Construction of a new restaurant, the Trolley Car Station, began last month at 40th and Baltimore. To celebrate the beginning of this major University City construction, which is part of the Trolley Portal Gardens project, the public is invited to enjoy free water ice from the Trolley Car Ice Cream Shoppe.

The event will be held on Wednesday, July 19, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at 40th and Baltimore.

The construction of the new two-story 125-seat restaurant (see rendering below), is expected to be completed in Spring 2018. The company that owns the Trolley Car Diner in Mount Airy will operate the restaurant.

The temperatures are expected to top 100 today and many people, kids and adults alike, will rush to water ice vending trucks and carts in the hood to stay cool.

But, if the trucks are not in sight where do you get your fix?

A couple of places that we like are located on Spruce Street (between 48th and 49th). Quick Stop Deli (4832 Spruce St) and Great Taste Chinese Food restaurant (right next door at 4834 Spruce St) have several flavors of water ice on tap.

If you know of any other shops or restaurants selling water ice please share information about them below. And by “water ice” we mean the delicious soft serve kind, not the pre-packaged one.

Kia Gregory wrote a story for the Philadelphia Inquirer that we think everyone can relate to: The first hints of spring and the draw of water ice.

She profiles Morrone’s Water Ice, a West Philly institution at 63rd and Race. The store has been there since 1925.

One father, Rodney Mason, told Gregory: “Water ice drives my kids crazy.”

We noticed that the water ice cart was out at Clark Park yesterday as well and later in the evening I heard the first ice cream truck song of the season.