Rendering of proposed repurposing of church at 41st and Ludlow into a climbing gym, including the addition of a glass tower.

A plan to convert a 19th century church at 41st and Ludlow into a climbing and fitness facility drew praise from the Spruce Hill Community Association zoning committee during its meeting on Monday, but may meet some resistance at the Philadelphia Historical Commission because of three-story glass tower that will be added to the building.

The owners of Reach Climbing and Fitness recently bought the building (see photo below), which until late last fall was occupied by St. James Pentecostal Church. The bright red church tucked off of Market Street in a mixed residential and commercial neighborhood was built in 1845. It housed the Monumental Baptist Church, the second oldest African American Baptist Church in the city and the first in West Philadelphia.  Continue Reading

Delaila Aryee (left) and Lyndsay Brown (right) with former Philadelphia mayor Michael Nutter.

A new fitness and physical therapy private practice with a focus on affordable physical therapy and rehab, fitness classes and open gym options, has recently opened at 5008 Baltimore Avenue. Vital Step Physical Therapy and Fitness co-owners Delaila Aryee and Lyndsay Brown, both Doctors of Physical Therapy, are young entrepreneurs who were featured on A Woman’s Nation in September 2015. Their dream then was to open their own, compassionate practice that would serve their community.

“We are very passionate about making an impact in our local community because we have spent many years here as clinicians, residents and graduates from the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia (also located in West Philly),” Aryee and Brown told A Woman’s Nation.

Thanks to the women’s passion and a little help from KIVA Zip, which provided a microloan allowing to renovate the space and to purchase necessary equipment and supplies, Vital Step opened its doors in November.

At Vital Step, you can get physical therapy services for various neurological conditions, including stroke, brain/spinal injury, Parkinson’s disorder, Multiple Sclerosis and more; orthopedic conditions, including joint replacement therapy, arthritis/joint pain, lower back/neck pain, sports injuries and more. The facility also offers balance and fall prevention programs, CHF and COPD management, postpartum therapy, diabetes and high blood pressure management, and other services.

Rehabbing an ankle injury at Vital Step.

As concerns fitness and health education, Vital Step offers general and specialized fitness programs, including yoga, low impact aerobics and Zumba/dance, and nutrition education.

Vital Step Physical Therapy & Fitness is located at 5008 Baltimore Ave., on the 2nd floor of the Mercy wellness center (it is not affiliated with Mercy).

For more information, visit: http://www.vitalsteppt.com/. You can also follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

(Photos from Vital Step’s Facebook page).

There are some great new recreation and sports programs in the area, for kids and adults alike:

Philadelphia Athletics Youth Sports Association (48th & Woodland Playground). Opening Ceremony this Saturday

The Philadelphia Athletics Youth Sports Association (PAYSA) is a new baseball league in West Philadelphia (founded in the fall of 2013). It provides basic to advanced level instruction and works on building character through teamwork, sportsmanship, leadership and decision-making in a competitive sports environment. The league currently has four tee-ball teams, five rookie league teams, two softball teams and four travel teams. Over 170 kids are currently enrolled in the league. The first PAYSA practice was on Wednesday.

The Opening Day Ceremony will take place tomorrow (Saturday, April 5) at 48th & Woodland and all families, friends and neighbors are invited. Please assemble in the outfield of the Small Field around 9 a.m. for a short ceremony followed by the initial Tee Ball League Games at 10 a.m. For more information on PAYSA visit: www.phillyathletics.org

uGO Community Fitness Challenge (36th & Aspen)

Neighbors are invited to join the uGO Challenge, a free eight-week fitness and nutrition program currently underway in the Mantua neighborhood. uGOers enjoy walking and running groups as well as group fitness – Zumba, Line Dancing, African Dance, walks through the community and more.

All programs are led by local fitness instructors. On the first and last days of the Challenge, doctors and nurses from Drexel University will offer health screenings to track body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, and blood sugar as well as share professional medical advice with uGOers. Health Chats are led by trained Ambassadors who live within the community and local facilitators from the hospitals.

The sessions take place every Saturday between March 29 and May 17 starting at 10 a.m. at Miles Mack Playground, 36^th and Aspen Streets. Despite the rain last Saturday over 20 participants showed up at Miles Mack Playground’s indoor facility, according to the organizers. Stop by this Saturday (April 5) to participate in the Line Dancing class and learn about healthy food choices.

uGO partners include People’s Emergency Center, We Are Mantua, LISC, and SCI West. See the flyer below for more information.

For more information, visit: ugocommunity.com

Healthy Kids Running Series (4328 Haverford Ave)

Healthy Kids Running Series is a five-week program, kicking off on Saturday, April 5. Kids ages 3-14 are invited to compete in racing events at the Lee Cultural Center Field on Haverford Avenue (4328 Haverford Ave) on Saturdays from 10 – 11 a.m. Registration for the series is only $5 and includes medals, gift bags, and snacks. This is a great opportunity to introduce your child to running. For more details and to register, go here.

Photo courtesy University City District.

The spring has officially begun today and the University City District has announced an exciting spring program for The Porch, a cool public space near 30th Street Station. The spring programming will begin April 1 and will include a variety of FREE events and activities, featuring music, food, fitness, and fun. Here are some more details on what to expect at The Porch next month.

FOOD

Gourmet Food Trucks – Mon, Wed, Fri (11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.); Tue & Thu  (7:30 a.m.-2 p.m.)

MUSIC

WXPN Local Wednesdays
Noon on the first Wednesday of the month
Live music from Philly’s rising stars.

Ginger Coyle: April 2

You hear Ginger Coyle’s vintage vocals grace your ears, you undoubtedly feel as if you’ve encountered an old soul. The South Jersey singer-songwriter-pianist-guitarist first caught XPN’s attention with the bluesy “Silver Lining” from her 2012 EP Homeward Bound and is currently working on her full length to be released in 2014.

Lunchtime Accordion Serenade

Tuesdays, Noon – 1 p.m.

Enjoy live accordion music while you relax and have lunch or take a break from the daily grind.

FITNESS 

Put your lunch break to work for you with fitness programming from BodyRock Boot Camp.

Thursdays, 6 p.m.

Zumba: April 3 & 24

Bokwa: April 10

Bootcamp: April 17  Continue Reading

The new large, second-floor space at 4145 Chestnut Street already hosts Bikram Yoga and this week another fitness studio is opening there. Focus Fitness Studios, which is headquartered on the Main Line, is branching out to West Philly and inviting everyone to a Grand Opening of Barre Focus Fitness this Thursday (Nov. 1). The Grand Opening celebration includes a complimentary class beginning at 6 p.m. and all classes through Sunday, Nov. 4 are free!

“We are thrilled to be opening in this thriving West Philadelphia neighborhood,” said co-owner Amy Feeney. “We are looking forward to sharing the barre workout with the colleges in the area and the community as a whole. Our classes are designed to be challenging for all fitness levels and abilities, from the collegiate athlete to the beginner.”

Barre Focus Fitness is also committed to supporting local communities through such programs as donation-based classes, book clubs, and nutrition and health seminars.

The studio’s signature offering, the BFF class, combines the most effective bodyweight exercises into one 60 minute power-packed workout using a traditional ballet barre. Most classes at the studio are accompanied by custom tracks spun by a local DJ. The studio can accommodate up to 25 students, and the adjacent lounge offers a peaceful place to change and prepare for class. Barre Focus Fitness carries snacks and water and also jewelry, accessories, and fitness apparel by local designers.

For more information, visit Barre Focus Fitness online at www.barreuniversitycity.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/barreuniversitycity, and on Twitter at @BarreUniversityCity.