Local media has turned it’s attention to development in Northwest Philadelphia’s Germantown neighborhood this week as journalists reported on the fate of the historic YWCA building. Here’s my letter to The Inquirer in response to architecture critic Inga Saffron’s take in her weekly column.
Sure, lots of neighborhood communications have moved online, but here in Germantown we know there is still a place for the paper flyer. We’re looking for a designer, architect or builder to help us create a neighborhood bulletin board. See photos of outdoor bulletin boards at parks and gardens around Philadelphia for inspiration.
This May we began compiling a monthly crime alert for W Rockland Street after noticing an uptick in robberies, burglaries and theft nearby. We attend the monthly 39th District
Women’s Community Revitalization Project (WCRP) has proposed building 35 new affordable town homes on vacant woodsy land in East Germantown. Check out the design plans and learn about the tenant selection process.
The W Rockland St Project has launched a crowdsourced fundraising campaign to remove a sick tree from the vacant lot turned community garden that’s threatening the 2014 growing season and neighborhood gathering space.
Sidewalk gardens and planters are a motivating tool against blight, help to establish neighborhood identity and set a beautiful curbside example. W Rockland St has over 15 planters lining the sidewalk. Learn how to make it happen on your block.
Picking up trash can actually be fun. Armed with a list of commonly littered items from cigarette butts to fast food packaging, kids collect and learn about the trash tossed aside in our community. Download our checklist and plan your own litter scavenger hunt.
We had a great time talking about neighborhood revitalization and citizen engagement projects at Germantown United CDC‘s annual forum. Our favorite presenter was Zach Bird, who’s got a fresh take on graffiti.
