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Peoplehood Parade to be held this Saturday after weather delay

October 25, 2023

Another great West Philly tradition, the Peoplehood Parade & Pageant, is returning Saturday, Oct. 28. The event was postponed by one week due to rain last Saturday. As always, the parade will feature giant puppets, created by Spiral Q artists and community volunteers. Here are some more details about this year’s event.

The line-up begins at Noon near The Paul Robeson House (50th and Walnut). The parade departs at 1 p.m. and proceeds to Clark Park at 45th and Kingsessing (see the map below), where performances will take place starting at approximately 2:15 p.m.

The family-friendy event, which promotes diversity, civic engagement and creativity, has been held since late 1990’s. Besides giant puppets, it features drumlines and banners. Last year, 43 community groups and over 600 people joined the parade and celebration, according to the longtime event organizer, Spiral Q, a West Philly-based arts organization.

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Final draft of Clark Park Master Plan to be unveiled at next week’s Farmers Market (updated)

October 13, 2023

Over the past year, the Friends of Clark Park has been working on a new master plan that will provide the outline for future park development and investments. Next Saturday, they will present the final draft of the plan to the community (the event has been postponed due to rain in the forecast for October 14).

Everyone who is involved with the park in any way and interested in its future, is invited to Clark Park Farmers Market at 43rd and Chester on October 21 to learn more about the plan and provide feedback.

The plan has been developed in collaboration with University City District and Councilmember Jamie Gauthier’s Office. Community members were also actively involved in the plan development process, with several community meetings and online surveys taking place since last year. The final draft of the Master Plan includes revisions made based on prior community feedback.

Clark Park Farmers Market operates from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and you can stop by anytime during these hours. Jamie Gauthier will also be there, according to the Friends report. For some info on why Clark Park needs a master plan and what previous master plans included, click here.

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West Philly Tool Library holding Fall Tool Sale + workshops

October 12, 2023

The West Philly Tool Library Fall sale returns Saturday, Oct. 14. It will feature a “ton of cool tools” available for a bargain. Community members are invited to bring friends and family to discover all kinds of tools at low prices. You do not need to be a member to access the sale. Cash, credit card and other forms of payment are accepted.

The sale will kick off at 9 a.m. (see the flyer for more details). In case of rain, the event will be rescheduled (check out the Tool Library’s Facebook page for updates).

The West Philly Tool Library is also offering volunteer opportunities. They’re always looking for local people who love tools, to assist in our various cataloging and repair work as well as supporting fun events like their tool sales. Fill out this form and they will get in touch with you.

And last but not least, the Tool Library has also been offering various workshops for community members. Their next workshop, Electrical 102, which is part of the Tiny Model Home series, will be held on Saturday, Oct. 21. There will be two sessions, and registration for both is still open. More info about this and other workshops is available here.

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The Community Grocer’s store/kitchen construction breaks ground in Cobbs Creek

September 21, 2023

The Community Grocer (TCG), a nonprofit food justice organization launched last year by two University of Pennsylvania alumni, broke ground on first store yesterday, which is located in Cobbs Creek.

The organization, co-founded by Alexandre Imbot and Eli Moraru, purchased a corner storefront at 60th St. and Walton Ave. about nine months ago, according to The Daily Pennsylvanian, with a goal to transform it into a new-concept grocery corner store that will serve the local community.

City Councilmember Jamie Gauthier (3rd District) participated in the groundbreaking.

“Today we broke ground on The Community Grocer’s store in Cobbs Creek!” she later posted on her Twitter (X) page. “Cobbs Creek is a food desert, meaning residents struggle to access nutritious meals. I’m grateful to TCG for combatting food insecurity by providing affordable, healthy, culturally relevant, and delicious food.”

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Rebuild Philadelphia to kick off renovation projects at three rec centers in West/Southwest Philly

September 15, 2023

Here’s some exciting news for many local residents in West and Southwest Philadelphia. Rebuild Philadelphia, the City program that invests hundreds of millions of dollars in improving public spaces and community facilities, is expected to break ground on renovation projects at three recreation centers with over $60 million in investments. Public groundbreakings with the participation of local officials and community members, are scheduled to take place from Sept. 19-22 at Kingsessing Recreation Center, F.J. Myers Recreation Center, and Johnny Sample (Cobbs Creek) Recreation Center.

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Help Calvary Center for Culture and Community get HVAC system

August 28, 2023

The Calvary Center for Culture and Community (CCCC) and Calvary United Methodist Church, the two organizations located in the historic church building at 48th and Baltimore, have announced plans to install a much-needed HVAC system, which will provide heating and air-conditioning in the building. The building utilized an old boiler system for years and now has no heat, according to Gay Carducci-Kuhn, CCCC Board member and Curio Theatre Company managing director.

To help raise funds for the new system, the HVAC @ Calvary Matching Gift Campaign has been created. The goal of this fundraising campaign is to match the $100,000 grant from the National Fund for Sacred Places. Over $65,000 has been already raised, so the goal is not that far away.

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