This Week: June 23, 2022

Playtime in the City

Guest Writer: Marian Robinson

Center City is a lot more than soaring brick and glass buildings, crowded sidewalks and closeted space.  Smack in the shadow of Philadelphia’s City Hall, a web of colorful balloons welcomes roller skaters to a large rink.  Others take a walk through a bed of water that rhythmically erupts with a shower of spray.  Still others simply hang out on an inviting grassy area and sit back and enjoy a cup of coffee.

CCRA Public Zoning Committee Meeting

Tuesday, June 28, 7 PM

Via Zoom

View Agenda here.

To attend the meeting click here.

CCRA Office Closure and Trash Collection

In observance of the Independence Day holiday, CCRA is closed on Monday, July 4.  The office reopens on Tuesday, July 5. 

In addition, no trash will be collected on Monday, July 4.  Collection resumes on Tuesday, July 5.

Between Furness and Bacon, there was….Cret?

Never heard of him?  Don’t fret the Cret. If you’re a Philly architectonic, read CCRA’s Bill West’s blog about the who, what, where and when of the design iterations of Rittenhouse Square.  And then take a ramble through the park and have a new appreciation for Cret’s Beaux-Arts influence.

CCRA’s Merchant Partner program is a true Win-Win: It provides smaller local businesses with complimentary advertising and exposure while giving CCRA members generous deals and discounts. This week we spotlight hardware store extraordinaire Rittenhouse Hardware.

Rittenhouse Hardware is Your Go-To Happy Place

It’s late Sunday afternoon, you’ve been working on that house project all weekend long and now you realize you’re flat out of ten-penny nails. Who ya gonna call? Where ya gonna go?

Inconvenient, impersonal, confusing big-box store? NOOO. CCRA Merchant Partner Rittenhouse Hardware has your back. Truly local at 20th & Pine, they have been saving the bacon of the DIY crowd for over 15 years. They truly get it: they carry everything, are way knowledgeable and happy to help.

And….. CCRA members get a 5% discount on all in-store purchases. (CCRA Membership card must be presented.)

Check them out in person or on Facebook.

Phila Health Dept Says: “Fight the Bite!”

Summer is here, and with it come ticks and mosquitos and with them

possibly the West Nile virus and Lyme disease. How to fight back?

Check out their informative video here.

Put a Feather in your Cap

“I don't feed the birds because they need me; I feed the birds because I need them.”

― Kathi Hutton

Not sure how and what to feed your urban feathered friends? 

Fly here for a great resource to get you started.

CCRA Green Committee Launches New Website

Center City West faces growing environmental challenges. Climate change makes the weather warmer and wetter. More frequent storms overwhelm sewer and stormwater management systems. Additionally, Center City has the highest rate of air pollution caused by automobile traffic. This is why the Green Committee was created. What can you do? Get involved! If you have the time, volunteer. Visit the site here for more information.

Pride GUIDE: Philly LGBTQ

Pride month may be ending soon, but LGBTQ life here in town goes 24/7/365.

There are places to explore and things to do.  Such as?  Find the facts here.

Blackstar Film Festival Begins

Second Decade This Summer

The Blackstar Film Festival kicks off its second decade in August, highlighting and celebrating Black, Brown and Indigenous voices in filmmaking and media arts.  New this year is a collection of short films from Philly-based filmmakers, made possible through the Philadelphia Filmmaker Lab.  Enjoyable in-person and online; details here.

GO-O-O-O-O-AL! Philly Scores 2026 World Cup

Are you ready for some futbol?

Well, you’d better be, because in 2026 the World Cup is coming to town.

Last week FIFA announced that Philadelphia will be one of 16 host cities for the 2026 World Cup.

Soccer fans are nothing if not entertaining. It will be Party On, to put it mildly... Plus, from the Philadelphia Business Journal: "The local matches in 2026 are expected to draw roughly 500,000 visitors who will generate a direct spend of $262 million and an overall economic impact of $460 million to the region. Roughly 3,500 jobs will be created as a result of the sporting event."

And not for nothing, but the year 2026 also happens to be the 250th Anniversary of 1776. All things considered, you wanna be here.

Block Party!  Wawa Welcomes, at UArts

Summertime means block parties, and Wawa Welcome America has a big one lined up for this Saturday at the Kimmel Cultural Campus on the Avenue of the Arts.  There’s every imaginable type of art, food and drink, a 120-foot slide and yes, a 300-foot zip line across Broad St.  (We dare you.)  Details partyin’ here.

Parkway Reimagined: You Got Thoughts,

They Got a Survey

You’re probably aware that a makeover of the Ben Franklin Parkway is in the works. If not, read all about it here.

But what you may not know is that input from the public is being actively sought in the form of an online survey, which you are encouraged to complete and which may be found here. 

Catch the fireworks in 2 locations in the city

This Independence holiday, you have the opportunity to watch fireworks show at two locations in the city.  Details here.

• July 2, 9:00 PM - Pershing’s Own Concert and Waterfront Fireworks at Penn’s Landing
• July 4, 9:45 PM - Welcome America Fireworks Spectacular at Eakins Oval in Logan Square.

Would you 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.

Veda Modern Indian Bistro, 1920 Chestnut St, (267-519-2001)

William Schwartz Jewelry, 1831 Chestnut St (215-665-8115)

Alimentari Restaurant at Di Bruno Bros., 1730 Chestnut St, 2nd Floor

Astral Artists - Use promo code "CCRA" to receive a $10 flat rate on all tickets to their virtual concerts.

Blue Sole Shoes, 1805 Chestnut St, (215-496-9244)

Branzino Italian BYOB, 261 S. 17th St (215-790-0103)

City Fitness, 2101 South St. & 1819 JFK Blvd. (609-254-9048) 

Di Bruno Bros., 1730 Chestnut St. (215-665-9220)

Dom's Shoe Repair, 203 S. 20th St (215-972-0098)

Excursions from the Square (215-732-8487, 215-738-4500)

Eye Candy Vision, 218 S. 20th St (215-568-3937)

Frameworks Studio and Gallery, 2103 Walnut St, (215-567-6800)

Good Karma Cafe, 331 S. 22nd St, (215-546-1479)

Liberty Pet Vets, 265 S. 20th St (888-458-8587)

Nature's Gallery Florist, 2124 Walnut St (215-563-5554)

PhotoLounge, 130 S.17th St. (267-322-6651)

Rittenhouse Hardware, 2001 Pine St. (215-735-6311)

Seafood Unlimited, 270 S. 20th St (215-732-3663)

The Bake Shop on 20th, 269 S. 20th St. (215-644-9714)

The Rounds, Use code CCRATHEROUNDS to receive free membership.

Ursula Hobson Fine Art Framing, 1528 Waverly St (215-546-7889)

CCRA assumes no responsibility, and makes no representations or warranties, regarding any product and/or services sold by any Merchant Partner.