This Week: February 29, 2024 | |
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“You watch us.
We’re going to enforce the law here.”
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Mayor Parker’s words the other day were music to our sanity-parched ears. Because it really is that simple: We’re either going to enforce the law here or we’re not, and she seems to know that it’s not about race, nor class, nor gender, nor any of the other demographic categories currently in vogue.
Nor has she started out small: She has targeted Kensington. If she and Police Commissioner Bethel can make a difference there, that will send an unmistakable message to aspiring lawbreakers throughout the City.
Quality of Life starts with enforcing the law. You Go, Madame Mayor.
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Quality of Life and Public Safety Update | |
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On Thursday, February 22, CCRA and the Philadelphia Police Department held the first in a series of Police Service Area meetings at Trinity Memorial Church. Over 40 people ventured out on a rainy evening to hear Lt. Jeffery Rabinovich and Rick Gross, CCRA President, discuss public safety in Center City West and beyond.
Topics of interest included controlling illegal sidewalk behavior, such as lying, sleeping or sitting on the sidewalk, aggressive panhandling, spitting, urinating or defecating in public. Rabinovich said the police were sometimes hamstrung by policies from the previous administration preventing speedy and effective intervention with problem individuals. Gross reported that CCRA led a coalition of other Center City RCO’s (LSNA, WashWast, Society Hill, Queen Village, and Bella Vista together with the Center City Coalition) in proposing improvements to the code to give the police needed flexibility. Rabinovitch and the crowd endorsed those efforts and Gross promised to report back on how the proposals were being received and implemented by the new administration.
Concern about the fallout from the Mayor’s pledge to clean up the open-air drug market and attendant encampments in Kensington would affect Center City West. Rabinovich acknowledged that the potential for an increase in sidewalk and drug-related problems exists and that the Police Department is formulating a plan to respond proactively. Gross promised that senior department officers would attend the next PSA to report on the plan and to take questions.
Stay tuned for more info.
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WANTED NOW: BOARD MEMBER CANDIDATES | |
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CCRA is looking to fill several Board seats for our fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024. Board members generally serve a term of 3 years. The Board is a working Board. We are seeking CCRA members who have a passion for living in “CCRAville;” are interested in issues of quality of life and community service; and are committed to active Board participation. Successful candidates must serve on at least one committee and agree to fulfill the responsibilities outlined in our Board Pledge, which includes devoting at least four hours per month to CCRA activities, not including time spent attending, and preparing for, monthly Board meetings. Go here to see a list of all standing committees.
Interested members are encouraged to forward a resume or statement of interest that includes a summary of qualifications by Friday, March 22 to: centercity@centercityresidents.org, with "Board Candidate" in the subject line. (We also welcome your suggestion of any individual who resides in CCRAville who you believe would be an asset to the Board. Be sure to include their email address and/or phone number.)
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Clarification re Kimmel Center Merchant Partner Discount | |
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There has been some unfortunate confusion regarding the Merchant Partner Discount for events at the Kimmel Center.
Here’s the deal:
· Discount is valid on select price levels and performances. Individual shows only.
· This includes Platinum Parquet, Parquet Center, Platinum Box, Loge, Balcony Box and Balcony Loge for Broadway performances.
· Per-ticket and per-order fees will apply.
· Offer not valid on previously purchased tickets.
· All sales are final. No refunds, exchanges, or cancellations.
See available shows here. Enter the promo code CCRA24 and the available shows will appear (please be a little patient, as the site is slow).
Thanks to all for your patience and support.
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Thanks, Phreezers! We Froze Our *** Off | |
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43 degrees in a soaked bathing suit may not sound like fun, but the funds you donated through Philly Phreeze to help our city kids have fun this summer warmed our hearts. The city raised over $50K, and our team (BFF) came in third in the city, raising close to $2,000, to help the city employ lifeguards this summer so that our city pools can open.
Our heartfelt thanks to all who took the plunge by reaching into their pockets, demonstrating their commitment to the city, our kids, and the leadership role of our neighborhood.
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Schuylkill River Revival: Film and Presentation with John Randolph | |
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On Mon., 3/4 @ 5:30 pm, at the City Institute Library (19th & Locust), hear the Story of the Revival of the Schuylkill River from CCRA Member and recipient of the Lenora Berson Award Winner John Randolph. John is the Founder and Past President of the Schuylkill River Development Council. His film and presentation explains how the Schuylkill was reclaimed from its industrial past to become a river for rowing, dragon boat racing and outrigger paddling, edged by an award-winning park and trail visited by almost three-million people in 2022. Visit here for more information.
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If you have ever been curious to learn more about the card game of Bridge, the time to explore is now!
Starting on March 6 through April 10 (Wednesday evenings from 6-7:30pm) at Trinity at 22nd & Spruce, BFF (Building Friends in Fitler) is offering a 6-week Beginner’s Bridge series. $120 for the series. Attend solo or build a team of four and learn together. Come play and learn the Foundations of Bridge.
Email bffphilly@gmail.com to register.
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CCRA Public Zoning Committee Meeting | |
On Tuesday, February 27, CCRA held its monthly zoning committee meeting. You can watch the meeting on our YouTube Channel here. To see the report, visit here. The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, March 26, at 7pm. | |
CCRA MERCHANT PARTNER FEATURE | |
CCRA’s Merchant Partner program is a true Win-Win: It provides local businesses with complimentary advertising and exposure while giving CCRA members generous deals and discounts. This week we spotlight new Merchant Partner The Academy of Vocal Arts! | |
Sing Out to the Newest Merchant Partner, The Academy of Vocal Arts! | |
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CCRA is thrilled to announce our newest Merchant Partner, none other than the Academy of Vocal Arts! For those not yet familiar, the AVA is not only a private, post-baccalaureate opera school, but it is also the only tuition-free institution in the world devoted solely to operatic training and performance.
Join the Resident Artists and Orchestra of the AVA on March 17 for Jubilate! A Concert of Sacred Music, featuring beautiful selections from the master composers of vocal repertoire, conducted by master vocal coach David Anthony Lofton.
Tickets for Jubilate are $45 each, and AVA would like to offer CCRA members $5 off each purchased ticket. CCRA members can apply the discount code AVA5OFF when purchasing their tickets via the ticket link here.
Get your tickets now and say Hello to the AVA!
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Philly Bike Expo 2024, March 16-17 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, is all about cycling, with booths, special events and unique rides for cyclists. Among the highlighted features of this 2-day event will be a basic bike maintenance workshop for children, with a focus on keeping our kids safe and teaching them the basics of bike mechanics. For us biking city dwellers, you won’t want to miss the seminar on Tools and Techniques for Car Free Living (the ultimate weapon against PPA!). Find out what you need, how to use it, and where to get it.
Free indoor bicycle parking will be available. Click here for more details.
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Towering over the Schuylkill | |
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The bridge over the River Schuylkill, spanning the Christian to the Crescent connector, is taking shape, with the installation of two towers that will support the main bridge span. At 168-feel above the mean water line, the towers are the same height as Independence Hall’s central bell tower and steeple. Click here for more on this Schuylkill Banks project and when you’ll be able to have a pleasant walk right to Bartram’s Garden.
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Support the Broad St. Run AND Fairmount Park Conservancy! | |
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Not only as always is May 5 El Cinco de Mayo, this year it is also the Broad Street Run, and you can do your part for both the Run and the Fairmount Park Conservancy to help raise money for Philly parks. Please Note: Each participant receives a guaranteed bib for the 2024 Run, so if you missed out in the lottery, this is your chance. Past beneficiaries have been the historic Belmont Plateau 5K Cross-Country Course and the Trolley Trail. Do your part here and now.
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Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion | |
BUILD BABY BUILD: Is the Answer to our Housing Crisis…More Housing? | |
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Join The Philadephia Citizen for another installment of Real Estate Development… for Good, powered by Drexel University’s Lindy Institute for Urban Innovation and Fitler Club, on—literally—building a better, more inclusive, and prosperous Philadelphia.
Speakers include Mo Rushdy, of Riverwards Group and chair of the Philadelphia Accelerator Fund, which plans to finance 6,000 affordable homes in the next few years; Leslie Smallwood-Lewis, of Mosaic Development Partners, which is building both middle income and tiny home communities in neighborhoods of color. The event will be moderated by Diana Lind, Communications & Publications Director, Penn Institute for Urban Research. Eve of March 4th at The Fitler Club.
Details and registration here.
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Kimmel Center’s Verizon Home Gets a New Name | |
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With the backing of $25 million in donations, the Verizon Hall at the Kimmel Center will change to the Marian Anderson Hall.
Marian Anderson was a celebrated African-American contralto and one of the most renowned singers of the 20th century. Born in Philadelphia in 1897, Anderson began singing in church choirs at a young age and went on to study music at the Philadelphia Musical Academy. Despite facing discrimination and segregation throughout her career, Anderson broke barriers and became the first African American to perform at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City in 1955.
The decision to rename Verizon Hall has been years in the making. Orchestra and Kimmel Center CEO Matias Tarnopolsky said the Anderson legacy is more aligned with the current mission of the orchestra. Click here for more information
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Community News and Events | |
First Friday Meet the Curator: Public Art in Philadelphia | |
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On Friday, March 1, at 5:30pm, at the Historical Society of PA (1300 Locust St), enjoy stories from Susan Myers, Assistant Curator and Project Manager at aPA, about early 20th-century female artists showcased in the archive exhibit, Public Art in Philadelphia: A Legacy Shaped by Women. This not-to-be-missed event dives into the rich history of female artists and welcomes and records audience stories, reflections, and connections to the exhibit. This event is free and open to the public. Join HSP and aPA in a kick-off to Women’s History Month! More info here.
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Buried beneath our city’s streets are artifacts that tell the story of the people who were here long before us. Retired historical archeologist Rebecca Yasmin, author of “Digging in the City of Brotherly Love,” will bring some of these individuals to life on March 18, at 6 p.m., at the Library’s Central Branch, 1901 Vine Street. In Writing Archeology–Philadelphia Stories, Yasmin will use artifacts to introduce you to a shipyard owner who lived here before William Penn and a Quaker woman who ran an illegal taproom during the Revolutionary War, among other interesting personalities. Admission is free. For more information, click here.
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East Passyunk Restaurant Week Brings the Eats | |
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If you’re unfamiliar with the East Passyunk restaurant scene….. Boy, where ya been? We need to talk.
Better yet, go there yourself, from now through March 8, as the eateries there celebrate East Passyunk Restaurant Week, which offers expanded price points serving three-course prix fixe lunch and/or dinner options. Need deets? Nosh here.
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Bet you noticed- our city just ain’t as bright as it used to be….when you’re coming down I76 towards town. Someone turned the lights off on Boathouse Row about a year ago, but we’ll be damned…they’re comin’ back on! Time to celebrate an urban victory- a completed renovation with a new LED light system of 6,000 lights and 16 million color combinations will now illuminate those 12 historic building along the Schuylkill River.
The official Boathouse Row Relighting Ceremony is on Thursday, March 7th from 6 - 8 PM at the Fairmount Fish Ladder. This celebration is free, but registration is encouraged for important pre-event info. Bring your own chair or blanket, enjoy music and food trucks, and watch our city shine again. For more information click here.
Insider’s tip - bike or walk to this one!
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A First! An Organ Festival in Philadelphia! | |
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There is no musical experience quite like a big ol’ pipe organ filling a space with its breathtaking sounds, and for the first time Philadelphia will play host to a full-out Organ Festival, from March 15 through March 23 at various venues throughout the City.
Ravel’s Bolero will be played, as will the Minimialism of Arvo Part and Nico Muhly, a celebration of Marian Anderson, a U. S. Premiere and of course, lots of J.S. Bach. Venues include numerous sacred spaces around town and even Longwood Gardens. Get in line here.
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Science Geeks, Pounce! Two Alt-Science Events! | |
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Alt-Science Event #1: Science Fiction meets March Madness = Mad Scientists. Think static electricity generators, Mary Shelley, peptide synthesizers…. It’s all at First Fridays at the Science History Institute. Evidence here.
Alt-Science Event #2: Science After Hours, the Franklin Institute’s popular 21+ event, Is back March 22 with Spectacular Spectacular, the ever-popular evening spectacle that has it all—music, dance, cinema, a secret speakeasy, surprise entertainment, and stunning performances wrapped around TFI’s exhibit experiences and rooftop gazing. Dig in here.
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REMINDER: Join Local Chef Aliza Green for an Aruba Dinner at Winkel’s March 12 | |
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There’s just no stopping local mega-chef Aliza Green. Her newest book is entitled “Aruba's Papiamento Cuisine”, and you can sample the book’s scrumptious recipes March 12 at Winkel Restaurant at 1119 Locust.
Aliza will be partnering with chef-owner Joncarl Lachman on the dinner, which will benefit the scholarship and mentorship fund of Les Dames d'Escoffier Philadelphia. The price of the dinner –- which includes vegan options -- includes a copy of the book ($40), a welcome cocktail, and an after-dinner drink (although it is BYOB). All the delicious details can be found here.
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Merchant Partners "Deals and Discounts" Program | |
Please support our local merchants and save money too. These local merchants will provide a deal or discount to any member who shows a current CCRA membership card and personal identification. | |
CCRA assumes no responsibility, and makes no representations or warranties, regarding any product and/or services sold by any Merchant Partner. | | | | |
