Germantown neighbors rally against Kelly Playground demolition
About 40 residents attended a Northwest Neighbors meeting at Canaan Baptist Church in Germantown to discuss a new twist in the Queen Lane Apartments demolition plan.
The Philadelphia Housing Authority, which owns the apartment complex and adjacent Kelly Playground, plans to build 55 low-income apartments along the perimeter of the square. To do so, however, residents said PHA will have to demolish the existing playground.
They rallied against the fact that a city ordinance, which was sponsored by Councilwoman Donna Reed Miller and passed in April 2010, conveyed the $176,000 land on which the playground sits to PHA for $1.
"I live three blocks away and we need to have a safe place for our children to play," said Northwest Neighbors community liaison Lisa Hopkins, who has lived near Queen Lane apartments for years.
Hopkins noted that the playground -- also known as the Wissahickon Playground -- lacks basketball nets, the area is full of trash and there is no green space for youth within the fenced-in concrete park.
"We deserve better," she said.
Elected officials show their support
State Rep. Rosita Youngblood and incoming Eighth District Councilwoman Cindy Bass attended the meeting to offer support and answer questions.
"We can have the communities we want, but we have to fight for them," said Bass in a familiar refrain. She added that she doesn't believe in badmouthing outgoing officials (read: Councilwoman Donna Reed Miller) but said she has heard of similar problems across the district and plans address them once she's in office.
Youngblood said she hopes the community can meet with housing-authority officials to "bring them to reality" about mismanagement under previous executive director Carl Greene.
"I don't have time to play games," Youngblood said, noting that PHA submits an annual budget to the state house for review. "I can be heavy with that pen."
In fact, Youngblood said the agency will apply for tax-exempt financing to help finance the project by Thursday. Those credits require that only rentals can be built.
Kellie Hopkins Democrat - News
In 1905, the prominent artist John Singer Sargent was commissioned to paint a portrait of the four founding physicians of the Johns Hopkins Hospital: William Welch, William Osler, William Halsted, and Howard Kelly. That June, Welch, Halsted, and Kelly
"I live three blocks away and we need to have a safe place for our children to play," said Northwest Neighbors community liaison Lisa Hopkins, who has lived near Queen Lane apartments for years. Hopkins noted that the playground lacks basketball nets,
At its regular meeting Monday evening, the Board of Aldermen officially received a proposal from Kelly Murphy, head of the city's economic development department, asking lawmakers to green-light a study that would look at the feasibility of putting in
"ICE ROAD TRUCKER": Wasilla resident Lisa Kelly is interviewed about being an Ice Road Trucker during a taping of CNN shows. "SARAH PALIN'S ALASKA": TLC featured Alaska's former governor and her family. The Alaska Film Office has approved state
Kelly Ayotte, though he mispronounced the latter's last name (AY'-aht). He finished with a blunt line that drew laughter. “If there are any of you here tonight who are not yet committed, you better be committed by the time I come back the next time,”
