Piffaro, the Philadelphia-based and internationally renowned Renaissance wind band, New York City’s TENET Vocal Artists, and projection artist Camilla Tassi are collaborating to transform Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral. Artwork and poetry will be projected on the interior architecture of the historic building while the sounds of 16th century Italy will fill the sanctuary. The concert takes place at the Cathedral, located at 38th and Market, on Friday, Oct. 11, at 7:30 p.m., and the band is offering West Philly Local readers a special 50 percent discount off regular ticket prices with code WPL.

The occasion of the concert is the 650th anniversary of Francesco Petrarch’s death. The most influential poet of the Italian Renaissance, he wrote hundreds of poems grappling with his thwarted love for the lady we only know as Laura, who died young of the plague. Love, Chastity, Death, Fame, Time, and Eternity all make appearances, embodied by the superlative singers of TENET. The music will run the gamut of 16th century Italian musical styles, from Carnival songs to sacred hymns to yearning madrigals.

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West Philadelphia Alliance for Children (WePAC), the non-profit that promotes literacy programs to local schoolchildren in grades K-4, will lead hundreds of kids and their families on a fun literacy journey at the first-ever West Philly Literacy Village Reading Promise Festival.

This family-focused event, in partnership with Reading Promise (a Read by 4th initiative), will take place on Saturday, Oct. 5, from 12-3 p.m., at Saunders Park (39th and Powelton).

The event’s goal is to promote a love of reading, books, and literacy. Folks will enjoy free kids books and giveaways as well as free food, games and crafts. Guest authors and entertainers, including Monica Allison, Thembi Palmer, Tony Cruz, and Charlotte Blake Alston, will present on the main stage.

Each child will receive a passport upon entry and will be encouraged to visit at least four literacy program partner tables for activities. Children will receive a special prize for their “travels” on the literacy journey. Also, the WePAC partner school (see the list here) with the most student attendees will receive a water ice party!

WePAC promotes childhood literacy by engaging volunteers in Philadelphia public schools through re-opening and operating libraries. WePAC has partnered with A Book a Day, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Free Library of Philadelphia, HopePHL, Lift Every Voice Philly, Penn Libraries Community Engagement, and other local organizations to present this event.

A bicyclist riding along Woodland Avenue while a new separated bike lane is under construction. (Photo by West Philly Local)

UPDATE (10/1/2024): Legislation authorizing a bike lane on Woodland Avenue from Chester Avenue to South 42nd Street was introduced on Sept. 26 by Councilmember Jamie Gauthier. This is part of the Phase 2 of the Woodland Ave Complete Streets Project. If the bill is passed it will authorize the replacement of the parking lane with a 2-way bikeway on the south side of Woodland Avenue in 2027. The bill to turn the parking lane into a bike lane in front of the Woodlands cemetery was passed in 2022 and the work is currently underway (read more below). 

(9/20/2024): Streets Department crews have begun work on Woodland Avenue between the VA Medical Center Driveway and Chester Avenue, as part of the Woodland Avenue Complete Streets project which aims to improve safety for all users – drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists – between VA Driveway and 42nd Street.

Phase 1 of the project, which is expected to be completed this fall, includes the addition of a separated bike lane from VA Driveway to Chester Avenue along north and south curb and installation of traffic signals with crosswalks at Chester Avenue and 40th Street Portal/The Woodlands. To accommodate the addition of the bike lane, street parking in this section of Woodland has been removed.

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The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) wants your input on how to spend more than $170 million in federal funds from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program to install public electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in Pennsylvania. At least $14 million of this funding will be allocated to Philadelphia to subsidize the installation of public EV chargers.

Residents have an opportunity to learn more and provide feedback for this project as PennDOT is currently conducting a brief survey to help inform the program and identify location priorities.

PennDOT is first required to use the federal funds towards building a network of fast charging along major roadways, which is also reflected in the survey. You can check PennDOT’s progress to deploy this charging network on the PennDOT NEVI Active Projects Map.

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Walnut Hill Community Playground (Archived photo/Selah Lynch).

Here’s some great news for Walnut Hill Community Playground users. The public playground, located at 47th and Sansom, will be rehabilitated thanks to a $75,000 grant from the Target Foundation, according to a recent announcement by University City District (UCD). The funds, secured through UCD’s new Community Playground Revitalization Program, will be used by members of UCD’s Green City Works landscaping social enterprise to perform general improvements to the playground.

Improvements to the park, which dates back to the 1970s, with the current version built in 2009, will be made based on community feedback. The goal is to “make it safer and more welcoming for neighbors and other users,” according to the announcement.

The playground is dedicated to Alice Jones, a community leader who dedicated her life to her neighborhood. Her grandson, Shuja Moore, who is determined to carry on her legacy of positive community change, has been instrumental in spearheading the idea to revitalize the playground.

More details on this project are coming soon.

The Habitat for Humanity project starts to fill in the gap along a Reno St. rowhouse block. (Photos by Tony West)

Work has begun to create new affordable housing in West Philadelphia on four lots at 40th and Reno in Mantua, in a project by Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia. Part of Habitat’s strategy: free land and labor.

Habitat for Humanity is a worldwide nonprofit organization, now 48 years old, whose mission is to build or repair homes that low-income people will own. This development began with four vacant lots that had been picked up by the Philadelphia Land Bank. Habitat Philadelphia worked with Mantua Civic Association and Councilmember Jamie Gauthier to acquire them for 3-bedroom owner occupancy houses.

“Volunteerism is a key part of the method, recruiting corporate partners as well as homeowners,” said Habitat spokesperson Adam McGrath. On a day last week two dozen workers from Children’s Hospital and Gilbane Building Co. joined Habitat crew to assemble the framing for exterior walls, a task that will keep them busy the rest of September.

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