The 63rd Annual Spruce Hill May Fair is taking place virtually this year due to COVID restrictions. But it doesn’t mean that you can’t have fun! The Spruce Hill Community Association volunteers have built a simulation of Clark Park (where the physical event usually takes place), which you can check out right away on GatherSpace. The real-time interactive portion of the event will take place on Saturday, May 8, 4-8 p.m. when you can chat, play and shop with your neighbors!

A large number of neighborhood artisans, vendors, and organizations have signed up to participate in the Virtual Fair, and new family friendly games and other features are being added every day. Continue Reading

The annual Spruce Hill May Fair was cancelled last year due to the pandemic, but this year the organizers, Spruce Hill Community Association (SHCA), are bringing back the popular community event. The May Fair will be held virtually on Saturday, May 8, 4-8 p.m.

Local vendors, artists and craftspeople are invited to participate in the event free of charge. Community groups and organizations seeking to do outreach are also invited to be part of this event. Space is limited and priority will be given to local community organizations and artisans. Continue Reading

A Sherwin-Williams paint store is being proposed at 4237 Walnut Street (see photo), the commercial building formerly occupied by a health center and other health-related businesses. The Spruce Hill Community Association’s Zoning Committee will hold a virtual meeting this Wednesday, Dec. 16 to discuss signage for the proposed store. Community members are invited to join the meeting via Zoom (see more information below).

This location was in the news last year when ILERA Health Care was considering to open a medical marijuana dispensary there. That proposal met stiff opposition from the Masjid Al-Jamia mosque across the street, among others, and was scuttled. Continue Reading

The Spruce Hill Community Association (SHCA) has come up with alternative ways to celebrate Halloween in the neighborhood this year after the annual Tot Parade was cancelled. A neighborhood scavenger hunt is currently underway with some great prizes for those who submit correct entries. Here’s how you can participate:

The 10 letters that spell “Spruce Hill” are spread throughout Spruce Hill (see map) and all you have to do is find them! Full instructions, along with clues and a submission form are available online here, or you can print out a hard copy of the form and submit your answers in the mail slot at the Spruce Hill Center, located at 257 South 45th St.  Continue Reading

UPDATE (10/24/2020): Spruce Hill Community Association has launched a neighborhood Scavenger Hunt. Here are more details:

Spread throughout Spruce Hill are the 10 letters that spell “Spruce Hill.” All you have to do is find all 10 letters! Full instructions, along with clues and a submission form, can be found online, or you can print out a hard copy of the form and submit your answers in the mail slot at the Spruce Hill Center, located at 257 South 45th St. The first 100 entries with all 10 correct locations will receive a small prize supporting one of neighborhood businesses after the hunt closes. Deadline for submission is Sunday, Nov. 1 at midnight.

Spruce Hill Community Association (SHCA) has canceled this year’s Halloween Tot Parade, an event that had been held for 23 years. Instead, neighborhood residents are invited to participate in a virtual Spruce Hill Halloween Parade, which will take place online at www.sprucehillca.org. Submit photos of your Halloween costumes or decorations via email to shcahalloween@sharypic.com, or tag your Instagram or Twitter posts with #SHCAHalloween from October 30 to November 1 and you’ll appear in the virtual parade!

SHCA is also hosting a Spruce Hill neighborhood scavenger hunt, which will launch this weekend. There will be a bunch of great prizes to those that successfully complete the search.  Continue Reading

Owners of the one-story building at 4200 Chester Avenue, The Millcreek Tavern site, have recently withdrawn their zoning application for a permit to build an apartment building on the site. The decision was made after a virtual meeting with the immediate neighbors that was held at the Spruce Hill Community Association’s (SHCA) request, according to SHCA Zoning Committee Chair Barry Grossbach.

The goal of the meeting, held over Zoom, was to survey views of the nearby residents. The developers said that the meeting “was not encouraging” for them to proceed with this project, according to Grossbach.  Continue Reading