The Cedar Park Neighbors zoning committee will consider a proposal on Tuesday for a three unit, multi-family building on the vacant lot located at 5047 Baltimore Avenue.

The building would include commercial space on the first floor and two additional floors. The maximum height of the building is 48 feet.

Community members are invited to meet with the owner, see the plans, ask questions and voice their opinion. More information can be found on the Facebook event page.

The hearing begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Calvary Center at 801 S. 48th Street (2nd floor).

We’re very sad to report that Vincent (Vince) Whittacre, former owner of the Gold Standard Cafe and Cedar Park community organizer, passed away on Wednesday, Sept. 13 at the age of 57.

Vince Whittacre (right) with his spouse and business partner Roger Harman (Photo from BABA Facebook page).

Vince not only was a co-founder and co-owner of the popular Cedar Park restaurant (he and his spouse and business partner Roger Harman sold it in 2015 after almost 35 years of work in the restaurant business), he was also a founder and past president of the Baltimore Avenue Business Association (BABA). The following message was posted on BABA’s Facebook page:

“Vince was an involved and active member of our West Philly community. He made a difference, investing, immersing, and concerning himself in so many ways. As a former leader and former President of BABA, we appreciate his hard work, support, dedication and legacy. We will miss him.”

Vince was also active in many local organizations, such as Curio Theatre Company, Chester Avenue Dog Park, Action AIDS, and more. He was also an “avid reader, lover of mysteries, film enthusiast, and an excellent cook,” according to an obituary posted online. “He could often be found at the opera or ballet crying along to one of his many favorite performances, especially Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet… [He] possessed an acidic wit and infectious laugh.”  Continue Reading

Twice a year, Clark Park Youth Soccer League invites local kids ages 5-11 to participate in the program held at Clark Park. The Fall season starts Sept. 23rd, and while there is no shortage of kids signing up, this low-cost program is still looking for volunteer coaches.

If you like to play soccer, know a little bit about the game, and enjoy running around and having fun with kids, please consider volunteering for this program.

The Fall season continues through mid-November. It takes place on Saturdays, with kids ages 5 to 7 playing from 10:30 a.m. to Noon, and ages 8 to 11 playing from Noon to 1:30 p.m. Volunteer coaches are asked to commit to being there most of the Saturdays through the season. Three or four coaches will be assigned to each team so that you’ll always have backup. Continue Reading

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Prince may be gone, but this event at 50th and Baltimore will make sure that, at least in West Philly, he is not forgotten. Sheila E. and Morris Day and The Time – some of Prince’s closest collaborators – will headline a “Tribute to Prince,” a free concert on Saturday, Sept. 16 at 50th and Baltimore that will also include West Philly’s own DJ Questlove.

The annual Neighborhood-to-Neighborhood Street Festival kicks off at noon. Sheila E., Prince’s one-time fiancé who opened for him on the Purple Rain tour, is set to play at 2 p.m. Morris Day, who co-starred with Prince in the film Purple Rain, will be onstage with his band, The Time, at 7 p.m. In between, Questlove, rapper PnB Rock, comedian Skeet and a number of local artists will perform.  Continue Reading

SEPTA has scheduled a trolley track replacement project on Spruce Street between 38th-40th Streets. The work will begin Monday, Sept. 18 and is scheduled to end on Sunday, Oct. 1.

This portion of track is used when street closures or emergencies prevent trolleys from using their regular routing. The construction is not anticipated to affect service on Routes 11, 13, 34 and 36.

Most of the track in this area was last replaced in the 1950s. The street structure supporting the tracks has deteriorated due to weather, traffic and the age of the road surface. SEPTA will excavate and replace approximately 1,100 track feet and repave the track area. The new and improved track components will make for a smoother and quieter ride.  Continue Reading

Photo courtesy of Cedar Park Neighbors.

Philadelphia is on track to record 1,200 drug-overdose deaths this year, according to City health officials. All kinds of people – from police to librarians – are being trained to use Narcan kits to reverse overdoses.

On Monday, Sept. 18, Cedar Park Neighbors is hosting a training on how to reverse an opioid overdose. Prevention Point, a longtime community based organization that has worked with tens of thousands of community members struggling with the effects of opioid addiction, will conduct the training.

The training will include detailed information on how to obtain and administer Narcan™ (naloxone), a medication that, when administered promptly to individuals who are experiencing an overdose, can save their lives. Prevention Point will also provide information on how to obtain this medication.

The training will take place at the Calvary Center Chapel (48th and Baltimore), beginning at 6:30 p.m., and will take approximately 1.5 hours. No RSVP is required, but trainees are asked to be on time and remain for the full training.