A support group for a great local library is seeking feedback from community members and stakeholders that will help improve their work. The planning committee for the Friends of Walnut St West Library is asking for just five minutes of your time to share your thoughts about their work in bringing library services, programs and events in an online survey. The results of the survey will help shape the Friends’ support of the library over the next three to five years.

“The more we can learn about why or how people use the library (or don’t) and what community interests the library might meet, the better we can assess how to supplement the Friends’ support of the library moving forward,” the Friends of Walnut St West Library president Kathy Wheeler wrote in an email.

Another goal of the survey is to gather information on how folks learn about events so they can not only attend library programs but be able to volunteer their skills and time.  Continue Reading

Hamilton Mansion.

Great news for the historic Woodlands Cemetery and Mansion and all those who participated in their latest ambitious fundraising effort of raising $218,000 to restore the Hamilton Stable, the only remaining outbuilding from the 18th century.

“The Woodlands community contributed over $218,000 to restore the stable’s façade – which means you helped secure an extraordinary $612,000 challenge grant to restore the [Hamilton] Mansion from the William B. Dietrich Foundation,” reads a recent message by The Woodlands Executive Director Jessica Baumert. The McLean Contributionship, Connelly Foundation, and Wunsch Foundation also provided generous support of this project.

Photos courtesy of The Woodlands.

In a addition to the restoration of the Hamilton Mansion and Stable, the re-construction of the Cryptoporticus has resumed. The contractors have been numbering each brick before removing them from the sagging arch (pictured right). Then, the 18th century bricks will be put back in their original location using a mortar.

The Woodlands also announced some new and annual programs taking place this spring (the Woodlands is located at 40th and Woodland).

Sunday, April 12 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Your West Philadelphia House: How old is it? Who lived there?

Join The University City Historical Society at The Woodlands for a “how to” workshop, and learn to research the history of your own West Philadelphia house! Uncover your house’s story!Cost: Free to members of University City Historical Society or The Woodlands, $10 for non-members. Make your reservations here.  Continue Reading

Baltimore Avenue Dollar Stroll (Photo courtesy UCD)

Here’s some great news to drive your cold spring weather blues away. The University City District has announced the return of their signature events, including the Baltimore Avenue Dollar Stroll, University City Dining Days and 40th Street Summer Concert Series!

The Baltimore Avenue Dollar Stroll, where dozens of neighborhood businesses present a variety of $1 items and deals, including food, beer, event tickets and vouchers, will return on Thursday, June 25. The second Dollar Stroll is scheduled for September 24. Dollar Strolls take place along Baltimore Avenue, between 43rd and 51st streets, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

In addition to the Dollar Stroll, another popular event is coming back this summer – the 40th Street Summer Series will be held the last Saturday of the month, from May to September, in the campus green space near 40th and Locust. We’ll post more information on the performances when it becomes available.

More than 30 of University City’s best restaurants will participate in the 11th annual University City Dining Days, which runs July 16 through the 28th. As usual, the deal includes three courses for three prices.

There is also a rumor that UCD will bring back its summer film series, which was a big hit back in the summer of ’13. We are still trying to nail down the details on that though. We’ll keep you posted.

Photo by Jennifer Wegner.

Wild turkeys are back in the hood! A reader spotted this one this morning on Baltimore Avenue. Another reader reported a sighting at the 40th Street trolley portal. These guys always seem to show up in the spring. The previous sightings in the area were reported in the spring of 2013.

UPDATE: The photo below was taken this morning at 38th and Woodland.

Hey, Watch Out Dude! (Twitter photo @engelser)

Mary Pitts-Devine (from Linked In)

Mary Pitts-Devine, a 46-year-old West Philadelphia woman, is beating the odds. She was shot eight times by her male neighbor earlier this month. The shooting happened on March 8 at a three-story twin home near 46th and Spruce Streets, where Pitts-Devine and her attacker, 53-year-old Steven Outlaw, lived.

Since the shooting, Pitts-Devine – a LaSalle grad, entrepreneur, social worker and cancer survivor –  has undergone several surgeries and will need many more. To offset the gigantic medical costs, her family started a fund in her name on GoFundMe.com.

Here’s what her brother, Eric Christopher, wrote on GoFundMe:

Mary Pitts-Devine with her brother Eric Christopher (from GoFundMe.com)

“Words can’t describe how I feel about my amazing sister Mary R Pitts. On Sunday, March 8, this wonderful woman of God was on her way to church when she was shot by a deranged gunman over 10 times! Eight bullets wounded her body. Two bullets struck her in the head one in the brain and one through the eye… Since March 8, Mary has gone through several operations to restore her body. She is making remarkable progress. Her road to recovery will be tedious and will include more extensive surgeries, substantial physical therapy, and professional counseling.”

Everyone who wants to contribute to the Mary R. Pitts-Devine fund and stay updated on the progress of her recovery, visit: www.gofundme.com/pg3s58

Some residents said that their trash was picked up a day late last week. Now we have the explanation. The Philadelphia Streets Department has just announced that due to the extreme weather the city has experienced over the past several winters, an unusually high number of trash trucks, which double as plows, have been either scrapped or are in the shop for major repairs. As a result, trash pickup has been impacted citywide with scattered one day collection delays.

“We understand the frustration that comes with delayed trash collection, and we regret this inconvenience,” said Streets Commissioner David Perri. “During these past winters, there have been several occasions where Sanitation trucks have been fitted with snowplows to assist in snow removal. In these instances, Sanitation trucks account for over one-third of the vehicles used during snow removal.”

Residents are asked to continue placing their trash out on the regular scheduled day at the normal location as delays are expected to continue for the next several weeks. Materials not collected on the scheduled day will be picked up the following day.