Stepping into Our Lady Help of Christians Church Hall, attendees were quickly and cheerfully greeted at the door by Theresa Costello and Dot Jacob, two of the three Port Richmond Community Group organizers.  The third organizer, Maryann “Mare” Trombetta, who is also the President of the Port Richmond Town Watch was also in attendance and was mingling in the crowd at the meeting.

Community members began arriving and adding their names to the sign-in sheet. On the sign-in table, customarily laid out with copies of the meeting agenda and information relating to the night’s topics, was also an array of sample flags and banners, there to stimulate some excitement about the Port Richmond flag design contest. And it worked. The contest soon became a hot topic.

People began to gather around two tables in the front of the room.  One of the tables was laid out with a scrumptious collection of refreshments donated to the group by Ammon’s ShopRite of Aramingo Avenue. A dapper Easter Bunny had “hopped” onto the table, appearing to be inviting the guests to enjoy the refreshments   On the other table was a variety of right-priced gardening pots, tools, and ornaments provided by the Home Depot on Castor Avenue.  Theresa Costello worked with Home Depot’s certified garden consultant to select a collection of affordable items from which residents might get ideas for beautifying their own homes and gardens.  A list of all the items and their prices was included in the meeting’s handouts.  Packets of flower seeds—a variety—all free, also provided by Home Depot, were there for residents to choose from.  Costello explained that both ShopRite and Home Depot have long been strong supporters of many of the Port Richmond Community Group’s initiatives.

After the majority of residents and guest speakers had arrived, the meeting started promptly at 7 p.m. The program included updates and discussions by several invited officials focusing on the cleaning, greening, sprucing up, and revitalization of Port Richmond—a subject of great interest throughout the River Wards  On the agenda were:

• Randy Hofer, IMPACT’s Director of Marketing for the Aramingo Avenue Business Association (ABA),
• Councilman Mark Squilla, representing the 1st District,
• Patty-Pat Koslowski, of Parks and Recreation,
• State Representative John Taylor of the 177th Legislative District,
• A discussion about the contest to design a Port Richmond neighborhood flag.

Randy Hofer updated the group on the Greening of the Aramingo Shopping District. ABA, founded with Impact’s initiative in 2005, aims to serve the retailers and service providers on Aramingo between Allegheny and Wheatsheaf Lane, increase access to employment for local residents, and improve the environment for businesses by keeping the area clean, green, and safe.  Starting Tuesday, April 3, ABA will also be helping the police by putting five patrols out on the streets during the daytime hours.

The Business Improvement District was created in 2008 and will “sunset” in 2013. After that, the ABA must apply for re-authorization.  Tied into re-authorization is the initiative to spruce up the major businesses on the Avenue to make them more attractive to customers.  Five large stores are slated to be part of the program.  It’s vital that the businesses survive and thrive in order to provide employment opportunities to the community. Installation of new colorful vinyl banners will very soon begin in the Aramingo Shopping District.  Hofer’s talk generated a good amount of questions and discussion.

Next, Councilman Mark Squilla, attending his first meeting of the Port Richmond group, spoke on his district’s Cleaning/Greening initiatives.  Squilla emphasized that the northern portion of his district is very important to him and that he is interested in knowing what the community thinks.  “You are our eyes and ears,” he said and encouraged citizens to report trash, vacant lots filled with debris, graffiti, crime, or anything they find disturbing in their neighborhoods.  Councilman Squilla is very accessible and can be reached by email at:  Mark.Squilla@Phila.gov and by phone at 215-686-3458.  Squilla’s office will respond usually within 24 hours to emails and phone messages.  “If you don’t get a response within a week, don’t be discouraged if you have to nag us,” he quipped, and explained that the goals of the city-wide “Greening and Cleaning” campaign are to increase safety, eliminate crime, decrease trash and the number of vacant lots, and in all of its districts to listen to the people’s concerns and to let them know where the City stands on their issues.

When asked if the Councilman would be establishing a presence in the district, he responded that he is planning to open an office in the northern end that will be manned several days each month, probably by Sean McMonagle, the councilman’s legislative assistant.  If the presence of that office is successful, a second office will be opened in the southern end.

Parks and Recreation Department updates were given by Patty-Pat Kozlowski.  She listed many upcoming events, including, on April 20, at 7 p.m. a brief prayer vigil for senior housing in Port Richmond. Though the topic is controversial, Patty-Pat emphasized that the vigil will be peaceful.  “This is NOT a witch hunt,” she made clear. “So leave your pitch forks at home!”

May 12 through 19 is “Love Your Park Week” throughout Philadelphia, and there are free activities during that week in Port Richmond.   On Monday, May 14, the Phillies game will be simulcast and a tailgate party will be held at Pleasant Hill Park. On Thursday night, May 17, Jerry Blavat, the “Geator with the Heater,” will host a free Record Hop in FDR Park.

On Sunday, May 20, the Ladies of Port Richmond Annual Walk for breast cancer will be held.   The Walk begins at 10 a.m. at Monkiewicz Recreation Center (registration begins at 8:30 a.m.).

On a dourer note, Patty-Pat announced that the Pulaski Park Improvement project, funded by the City under the auspices of Representative Taylor, was put on hold when it was discovered that the pier is slowly sinking into the Delaware River. Pulaski Park provides the only legal access to the river, and the pier is “the best place to see the Philadelphia skyline” and to go fishing.  It’s very disappointing that the improvement project was halted.  There will be no access to the pier while a study is underway to investigate what it would take to stabilize it. Because of the possible danger, people should NOT go beyond the chain-link fence.

And finally, Parks & Recreation Commissioner Michael DiBerardinis would like to plant one million trees in the community, enabling residents to beautify their neighborhoods, improve their health, reduce their energy costs, and reduce storm water runoff, all in one shot.  The trees are available at no cost to the residents and the city has hired contractors to plant them. If the tree dies within a year, it will be replaced, again, free of charge.   Apply online at www.TreePhilly.org.

The last speaker of the evening, Representative John Taylor, provided updates on neighborhood revitalization initiatives, specifically a proposal to save Catholic schools by converting them to charter schools, and the Conservatorship Act to reclaim abandoned properties.

Interrupting himself, Representative Taylor stopped to introduce Paul Kaiser, a former colleague, now retired.  Mr. Kaiser and Representative Taylor still converse nearly every day, so the only difference from when he was an employee is that he no longer is paid for his consults. The room filled with laughter, with Paul laughing the hardest.  Someone reminded Representative Taylor that it had been Paul’s birthday this past Tuesday and residents began clapping.

Continuing, Taylor explained the school dilemma: “The people have lost faith in the City’s public schools,” he stated, “and the parochial schools are becoming fewer and more expensive.”  Sadly, people who cannot afford to send their children to private schools may believe they have no alternative but to move away from Philadelphia.

Closed schools, such as St. Anne’s and Mount Carmel are not good for the community, Taylor explained. At State level there is a proposal, supported by the Archdiocese, to convert these two Catholic schools to charter schools.  If accepted, a considered downside is that religious education could not be conducted inside the schools.  But religion could be taught in a nearby building, Taylor commented, as is being done currently by some schools.  The big advantage is that the respective school’s parish would receive significant rent money from the charter schools and the children could attend them at no cost.

Representative Taylor’s final topic was the Conservatorship Act.  Up to and as of now, there had been no provision for the City to take over or sell an abandoned property for which no estate had been created.  Under the Act, the property owner, if alive, must be located and notified of the pending action to take over the property if it is not brought up to code.  However, in most cases of abandoned property, the owner has died long ago and the survivors have not opened an estate.  Conservatorship allows the property to be sold by the city at a low price.  A checklist was distributed to the attendees, outlining the procedures that are necessary to enable the City to take over an abandoned property.  Lining up prospective buyers for the properties is another important reason for the residents to take steps to beautify their areas.  A little TLC can go a long way to attract potential buyers which is part and parcel to the success of the Conservatorship initiative.

As might be expected, there was much discussion on this topic, and it was refreshing to observe the positive interaction between Representative Taylor and Councilman Squilla. In the midst of a particularly acrimonious national election process, where political considerations have led to vicious personal attacks and serious gridlock, these two politicians on opposite sides of “the aisle,” are working effectively together on behalf of their constituents, and making real tangible progress.

The last item on the agenda was the ongoing contest to design a Port Richmond flag—another step in the beautification process in the Community. Contestants should think about what their neighborhood most represents to them, and come up with an idea for a graphic to illustrate it. If you have ideas, you don’t have to be an artist to create your entry. Metropolitan Flag Company has been selected as the company to produce the flags based on the contest winner’s design.  Computer-generated 8.5” x 11” color designs should be submitted by May 31, 2012 to:

Port Richmond Flag Contest; C/O PRCG and PROPAC; 3501 E. Gaul Street; Philadelphia, PA, 19134. Include your name, address, and phone number on the back of the entry.  And if your idea needs explanation, include it on a separate sheet.

The next meeting of the PRCG will be held on Thursday, May 24 at 7 p.m. at Our Lady Help of Christians Church, Gaul & Allegheny Avenue.