weekly towork with a resident club. Club members’

self portraits have been on display atAbbraccio this fall.

The residents havemuch to offer thecommunity. This isclearly a two-waystreet. GenerousGenerations, agroup of sevenfamilies who wanttheir children toexperience the valueof giving at a youngage, come and inter-act with the residents in fun-filled, youth-oriented activities. They believe they get asmuch as they give. Individuals and groupsof all ages are welcomed. Neighbors canuse their talents and give of themselves ininfinite numbers of ways, such as playingmusic, taking video or oral histories, quietchatting or helping with holidays. Activityand Volunteer Director, Alfreda Benyard,helps neighbors find the best ways to beinvolved.

Park Pleasant is part of your communityand wants you to be part of their commu-nity. The sick and elderly must not beisolated. Community and friendship canenhance the lives of everyone involved.If you have any questions about nursingor rehabilitative care or wish to volunteerand be involved, call Park Pleasant, andthey will be more than glad to assist you.

Park Pleasant Nursing and Rehab Center at 4712Chester Avenue, University City, 215-727-4450

For Admission or Financial information callMichael Spokane, extension 130.

For Community Relations or Volunteer Informationcall Alfreda Benyard, extension 158.

Park Pleasant Nursing & Rehab Center Offers Service to our Community

This issueof the Cedar ParkNeighbors News-letter is sponsoredby Park PleasantNursing Home

December 2007 Page 7

Cedar Park Neighbors Membership Application/Renewal

Page 8 CPN Newsletter

CPN Board

PresidentCarol Walker

Vice-PresidentMaureen Tate

Vice-PresidentMonica Allison

SecretaryDorothy Welch Berlind

TreasurerKaren Allen

DirectorsEmily DevaneySean DornShani EvansBruce HansenFred KauffmanShawn Kelly,Jim KurtzWayne MarquardtPeggy NowakJoanne PhamKristopher ReeseShirley RheinhartRosa ThomasRichard WarnerRenee Warnick

CPN Mission Statement:Cedar Park Neighbors is anassociation of diverse house-holds and businesses based inthe Cedar Park neighborhood oWest Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaThe purpose of the associationshall be to foster collaborationamong all persons living andworking in the Cedar Park neigborhood, to promote communitdevelopment, to provide a forufor communication and community 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.owww.cedarparkneighbors.org267-531-4147

c/o Calvary Community Center4740 Baltimore AvenuePhiladelphia, PA 19143

The University of Pennsylvanialaunched the Lucien E. Blackwell

Apprenticeship Program in cooperationwith the Philadelphia PennsylvaniaBuilding and Construction TradesCouncil in August 2007. The program’spurpose is to provide construction skilltraining opportunities to residents fromWest and Southwest Philadelphia. Theprogram will assist participants in suc-cessfully passing various apprenticeshiptests for eventual work opportunities onUniversity construction sites, or at otheravailable sites in the area. The lengthof training depends on the specific skill’strade and can range from 6-10 monthsand will be customized for each partici-pant. The University has partneredwith the Greater Philadelphia UrbanAffairs Coalition and the DiversityApprenticeship Program to administerportions of the program that includereferral, interviewing, intake/admissions

and training and monitoring activities.If eligible, participants will be referredfor additional assessment to insureproper placement in the program. Thestatus of participants will be monitoredthroughout the program for placementopportunities.

Pre-Application Requirements

• 18 years or older

• Reside in West and SouthwestPhiladelphia

• High School Diploma or GED

• Valid PA Driver’s License

• Letter of support from a communityleader or an elected official serving asthe applicant’s sponsor

For information regarding the applicationprocess, contact the Greater PhiladelphiaUrban Affairs Coalition at 215-851-1829.

Lucien E. Blackwell Apprenticeship Program at Penn