Just in time for summer, a new state-of-the-art nature-themed playground has opened in Cobbs Creek near 63rd and Spruce. A ribbon-cutting ceremony, attended by state and city officials, as well as students from Add B. Anderson Middle School and community members, took place on Wednesday afternoon.

The new Cobbs Creek Nature Playground combines modern and unique features to create a “nature-themed play oasis.” All play equipment was made from refurbished solid wood and the playground was designed around the existing trees. The playground itself has been designed to cultivate imaginative play with ample swinging and climbing structures.

“I’m grateful to see the vision for this site come to fruition just in time for summer,’ said Mayor Jim Kenney. “Cobbs Creek Playground has been an integral part of the West Philadelphia community, and now it’s a space where the community can safely play and proudly call their own.”

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The future of Sayre Morris Rec Center’s public pool has recently become more clear. Property of the School District of Philadelphia, the indoor, Olympic-sized pool, which was used by Cobbs Creek residents for decades, fell into disrepair and closed in 2017. But a new agreement with the City of Philadelphia, will help the pool, also used in the past as one of the city’s primary lifeguard training facilities, to finally reopen in the near future.

Last week, the Philadelphia Board of Education voted to reopen pool through an agreement with the city, which will operate the pool moving forward. The School Board also included $11 million in funding to complete necessary maintenance of the pool in its proposed 2024 budget and long-term financial plan.

“This outcome is the result of a collective effort on the part of the District, the City and the Commonwealth which have all contributed to the funding of the reopening of the pool,” said Board of Education President Reginald L. Streater, Esq.

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Philadelphia’s free spraygrounds are expected to be reopened for the 2023 season on Saturday, May 27, according to an announcement by Parks & Rec. There are over 90 water-based play spaces in Philadelphia, many of them are spraygrounds or spray parks, but some sites include a single sprinkler, or spray jet.

During the season, which ends on Labor Day, spraygrounds will be open seven days a week, with the exception of bad weather days, at the following hours:

Weekdays: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Weekends: 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
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Here’s some great news for Lee’s Deli fans and supporters. The popular Baltimore Avenue business, located at the corner of 47th and Baltimore, has quietly reopened, with a short Instagram post: “I’m Back.” (see below). The store was closed for several months after a U-Haul van crashed right through the front door in November, causing substantial damage.

The caption to the post, published yesterday, reads:

“Open Tuesdays – Saturdays 10am – 7pm on DoorDash, on phone, and in person. We love you. We thank you. City of Brotherly Love.”

Lee’s Deli owners and staff worked hard for several months to fix the extensive damage caused by the crash and to reopen the store as soon as possible. A GoFundMe campaign was launched in the weeks following the accident, and the community support was overwhelming with over $42,000 raised. Continue Reading

Photo from CherelleParker.com

Cherelle Parker comfortably won the Democratic nomination for mayor in Tuesday’s primary election and will likely become the first woman to hold the job in city’s history.

Parker, a Mount Airy resident and the only native Philadelphian among the top three vote-getters, dominated in heavily African American wards in the city. Parker received 32.95 percent of the votes (69,499 ballots cast). Former City Controller Rebecca Rhynhart received 22.63 percent (47,737 ballots), and former City Councilmember and education reformer Helen Gym received 21.31 percent (44,946 ballots).

It is worth noting that the voter turnout was low, with the total of 239,680 ballots cast, or about 23.5 percent of registered voters. Continue Reading

As you may have heard, Tuesday is Election Day in Pennsylvania. Locally, it’s kind of a big deal with candidates for mayor, the entire City Council, sheriff, a bunch of judges, controller, register of wills and four questions on the ballot.

It all can be a little overwhelming, so what follows is a slew of links to help you make sense of it. Remember that Pennsylvania has closed primaries, so you have to be registered in a party to vote for a candidate. But you independents can still vote for ballot questions.

Who’s running?

There is no shortage of info on candidates for mayor. One place to start to hear from the candidates themselves is the Committee of 70’s “Last Word” mayoral forum held on May 4. Billy Penn’s “Procrastinator’s Guide” to the election is also super helpful for info on all of the candidates from Mayor to City Council to Supreme Court.

The Philadelphia Inquirer has a good analysis of the four ballot questions here. Continue Reading