Photo: Palmsolutions.org

Palms Solutions – the African Diaspora Global Initiative – in collaboration with the Friends of Clark Park (FOCP) and the Mayor’s Commission on African & Caribbean Immigrant Affairs, is hosting the kick off of its annual “West Philly African & Caribbean Multicultural Festival (Westpac Fest)” event at Clark Park (43rd and Baltimore) on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2-6 p.m. The kick-off event features Ethiopia and Mali. The celebration is an opportunity to experience Philadelphia’s vibrant and growing African and Caribbean immigrant population.

According to the event organizers, the goal of WestPac Fest is to “break down the cultural and ethnic barriers among communities in West Philly, promote a friendly, and welcoming environment for people of all backgrounds, and together build a place where diversity is recognized and valued.”

This year‘s celebration is a tribute to the late Ms. Frances P. Aulston, President and CEO of the West Philadelphia Cultural Alliance and the Paul Robeson House, who played a big role in the preservation of the last residence of Paul Robeson, a legendary artist, scholar, athlete, activist, and humanitarian.  Continue Reading

File photo.

Dog owners are invited to Clark Park this Saturday for the annual Bark in the Park event. There will be more than 25 contests, from the tallest dog to curliest tail to fastest runner, with chances to win doggie goodies. You can also meet the vet.

The event, which starts at 2 p.m. near the Bowl at 43rd and Chester, is fun for dogs and their human friends.

Click to enlarge.

Here’s a short update on the widely discussed mixed-use residential and commercial project at 4224 Baltimore Avenue across from Clark Park. Construction of the 132-unit building, which will include upscale rental apartments aimed at young professionals and condo units for sale, is not expected to start until late summer 2016, according to a letter to the SHCA Zoning Committee and the Spruce Hill community sent by the land owner Clarkmore LP and project developer U3 Ventures. The project was approved by the Zoning Board of Adjustment in June after weeks of delays, clearing the last hurdle for the project to go ahead.

“We are now pursuing detailed design, construction cost estimation, [and] retail tenanting along with other detailed planning work,” reads the letter signed by Lenard Thylan, Omar Blaik, and Tom Lussenhop.

Although more details are not yet available, the 17,000 feet of commercial space may include a large fitness center and a full-service restaurant with outdoor seating, among other retail options. We’ll keep you posted when we have more information.

Photo courtesy Scribe Video Center

This month, Scribe Video Center is bringing back its Street Movies! program, with free outdoor film screenings and live performances taking place across Philadelphia neighborhoods. The program features independent films from around the world that spark discussions of issues relevant to the community. Each screening is hosted by a community organization and is followed by a moderated discussion. Two screenings will be held in West Philly this weekend, both at 7:45 p.m. – at Clark Park on Friday and at Malcolm X Park on Saturday. Details are below (for more info, visit scribe.org/news/streetmovies).

• Friday, Aug 7, 7:45 p.m.

The Bowl @ Clark Park (45th Street and Kingsessing Avenue)
Host: Jubilee School
Event Emcee: 900AM WURD’s Stephanie Renée
Opening live performance: the Jubilites of Jubilee School

The program includes the following film screenings:

Tengo Talento: Jennyselt Galata of Yoruba Andabo & Sailen (Afro Cuban Folklore)
dir. Eli Jacobs-Fantauzzi

Jennyselt is a dancer of Afro Cuban Folklore, with great prestige within Cuba and internationally and currently dances with the group Yoruba Andabo. She seeks her successor to keep the legacy of Afro-Cuban culture, dance and religion alive. Who will she choose to keep the legacy alive? (Cuba, 2014, 10:21 min, Spanish w/English Subtitles)  Continue Reading

The proposed apartment complex at 43rd and Baltimore.

After weeks of delays, the city has approved the proposal for a large residential building at the corner of 43rd and Baltimore that will include a large restaurant overlooking Clark Park.

The planned glass and brick building at 4224 Baltimore Ave., which has been two years in the making and has included a half-dozen community meetings, will include 132 units, a mix of upscale rental apartments aimed at young professionals and condo units for sale. It also includes 65 underground parking spaces and 50 indoor bike parking spaces.

The Spruce Hill Community Association zoning committee, the Friends of Clark Park and the University City Historical Society all approved the plan, but the Zoning Board of Adjustment, the city governmental body that reviews zoning variances, narrowly approved the project 3-2, according to Plan Philly. Opponents argued that the proposed building, which required a zoning change to include a five-story wing, would be out of character with the rest of the block.  Continue Reading

Indego has installed a bike share station in Clark Park – at the southwest corner of 43rd and Chester. The station has capacity for 19 bikes. As a reminder, Indego, Philly’s first bike share program, was launched on April 23 across the city. Twelve docking stations are now open west of the Schuylkill (see map).