APRIL 1999
A "Lee Park" in Manayunk!
Why not? A general consensus of the community would love to see a complex similar to Lee Park on the Connelly Container property at Venice Island by the canal. Fifteen years ago when Lee Tires on Hector Street in Conshohocken went out of business, the developers of the complex wisely put the massive buildings to the best possible use by incorporating office suites, ample parking, tax abatements for visionary investors and jobs in both services and high-tech positions for the surrounding community. Oh sure, we're still talking about a lot of traffic here, but with companies moving toward staggering shifts, more attention to carpooling and the convenience of all forms of public transportation in our neighborhood, the resulting increase in vehicular activity would seem more desirable than several thousand apartment renters living here 24/7.
While the skeptics believe Connelly is only looking at the highest bidder and we all know the city and Zoning Board have their own agendas, we can pull together to make the developers at Realen back up and give the community an opportunity to determine our own destiny. - Kathy Tomosky
'They're Back' |
Bar Hoppers and Pub Crawlers: With the arrival of spring, come the waves of young people looking for action Let's all work together to nip this problem in the bud! (No pun intended!),, |
The agenda of May 5th Monthly Meeting of the general membership will include several important and timely guest speakers. From the District Attorney's Office will be Patricia King, Assistant DA with the Nuisance Task Force. Also attending will be Fifth Police District Captain McCarty and a representative from Councilman Michael Nutter's Office. With ten years experience assigned to four districts in the city including the Fifth, Ms. King is fully aware of the quality of life issues facing the neighborhood and has high hopes that this meeting will bring about positive results. Her objective is the formation of a successful coalition between city officials, neighbors and businesses.
Please come to the May 5th meeting and help MNC find solutions for keeping the neighborhood "Clean, Quiet and Safe". Everyone needs to get, and stay, involved in order for residents to be able to enjoy summer in the city.
The Spring Clean-Up and Planting at Pretzel Park was such a success! The leaves are raked, the compost is spread and
spring planting has begun. Over thirty volunteers came out on Saturday morning, April I!"' to help with the
improvements to the park. Groups and individuals that supported the clean-up included North Light Community Center,
the dog owners, neighbors, Main Street businesses and interested friends.
Angela Walls, Events Coordinator for Smith & Hawkens, the recently opened garden supply center on Rector Street
by the canal, came with tools, boxes of plant material including hydrangeas, Gerber daisies and morning glories and a
cheerful willingness to work. She also announced to the group that Smith & Hawkens will give a 10% discount to
Garden Club members. Membership is automatic when you join MNC Bucks County Coffee helped to ease the
volunteers through the early hours. Manhattan Bagels supplied, of course' bagels and Fruit Freeze provided soft
pretzels-required for ant activity in Pretzel Park.
L&I delivered a dumpster, which was a great help. Manayunk Development Corporation showed their support in
Kay Smith, Executive Director, who lent her landscaping skills and Joe Matassino, Project Director. The work was
made easier through the able aid of MDC's maintenance men David Foster and Jack Rooney and their wonderful
cleaning machines. Special thanks to the individuals who showed up and worked so hard- and to the labor of the
Garden Club members.
The Garden Club now has a place to meet. Smith & Hawkens has offered space for the gardeners to meet and plan. Wednesday, April 28th MGC will meet at 6:30PM. At 7:30PM there will be a presentation by Iana Turner of the Morris Arboretum on "The Care of Trees and Shrubs." All interested Manayunk gardeners are urged to attend.
Volunteers are needed on May 15 for a 4-hour cleanup of the Manayunk Canal Towpath from Leverington to the Upper Locks. This project is part of the Fairmount Park Commission's citywide volunteer effort "Philadelphia Cares About Fairmount Park." Volunteers will meet at 9:00 A.M. near the Canal next to Brambles Florist Shop, 4590 Main Street, at the foot of Leverington Avenue.
The Fairmount Park Commission will provide tools and lunch to volunteers who work until I P.M. The work includes trimming overgrowth and picking up and depositing debris in trash bags placed along the towpath for City removal. Last year's cleanup was very successful. We anticipate this year's work to be even more extensive because of the continuing impact of past work.
Brambles Florist Shop is accessible by Public Transportation (R6, 35, and 61) and parking is available nearby in the Arroyo lot. For more information and to volunteer call Gerald Harrison of the "Friends of the Manayunk Canal" evenings at (215) 487-1736.
The Traffic & Parking Committee of MNC met on Monday, April 19th' The following topics were discussed:
Pretzel Park driveway on Rector Street will be defined with "No Parking" signs donated by MDC and lines painted by volunteers.
Enforcement of sidewalk parking is a big problem. Residents must call 911 to report illegally parked vehicles. If the police do not respond in a reasonable amount of time, the violations must be reported again.
Park America garage on Cresson Street has hours unsuitable for residential parking. A letter and/or petition from residents desiring long term parking in the garage must be written to Park America. Wissahickon Neighbors Civic Association (WNCA) is continuing their efforts with the Parking Authority to devise a permit parking plan for this area.
The 4300 block of Cresson Street's permit parking currently ends at 10 PM. MNC will notify the neighbors that this can be extended to 2AM under the existing regulations of the Parking Authority. MNC will assist them in extending the hours. Conversion to municipal lots will be proposed for 305 Carson Street, the comer of Green Lane and Silverwood Street and the lot at Gay and St. David Streets. Acquisition of these three lots by the city will be requested in a letter to Councilman Michael Nutter.
Carol Steinbrook, President of Central Roxborough Civic Association (CRCA), presented a list of two-way streets that could be converted to oneway, adding parking on both sides of the street. The comprehensive list will be reduced before any further steps are taken.
Forest Aegiano, President of WNCA, reported that a major problem existed with getting the Streets Department to respond to community requests. They had City Council pass an ordinance for stop signs on Manayunk Avenue at Kingsley and Seville Streets last December. They are yet to be installed.
Richard Schickling of WNCA proposed a plan to move Wissahickon Transfer Center down Ridge Avenue to Gustine Lake. This would ease the flow of cars from Ridge Avenue and Main Street to City Line Avenue and the Schuylkill Expressway. Negative effects to transit should be studied before this plan is pursued. Inconveniencing transit riders could encourage them to drive, negating any short-term improvements.
Green Lane Bridge improvements are a large-scale project that will require the involvement from the neighborhood, city and Montgomery County.
| "When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe." - John Muir My First Summer in the Sierra, 1911 |
At the General Membership Meeting on April 7th, no additional nominations were added to the slate of candidates from the floor. Since all the nominees are running unopposed, there will be no need to take a vote at the May 5th meeting. The following list is the officers of MNC for the June 1999-2000 term of office:
| President Kathy Tomosky | Vice President Liz Turella | Treasurer Jane Glenn |
| Recording Sec. Karen Smith | Corres. Sec. Arte Verbrugghe | Trustee Ginger Restemeyer |
| Sgt.-At-Arms Tim Downey |
Congratulations to the "winners". With the membership increasing monthly, MNC needs to continue to grow as the millennium draws near. Only by uniting as a civic group and joining with the other civics in the area can the voice of the neighbors be heard at City Hall.
Buca Di Beppo - A request for construction of a family style restaurant was made for the site next to CVS on lower Main Street. This is part of a chain of Italian restaurants based in Minneapolis. It will seat about 200. The structure will be built on stilts to raise it above the flood plain and will include a deck overlooking the river. Forest Aegiano President of Wissahickon Neighbors Civic Assoc., is composing a letter that will include deed restrictions based on the zoning overlay. MNC will not present any opposition contingent on the deed restrictions.
Ben and Jerry's - A request was made for a Ben and Jerry's to locate where Mainly Cigars is now. This would be a
positive addition to Main Street. However, because of the Zoning Overlay and previous opposition for a restaurant
license at Mainly Cigars we must oppose this proposal.
Forster's Development Plans for 3811 Main Street - Forster's are currently revising their plans and searching for
financial backing. No action will be taken at this time.
Manayunk Recreation Plan will be reviewed at our next zoning meeting' The date for the meeting is May 17 at 7:00 P.M. at North Light.
The boundaries on MNC are spelled out in the Council's By Laws in the "Territory" section and are as follows:
Intercommunity Action, Inc. (Interac) has entered into an agreement to purchase 4200 Mitchell Street ("The Sykes
Building"). Settlement is expected to occur in April 2000. Interac intends to use the majority of the first floor of the
building for its Older Adult Daily Living Program, now located at 6012 Ridge Avenue. Interac is exploring the
feasibility of converting the five-story section of the building into affordable housing for Senior Citizens only.
Interac has met with the immediate neighbors of 4200 Mitchell Street, the Central Roxborough Civic Association, the
City Planning Commission, Representative Manderino and Councilman Nutter. All have expressed support for the
proposed development.
Interac is seeking input from area civic associations and is requesting endorsement from those organizations in
agreement with the proposal. Gene O'Neil will be at the May 5th meeting. Questions should be directed to David
Bolin, Executive Director at 487-0914
There is an unusual phenomenon unfolding at Manayunk's North Light Players. It turns out there is a very popular following -- of both actors and audiences -- of the renowned musical production of "Fiddler on the Roof' which opens this Friday evening, April 30. There are several cast and crew members that have been in numerous productions throughout the Delaware Valley, often changing roles from one show to another. They include young children and older adults with one common bond: an intense interest in this powerful production. Although the heart and soul of North Light Players is a pool of local talent, this show has drawn people from Blue Bell to Elkins Park and Rosemont.
The story, set in a Jewish village in Czarist Russia, examines the universal struggle of maintaining a sense of tradition, family and community while the world around it changes dramatically. "This play has lessons for our own time," states Arte Verbrugghe, the show's executive producer. "When tradition and cultures themselves are challenged, most of us will vehemently defend what we consider sacred. It is evident in our play set in 1905 Russia; it is evident in other parts of the world today; it is even evident in our community."
The show also marks the premiere production of North Light Players' Master/Apprentice Program funded by The William Penn Foundation's "Culture Builds Communities" project. It features five visiting, professional artists (masters) working with local apprentices in the roles of director, producer, musical director, technical director and stage manager.
The Master/Apprentice Program runs for two years; the first year the masters set forth specific artistic concepts and principles to teach apprentices all aspects of stage production. The following season, the primary responsibility shifts to the apprentices with the visiting artists acting as guides. The apprentices will then be in a position to train other volunteers so that the quality of the theatre program will continue to improve over time.
North Light Players began in 1982 by offering community members exposure to, and participation in, the performing arts. It offers a chance to perform on stage, become involved in all aspects of play production and participate in various artistic workshops. The program welcomes children and adults, professionals and amateurs alike. Since its inception, the Players have produced 36 shows over 16 successful seasons.
"Fiddler on the Roof' is presented through special arrangement with, and all authorized performance materials are supplied by, Music Theatre International, 421 West 54th Street, New York, N.Y. 100 19. The play is based on Sholom Aleichem's stories; the book is by Joseph Stein, with music by Jerry Bock and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick.
The show runs Fridays and Saturdays, April 30 through May 15, at 8:00 p.m., with a special matinee on Sunday, May 2nd at 3:00 p.m. All shows are at Kendrick Recreation Center, Ridge and Roxborough Avenues. Tickets are $6 and under and are available at the door, or you can reserve them by calling North Light Community Center at 215-483-4800.
The 27th Annual Manayunk Canal Day on Saturday, May 15, 1999 promises to be a great day for everyone. Main Street will be closed from Shurs Lane to Green Lane that day from 9AM to 5PM. Vendors will line the street with a variety of food and wares. The parade is scheduled to begin at I I AM (provided the mayor is ready at that time to lead it off with the massed colors of area Veterans Posts). Marching down Main Street will be many glorious sights including the Cardinal Dougherty High School Alumni Band, the William Tennent High School Band, three String Bands (Trilly, Duffy and Hegeman), the Wild Bohemians Mardi Gras Band, the Bonsal Blues Drum & Bugle Corps, Reilly Raiders Drum & Bugle Corps, two Scottish bands (the Brian Boru Pipe Band and MacKay Pipe Band), three drill teams (Conestoga Angels, Carmelites and Albert M. Reid Post), the Valley Forge Antique Auto Club, Pop Adairs Comic Club, Minaret Temple #174, Pyramid Temple 91, the Roxborough High School Army ROTC, the Lions Club and the Wheelman Antique Bicycle Club. Gary Barbera will provide the cars for the nine girls in Miss Manayunk's court to ride in.
The reviewing stand will again be at Main and Levering Streets, with each group stopping there to perform. Throughout the day, the stage will be active with music, dance groups and a karate demonstration by the North Light Community Center.
The Carnival is back this year! Located on the Connelly Container property at the bottom of Cotton Street, it will be there in the evenings starting Wednesday, May 12th and continue through Saturday.
You can go home again! If you no longer live in Manayunk but still feel as if it's home or if you've never left but miss seeing the folks who have, join us for the 2nd Annual Canal Day Reunion. This is your chance to renew old Manayunkers and make some new friends. After the parade, please join us on Saturday, May 15th from I PM to 4PM in Pretzel Park located at Cotton and Cresson Streets. Refreshments, prizes, music, songs from "Fiddler on the Roof' and much more!
Please do not put your trash out until the night before trash day and please bring in your containers after they've been emptied. Remember that starting the week of May 3rd trash and recycling will be I picked up every Thursday. This city is making it easier for us, so let's do our part, Leaving trash cans out front all week long is a violation and sure looks crummy. With the festival season upon us we must make an effort to keep our streets cleaner- if we value a clean community our visitors will be less inclined to litter., (We hope!) Join MNC and the Garden Club in cleaning up and beautifying the neighborhood.
| May 15, 1999 | 27th Annual Canal Day | Saturday |
| June 4 & 5, 1999 | Manayunk Cycling Celebration (replaces the Manayunk Stroll) |
Friday & Saturday |
| June 6, 1999 | U.S. Pro Cycling Championship | Sunday |
| June 26 & 27, 1999 | 10th Annual Manayunk Arts Festival | Saturday & Sunday |
| September 12, 1999 | MNC Picnic in Pretzel Park | Saturday |
| September 26, 1999 | 8th Annual Indian Summer Feast (Rain Date October 3) |
Sunday |
| October 31, 1999 | Annual Trick or Treat Street | Sunday |