Photo via Drexel.edu

A new public middle school has opened in West Philly, in an area that definitely needs one. On Tuesday, Sept. 20, the School District of Philadelphia, Drexel University and Inquiry School will celebrate the opening of the new Science Leadership Academy Middle School (SLA-MS) at Drexel’s Dana and David Dornsife Center for Neighborhood Partnerships in the Powelton neighborhood.

Drexel University and Philadelphia School District officials, including Superintendent Dr. William R. Hite, will join SLA-MS students, staff and families at a ribbon-cutting ceremony, which will begin at 10:30 a.m.

Dornsife Center (3509 Spring Garden) is just a temporary location for the new school while plans are underway to build the school’s permanent home on the site of the now demolished former University City High School and Drew Elementary School near 38th and Filbert. Most of the fifth grade students who enrolled in SLA-MS came from nearby Samuel Powel Elementary, a highly rated K-4 school.

Drexel’s School of Education supports the middle school with help in planning and executing the curriculum, similar to the arrangement Penn has with the Penn Alexander School.

Park(ing) Day is coming to Philadelphia on Friday, Sept. 16 and local activists, designers and citizens will transform street or metered parking spots into temporary public parks (aka “parklets”). So far here’s what’s happening in West Philly, and everyone is welcome to stop by and enjoy the following parks:

• Repair the World Philadelphia will create a parklet on the 200 block of S. 40th St.
• People’s Emergency Center (PEC) will create parks at 3750 and 4116 Lancaster Ave. There will be a seating area open to the public and activities throughout the day.

Many more parklets will be created throughout the city this Friday, so check out this interactive map.

The event will be held from approximately 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Park(ing) Day is a worldwide event held on the third Friday in September.

And just a reminder that there are several more permanent parklets in University City that pop us every spring, so we hope you’re enjoying them while the weather is still warm. If you need a reminder where they are, check out this post.

One of the largest and longest running community porch sales, the Hamilton Street Porch Sale, will be held this Saturday (Sept. 17), from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Every year, more than 100 vendors sell their wares, such as household items, clothes, cookware, books, and many other items at this four-block long porch sale, from 34th to 38th Streets in Powelton Village. There will also be food and drinks prepared by neighbors and local organizations.

Hamilton Street Porch Sale began in 1981 and is still going strong! The sale is usually held on the 2nd Saturday after Labor Day every, but this year was postponed by one week. Rain date is Sunday, Sept. 18.

Check out the event’s Facebook page for more information and photos. If you would like to get involved, email: HamiltonStreetPorchSale@gmail.com

A light brown male pit bull mix was found on Tuesday morning near 43rd and Chester. It appears that the dog had chewed through his leash. He had a collar but no tags when he was found. ACCT is scheduled to pick him up on Tuesday. The person who found the dog says that he was starving and very thirsty.

If you know the dog’s owner please call Daniel at 860.508.3644.

Photo from the Wiota St. Garden’s Facebook page.

Community members are invited to attend a rally in West Powelton on Sunday, Sept. 18 in another attempt to save the Wiota Street Community Garden from development. The garden was established in 1984 on a vacant lot at the corner of Wiota St. and Powelton Ave. and has been providing area residents with fresh produce for eight months of the year since then. Plans were revealed in 2014 to build housing on the site of the garden, but tenuous community consensus to preserve the garden was reached at a December 2014 public meeting with Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell. However, the garden has again come under threat as reported recently by Hidden City.

The rally will be held at the garden (4022 Powelton Ave.), beginning at 4 p.m., and the organizers are asking the participants to bring a picnic.  Continue Reading

Neighborhood Bike Works, the West Philly youth bike education program, is turning 20 years old and will hold a birthday party and a bike drive on Saturday, Sept. 10.

The celebration will be held from 3 – 7 p.m. at NBW’s location at 3939 Lancaster Ave. As for birthday gifts, the organization is in need of more used bikes, parts, and accessories and will be ready to take bike donations at the party to benefit their youth bike education programming.

The party will include cool free raffles (extra tickets for donating a bike!); cake, Weckerly’s ice cream sandwiches and snacks from Trader Joe’s; and Goldsprints (head-to-head stationary bike racing) provided by the Philly Bike Messenger Association.

Check out the event’s Facebook page for more info. (Photos courtesy of Neighborhood Bike Works)