Over the summer we wrote about the Future of Cedar Park survey distributed in the neighborhood by the Cedar Park Neighbors association. If you live or own a business in Cedar Park and haven’t participated in the survey yet, you are encouraged to do it this week. The deadline is Friday, Oct. 12, 5 p.m.

Neighbors’ input on the future of the neighborhood is very helpful as a committee of Cedar Park Neighbors board members is preparing for an important meeting with the Philadelphia City Planning Commission which will be convening a steering committee to create a new plan for Southwest Philadelphia and University City.

“Already, we’ve heard from 400 Cedar Park Neighbors about what they want for their community. If you haven’t responded yet, please do so today. It only takes a couple minutes and we want to make sure your voice is heard!” wrote Cedar Park Neighbors president Michael Froehlich in an email.

To access the survey online, please follow this link.

Here’s a great campaign that helps improve our neighborhoods. Philadelphia Parks and Recreation’s tree planting initiate, TreePhilly, engages property owners, business and community residents to improve their communities by planting and maintaining trees. The fall campaign is underway now and residents can sign up until October 19 to receive their free trees.

This fall, residents are eligible to receive up to two free trees per address. Last spring, West Philly residents ordered hundreds of trees, per information provided by Parks & Rec.

To register for your free tree, please go to www.treephilly.org, or contact Erica Smith,
Tree Philly manager, at 215-683-0217 or email: erica.smith@phila.gov with your request.

Note: You have to be a property owner in order to be eligible and plant the trees in the ground in your private yard space, not in the sidewalk outside of your property.

Neighbors are invited to join a walk against gun violence and vigil for gun murder victims tonight, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Cedar Park section of West Philly. There will be two walk starting points – at gun homicide sites at 1100 S. Ruby Street and at the intersection of S. 52nd and Warrington Streets. The two walks will join together at Cedar Park (50th and Baltimore) in the vigil where luminaries for all gun murders to this date in Philadelphia will be lighted. There have been over 250 murders in the city this year.

The event is organized by Heeding God’s Call, a faith-based movement to prevent gun violence, and by Neighborhood Partners to End Gun Violence as part of Peace Day Philly. For more information email: info@heedinggodscall.org or call 856-371-3038.

Police and local clergy members started going door to door talking to residents in an effort to tackle crime in the area. Last night they were particularly targeting the 19th Police District, ABC6 reports. The goal of this new initiative is to let residents in high crime areas know about what’s happening in their neighborhood, to hear from them about trouble spots and to see what police can do to help. “We want to know from residents if they’re having any problems; poor lighting, abandoned vehicles, vacant property,” Inspector Dennis Wilson told ABC.

Police are also talking to neighbors-property owners about what they should do to protect their property more effectively and encouraging businesses to install surveillance cameras and to register them with the city.

Next week the police are supposed to knock on doors of the 18th District‘s residents.

Update: The event has been rescheduled for Saturday, Sept. 8 due to rain.

Chester Avenue Community Garden (4715 Chester Ave) is hosting a plant/seed swap, bake sale, and an overwintering workshop from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Community members are invited to participate. This is a fundraising event for a new front gate and kiwi tree supports. Here’s what you can bring to trade at the plant swap:

-Winter hardy vegetable starts
-Fast-growing cold season seeds
-Heirloom garlic
-Berry bushes
-Perennials including flowers and bulbs

You can also purchase plants available for sale at the garden. Suggested entry donation for this event is $5. For more information visit the event’s Facebook page.

Community members will join hands tomorrow morning along Woodland Avenue, from 52nd to 70th Streets in an effort to promote peace in Southwest Philadelphia. The Hands For Peace Across Southwest event will take place from 8 to 11 a.m. and the sign-up will begin at 7:30 a.m. at NUAD office at 5214 Woodland Avenue. This is an opportunity to show your support for change, peace and quality of life in Southwest Philly.

Hands For Peace Across Southwest is an initiative by Paul (Earthquake) Moore, who has been a community activist in Southwest Philadelphia for more than 25 years. His passion has always been to create strategies to help save the community.

Lorraine Ballad Morrill from Power 99FM will cover the event. Everyone is invited to come out and be a part of this history making event.