We’re a little late on this but… the Chester Avenue Dog Park, the private dog park at 48th and Chester, is taking membership applications again. The park had been full and closed to new members for several months. Starting in November the park will open 10 spots every two months. The November/December and January/February spots have been filled. There are still slots for March/April, but Christina Bach from the dog park said those are filling up fast.

For more information go to the park website.

Rendering of the 76-unit apartment building approved Wednesday for the corner of 48th and Chester.

The city’s Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) yesterday unanimously approved a 76-unit apartment building proposed for the corner of 48th and Chester that has been debated for months.

The owner of the nearby Renaissance Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center is combining several parcels it owns along 48th Street and asked to change the zoning designation to accommodate the building, which includes 34 parking spots and a small courtyard. The two-tiered design includes three stories on edges of the project and four stories in the center. A members-only dog park formerly occupied the land. Continue Reading

As promised, here’s more information about summer Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs that deliver weekly shares of produce and other goods from local farms and suppliers to West Philadelphia.

Greensgrow Farms

Schedule: Mid-May through early November

Pick-up location: 4912 Baltimore Avenue (Greensgrow West)

What’s in the share: A seasonal assortment (5-8 items) of locally grown vegetables; a selection of fruit that reflects the abundance of the season; a dairy/protein option; locally made cheese (8 times during the season); locally produced prepared food, such as beer, pasta or ice-cream. Half-share and add-on share (add cheese, coffee, ice cream or bread) options are available.

Cost: Full share: $800; Half share (pick up every other week): $475.

www.greensgrow.org/csa/summer-csa

Continue Reading

The locked gate of Squirrel Hill Falls park at 48th and Chester.

Squirrel Hill Falls Park, a pocket park which was built in the 1990’s but has been closed for years, will reopen for several hours this Saturday for a spring cleanup. The organization that owns the lot at 48th and Chester, Friends Rehabilitation Program (FRP), has allowed the Friends of Squirrel Hill Park community group to enter and clean up the park from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday.

Taking into account the park’s deteriorating condition FRP has two requirements though: Anyone wishing to help in the cleanup has to sign a waiver, and because of safety concerns minors will not be permitted to participate in this cleanup. The Friends of Squirrel Hill Park will have copies of the waiver on hand.

Anyone wishing to help with the cleanup is welcome to join the Friends. The tools will be provided, but you can bring your own rake or set of gloves.

Read more about the latest efforts to reopen the park for community use here.

There may be some progress in the ongoing efforts to re-open Squirrel Hill Falls Park, the enigmatic gated pocket park at 48th and Chester that has been locked for years. The Friends of Squirrel Hill Park community group have launched a new campaign that they hope will help give the park new life. The newest effort to reopen the park, which was designed and built in 1996 by West Philly artist Danielle Rousseau Hunter, comes after Friends Rehabilitation Program Inc., the organization that owns the lot, indicated that they are interested in an agreement about the park’s reopening. All earlier efforts seem to have fallen through (read our previous story about the park here).

Community support is essential in this process, and the Friends of Squirrel Hill Park are asking all interested residents to participate in a short survey and sign a petition titled “Let’s make progress at Squirrel Hill Park!”

“As a neighbor of the long blighted former park at 48th and Chester, I would like to see something positive at this corner. The park is waiting to once again become a great amenity to our neighborhood, and we are ready to join together to make it happen. We ask Friends Rehabilitation Program to work with the Friends of Squirrel Hill Park to help us bring new life to this unused community space,” the petition reads.

The survey includes such questions as what type of programming you would like to see at the park and how much help you can offer to the Friends of the park.

For more information and to access the survey please go to the Friends of Squirrel Hill Park website. You can also find more information about the neighbors working to reopen the park on the group’s Facebook page.

Patty Bulack, an activist behind one of the town watch groups in the area, graciously allowed us to republish the message she sent to her group email list. The message is regarding a series of robberies which took place near 47th and Baltimore in the past month, the latest one occurring on Wednesday, Jan. 4. We reported on two of these incidents here.

“There appears to be targeting of those coming off/waiting for trolleys, and those walking past trolley stops… This fits what happened to Stephen Fisher when he walked past the trolley stop at 46th and Baltimore, where the two assailants were standing as if waiting for a trolley. The two incidents recently at 47th and Baltimore also fit this scenario…. In all cases, including the recent one on the 900 block of Farragut near Mood Cafe, two robbers were involved.”

And here’s what Patty advises to do:

“Be extra observant at trolley stops, especially after dark. If someone’s behavior, manner, dress (especially if there are two together) makes you uncomfortable, don’t ignore that feeling. Keep observing to decide if you need to change your plans. Just because they appear to be waiting for a trolley, doesn’t mean you should turn off your inner alert system. But educate that alarm system! Learn what cues let you know when people are socializing, and not threatening, and what would make you uncomfortable (obviously a longer discussion, but wanted to get this out there…)

If you are concerned, take steps to be met at the trolley stop by a friend or neighbor, especially after dark. We can work together on that! …It seems to be a little harder to get the timing right with UCD bike ambassadors but they may be worth a try as well (215-898-WALK).

I am willing to entertain organizing a focused “town watch” at trolley stops (48th, 47th, 46th and Baltimore; 47th, 48th and Chester). At least until someone is arrested who may be responsible for this. Anyone want to do this with me???? How about sitting in cars, or somewhere nearby, or visibly on the corners as teams to deter criminal intentions? For the hours from 5 to 9? Any ideas? What do you think?

In your normal travels, especially if you are a dog walker, be extra observant at those corners – or even intentional about going past them just to see if anyone is acting suspiciously. If you do see something, call 911…”

If you want to reach Patty, email her at: pbulack[at]gmail.com