Next Great City: Philadelphia - Volume IV, Issue I

YEAR IN REVIEW

2009 was a good year for the Next Great City initiative. With our urging, huge strides have been made in recycling, the water department accepted our recommendation to change the way stormwater fees are assessed, legislation that protects the Delaware River's edge passed through City Council, and the list goes on! We've come a long way towards becoming the next great city, and are gearing up to make more progress in 2010. For an overview of what we have done and where we are going, check out our progress report.

PARKS & RECREATION ANNOUNCES OPERATIONAL IMPERATIVES

As part of the merger that will create the Department of Parks and Recreation, a series of community meetings were conducted last fall. Using the feedback from these meetings the below "Operational Imperatives" were developed. These are identified as essential standards to which the Department's daily activities will aspire and adhere.

1. Safety - All facilities, trail, parks and other amenities must be safe participants and staff.

2. Clean, attractive, and fully functional facilities. All assets must also be maintained in optimum condition for ready use by individuals and groups.

3. Programs for all - Provide enriching, relevant and accessible activities for people of all ages and interests. 

4. Care for the environment - Take the appropriate actions to preserve and sustain the city's green space. 

The Department of Parks and Recreation continues to advance the merger process.  At the end of calendar year 2009, the Department submitted its first-ever combined budget for review. Moving forward, there will be more opportunities for community input. In the meantime, you may contact the Department with feedback and ideas by emailing merger.feedback@phila.gov.

RIVERFRONT UPDATES

The Delaware River Waterfront Corporation recently released a Request for Proposals for another design/build project, this time for Pier 53 at Washington Ave. This release comes on top of existing projects for a Master Plan for the Central Delaware and the redesign of the Race Street Pier as a riverfront park.

On the Schuylkill, the Complete the Schuylkill River Trail coalition has launched their new website: http://completethetrail.org/. The site includes information about trail segments, the online petition to complete the Schuylkill River Trail & East Coast Greenway, and other important information about the campaign. 

YOUR OPINION IS NEEDED

The Pennsylvania Environmental Council is looking for volunteers to participate in a focus group study about recreation along the Tidal Delaware River. They would like input from those who have experience with boating, kayaking, fishing or sailing, as well as those who have no experience but may be interested in these activities.

Focus groups will be conducted in the evening in Center City on February 2 and in Bala Cynwyd on February 4. They will last about 1 ½ hours each. If you are interested in participating, please email Jessica Anderson or call her at 215-592-7020 x101.

If you are selected, you will be given a $25 gift card in appreciation of your time. Parking costs for participants driving to Philadelphia will be partially covered (up to $10).

IMPROVING SAFETY THROUGH BETTER LAND USE

January's Urban Sustainability Forum will explore the intersection of safety and land use. Playgrounds, abandoned buildings, and well-maintained recreational parklands all variously impact individual and community safety across Philadelphia's neighborhoods. Even in neighborhoods where crime statistics are the lowest, because of vacancies, broken sidewalks and poor lighting the perception may be that those neighborhoods have higher crime rates than they actually do. The panelists will address the research associated with safety as it relates to land use and current efforts that are underway to enhance the quality of life.

MUSTERING SUPPORT FOR RESPONSIBLE DRILLING

Increased natural gas driling in Pennsylvania puts our drinking water supply and our forests at risk. PennFuture and others have been working hard to get gas drillers to drill responsibly and pay their fair share to the people of Pennsylvania for the use of our natural and community resources, but we need your help. 

Come out to the Marcellus Shale Muster in State College on January 30, and hear from key legislative leaders about the importance of a severance tax on natural gas drilling; get a briefing about the challenges of managing gas drilling on state forest and state park land; and find out how you can help be a part of a strong campaign.

NEWS 

• Riders say SEPTA change is behind schedule
• Program trains unemployed for green jobs
• The sensuous city
• Nutter's Next Great City is being built
• The myth about electricity prices
• Sea-level rise quickening along East Coast
• Resolved: A greener 2010
• Goodbye to Edison's bulb
• After Copenhagen, pick up the slack
• 40th Street Sustainability "Smackdown"
• Project for a Revolution in Philadelphia
• Fox Chase loses appeal to use Burholme Park

EVENTS

• Tuesday, January 12 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. - Delaware River Waterfront Corporation Design Update Presentation at the Blue Cross River Rink at Penn's Landing at Market St. & Columbus Blvd.
• Wednesday, January 13 8:00 - 10:00 a.m. - PennFuture's Clean Energy Breakfast at the Media Community Center at 301 N. Jackson St. Media, PA
• Wednesday, January 13 9:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. - Sea Level Rise: Looking Forward and Planning Now for the Delaware River & Estuary at the Cusano Environmental Education Center at the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at 8601 Lindbergh Blvd.
• Thursday, January 14 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. - Public Meeting for Wissahickon Creek Feasibility Study at the New Covenant Campus at 7500 Germantown Ave.    
• Thursday, January 14 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. - Kenneth Frampton Lecture: Megaform as Urban Landscape at the Mandell Theatre at Drexel University at 33rd & Chestnut Sts.
• Monday, January 18 - The Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service at various locations
• Tuesday, January 19 5:30 - 8:00 p.m. - Intro to LEED for Homes at Carpenters Hall at 320 Chestnut St.
• Thursday, January 21 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. - Counting Your Carbon & Building a Community Carbon Network at the Federal Reserve Bank 3rd Floor Conference Center at 6th & Arch Sts.
• Friday, January 22 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. - Business Improvement Districts Conference at Drexel University at 3320 Market St.
• Tuesday, January 26 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. - Urban Archeology; What's in the Tree Pit Anyway? at the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society at 100 N. 20th St.
• Thursday, January 28 6:00 - 8:30 p.m. - Urban Sustainability Forum: Building Safer Communities through Sustainable Land Use at the Academy of Natural Sciences at 1900 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy
• Saturday, January 30 8:45 - 12:45 a.m. - Philadelphia Green Skills Conference at the USP McNeil Science & Technology Center at 723 S. 43rd St.
• Saturday, January 30 10:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. - Marcellus Shale Muster at the Nittany Lion Inn at 200 W. Park Ave. State College, PA