5TH SQUARE IN THE NEWS
🚸 Ways to Make Philly Kid-Friendly
Philadelphia Magazine published a recently listed 17 ideas to make Philly a kid-friendly city. All of which are priorities which we embrace here at 5th Square.
Illustration by Mario Zucca
Ideas such as making streets safer, more accessible, more playful, and cleaning/greening vacant lots need to become priorities for our region.
In the article, 5th Square organizer and urban anthropologist Katrina Johnston-Zimmerman talks about how we should look to cities like Stockholm to develop housing to support families.
four- and five-story buildings with different kinds of units inside, a shared courtyard, a play space, gardens, a firepit situation, even a rug-beating station
Photograph by Bastiaan Slabbers/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Our Chair, Dena Driscoll is also quoted in the transit section, advocating for universalizing student fares.
We could do more to foster independence in kids from 12 to 18, by giving all students a pass for SEPTA that’s valid 24/7 on all lines, regardless of how far they live from school. Via investments from the state, city and school district, we could ease and encourage more transit use for families, she says, while creating “lifelong riders” in the process.
All of these ideas require political will, and we are fighting to make this a reality here in local and state government.
You can help us make a walkable, transit-friendly city for everyone. Become a 5th Square member today for $5 a month. New Member signups get a free Blvd Subway T-Shirt!
🐕 PETITION: Give Greyhound Riders Shelter
We demand the Mayor and the Streets Department to require Greyhound to shelter their waiting riders and begin work on a new bus terminal.
In 2022, Greyhound notified the Philadelphia Streets Department that it was ending its lease on the bus terminal at Filbert St. Their plan was to transition to strictly curbside pickup, competing with its budget competitors.
🏖️ 5th Square Beach Trip
Join us 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.
Saturday, August 12th, 8AM - 7PM
Tickets are $60 for Adults 12+, $30 for Children 5-11, Free for Kids 4 & under.
- Train & Jitney Fare
- Hoagie Tray from White House Subs
- Food & Drink at Tennessee Ave Beer Hall
The best way to stay cool this summer is to rock our "Build the Roosevelt Blvd Subway" CROP TOP -- now in stock!
Looking to buy the T-Shirt? Click Here!
EVENTS
NightCycle - Two Rivers
Friday, June 28th at 8 PM - Penn Treaty Park
A fun easy ride after last month's ambitious adventure. Two rivers, two bike trails, two passes through the city. A fun little loop that ends where it starts.
August Family Bike Ride (And Storytime)
SUNDAY, AUGUST 6, 2023 AT 10 AM at Washington Avenue Pier
August edition of our all-ages, all-levels bike ride. All are welcome- kids on bikes, kids in bike seats, trailers and cargo bikes. Meet up at the trail entrance across from Dunkin Donuts. Roll out at 10:15. We'll stay on the Delaware River Trail and ride to Penn Treaty Park. At Penn Treaty, we'll have a read aloud of Pedal Power by Allan Drummond, take a few minutes to rest and play, then ride back to Washington Ave.
WHAT WE'RE READING
🏙️ HOUSING & LAND USE
🌳 PUBLIC SPACE
🚌 TRANSIT
🚴 MOBILITY
GRANTS & OTHER OPPORTUNITIES
Vacant and Abandoned Properties Dashboard
Community Design Collaborative and StreetBoxPHL Request for Parklet and Ped Plaza Proposals
The Collaborative and StreetBoxPHL are partnering to support transforming streets into public spaces across Philadelphia. Community Based Organizations (CBO's) considering, or currently developing, Parklets, Pedestrian Plazas, or other interventions in the Right Of Way (ROW) to debut in 2024, and looking for design support are encouraged to fill out the form below by August 4th 2023 to participate in the ROW Steward Services Initiative:
StreetBoxPHL - Right Of Way Roundtable
Are you a BID manager, RCO Board Member, or are you the one on your block who organizes block clean ups, block parties, or other gatherings in the street? Join StreetBoxPHL for the Right Of Way Roundtable (ROW Roundtable) a monthly on-line meeting this Fall 2023. If you take care of public spaces in city streets, or want to learn how to build them, sign up here.
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
WSP / SVP, National Bus and Facilities Practice Director
DVRPC
The Bicycle Coalition Youth Cycling (BCYC) Program is looking for our next leader! BCYC is currently hiring a BCYC Director to lead the Youth Cycling Program to continue to grow and join the leadership team of the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia.
Greater Philadelphia YMCA is hiring part-time instructors for its growing after-school watershed education program. Watershed Education by Bike (WEB) is a groundbreaking program that gets youth active by teaching them how to safely ride in urban, suburban and trail environments, while also focusing on watershed and environmental education
Sam Schwartz, a TYLin Company, is a leading transportation engineering, planning, and environmental firm known nationally for our ability to solve complex transportation problems with creative, multi-modal solutions.
Forman Arts Initiative / Executive Director
Old City District / Economic Development Coordinator (7/31)
The City of Cambridge / Assistant Commissioner for Street Management/Director of Traffic + Parking
Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia /
- Build Project Manager
- Build Staff Carpenter
- Chief Financial Officer
- Construction Volunteer Leader
- Corporate Relations Manager
- Donor Relations Manager
- Events Coordinator
- Home Sales Mortgage Admin
- Instructor - Carpentry Fellowship
- Restore Associate
- Lead Carpenter
- Marketing and Communications Director
- Project Development Associate
- ReStore Assistant Manager
- ReStore Truck Driver
We're an all-volunteer grassroots organization advocating for safe and affordable transportation, abundant housing, and more and better public spaces. You’re receiving this email if you signed up via our website, attended one of our events, or supported one of our advocacy campaigns.
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