🏖 BEACH TRIP SPOTS AVAILABLE!
Join us on July 9th at 8:05am for a family-friendly day down the shore this summer with your favorite group of Urbanist advocates. We're headed to Atlantic City and have a fun day planned of hoagie-eating, jitney-riding, beach-laying, and of course, margarita-drinking. Let's meet at 30th Street Station and, of course, take a ride aboard the Atlantic City Rail Line.
- Train & Jitney Fare
- Hoagie from White House Subs
- Food & 1 Drink or Appetizer from Landshark Bar & Grill
🏞 FDR PARK MASTER PLAN
The City is about to make moves on FDR Park, in part to secure the city as a site for the FIFA World Cup in 2026. The initial plan to redo the park is not new--the FDR Park Master Plan was released in May 2019 to limited fanfare until the pandemic hit. On one hand, it makes sense that the city would want to refurbish a green space close to a dense population and a new outlet for cabin fever. From a climate standpoint, work is needed to keep the park hospitable for soil, wildlife, and humans. Grid Magazine had a great overview of the past, present, and future in its June 2022 issue.
The biggest sticking point is the Meadows. Despite being an overgrown golf course for a closed naval base, it's the most expansive green area in South Philly and one of the few nearby places you can hear loud birdsong mixed with the din of cars. Having a dedicated area for wildlife in dense urban areas is key to healthy urban living. With climate change, the Meadows are also likely to become a marsh.
If you're not excited about wearing galoshes to the World Cup games, there is still a chance to act. You can sign up for a coordinated meetup with A People's Coalition for FDR Park to encourage Parks & Rec to explore other options, like converting a parking lot in the Sports Complex into a soccer pitch.
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EVENTS
July 9 at 9:30am - 11:30am
FDR Park Boathouse (1500 Pattison Avenue)
Join Maura McCarthy, Fairmount Park Conservancy’s Executive Director and Justin DiBerardinis, FDR Park’s Director, for a discussion of the Meadows at FDR Park.
Demystifying "Affordable" Housing
July 13 at 12:00pm – 1:00pm (Virtual)
Join Troy Hannigan, Director of Development at Community Ventures, and Tya Winn, Executive Director of the Community Design Collaborative alongside Habitat for Humanity’s Young Professionals group for a virtual conversation that demystifies “affordable” housing. This conversation will be moderated by Director of Policy at City of Philadelphia Office of Community Empowerment and Opportunity Beth McConnell.
Using Inclusive Development as a Strategy to Improve the Economy
July 14 at 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM (virtual through Zoom)
Design Advocacy Group and Gregory Reaves of Mosaic Development Partners will discuss inclusive economic development, insights related to investment in disenfranchised communities and housing affordability beyond the Navy Yard. Reaves will also focus on hiring BIPOC businesses, the overall goal of building wealth in neighborhoods and reducing poverty. Registration required.
Northwest Traffic Calming Committee Meeting
July 24 at 4:00 pm
Carpenter Lane Station (310 Carpenter Lane)
Please come to the NWTCC Organizing Meeting where will will discuss the next steps needed to make Lincoln Drive Safer for everyone. We will also discuss how to request traffic calming on your own neighborhood street as well as how to make walking to school safer this coming school year. Sign the corresponding petition if you haven't already.
SURVEYS & EMAIL ACTIONS
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State National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Plan Survey - The NEVI Formula Program provides dedicated funding to Pennsylvania and other states to strategically deploy EV charging infrastructure and establish an interconnected network to facilitate data collection, access, and reliability.
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Vision Zero | Cecil B. Moore - DVRPC is conducting a survey about possible street safety implementations on Cecil B. Moore Ave from Willington Street to 10th Street.
- Reimagine the Parkway - Survey 1 This public survey is part of the first round of engagement to help refine the vision and goals for the Benjamin Franklin Parkway Public Realm Plan and gather the priorities for uses of the Parkway from a diverse audience. As you take the survey, please think about the "Parkway" within the planning area focus.
WHAT WE'RE READING
🏙️ HOUSING & LAND USE
Dwell / In Portland, Oregon, the Paths to Homeownership Are Multiplying
Philadelphia Inquirer / A new plan for the Navy Yard would add residential, commercial, and retail space to ‘create a new community’
Dezeen / Sprawl in America "is not good for our climate" says Barack Obama
🌳 PUBLIC SPACE
The Philadelphia Citizen / Who are Philly’s Illegal dumpers and why can't we catch them?
Philadelphia Inquirer / What being a potential World Cup training site means for South Philly’s FDR Park
GRANTS, FELLOWSHIPS & CFPs
- Join the New Leaders Council PHL board! NLC trains and connects the local changemakers who champion equity and fuel progress. We invest in those historically excluded from leadership pipelines, yet are best equipped to solve our nation’s most challenging issues. More information is on their website.
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Applications for the Committee of Seventy’s 2022-2023 Buchholz Fellows program are now open! The Buchholz Fellows are emerging young leaders (recommended age is 25-35) working in the private or nonprofit sector. Fellows will have the opportunity to gain invaluable experience in nonprofit leadership by serving as one of our board members. Fellows are matched with a current board member who will serve as a mentor and advisor during the fellowship year.
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
Philadelphia City Council / Director of Communications for Councilmember Gautier
Transit Forward Philadelphia / Coalition Manager
Women's Community Revitalization Project (WCRP) / Organizing Director
YIMBY Action / Development Associate
The New Pennsylvania Project / Chief Operating Officer
Robert Schalkenbach Foundation / Assistant Director
Enterprise / Program Associate, Incubation, Cultivation and Acceleration
Jarrett Walker + Associates / Senior Public Transit Planner and Project Manager
Habitat for Humanity /
City of Philadelphia
- Complete Streets District Supervisor
- Senior Infrastructure Coordinator
- Lifeguard
- Crossing Guard
- Community Development Corporations Program Manager
Civic Eagle / Various (Programmers, finance)
Smart Growth America / Thriving Communities program associate
Friends of the Wissahickon / Field Coordinator
5th Square is Philadelphia's urbanist political action committee.
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