The Spirit of Penn's Garden - July 13, 2016 by The Spirit

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FAIRMOUNT + NORTH CENTRAL + BREWERYTOWN + TEMPLE + STRAWBERRY MANSION FRANCISVILLE + POPLAR + LUDLOW + SPRING GARDEN

THIS

WEEK JULY 13, 2016 VOL. 1 NO. 22

DEVELOPMENT NEWS Find out what’s being built on your block. 5

HAZMAT LAUNDROMAT UPDATE Arbill reps and state officials provide new info about Glenwood Ave leak. 8

FLYING FISH NJ-based brewery opening up pub in Brewerytown 6

KIDCHELLA Concert for kids coming to Smith Playground this Friday. 8

unique event hosted this month by the Philadelphia chapter of the Urban Land Institute featured a roundtable discussion on the impact of breweries and brewpubs on neighborhood real estate. More than 100 people packed the tasting room at Philadelphia Brewing Company (PBC) to listen to the panel discussion, which centered on the unique challenges and rewards that breweries face when entering a neighborhood and strategies for engaging their new neighbors. "Brewing Success: How Breweries Are Transforming Real Estate" featured an all-star panel, including Bill Barton, co-founder of PBC; Trevor Hayward, co-founder of Evil Genius Brewing Company; Joanna

Winchester, Economic Development Director for the New Kensington Community Development Corp; and local developers Jacob Roller and John Longacre. Jacob Roller has helped to develop a number of properties in Brewerytown, including Crime & Punishment, a Russian literature-themed brewpub located at 2711 West Girard Avenue. He told the panel why he thought brewpubs can serve as vital fixtures in developing communities. “Brewpubs are places you can visit a couple of times a month. [Gathering places] are really what make a neighborhood a neighborhood,” he said. Continued on Page 2.

ACCU-REGGIE 7-day weather forecast for the region. 3

COMMUNITY CALENDAR Events and happenings in our neighborhoods. 7

S HOT OFF THE

PRESS

ummer beer gardens have been popping up across the city in increasing numbers in recent years — and a dozen more will be making the rounds in the coming weeks. Fairmount Park Conservancy and Philadelphia Parks and Recreation recently launched their Parks on Tap program, a mobile beer garden that will travel to parks across the city through October. Parks on Tap kicked off June 29 at the Schuylkill Banks at Walnut Street Bridge and Shofuso Japanese House and Garden the following weekend. Upcoming local events include:

Aug. 12-14 at Playing Angels Park, Kelly and Fountain Green drives Aug. 26-28 at Franklin’s Paine Skatepark, North 24th Street Sept. 7-11 at Fairmount Water Works, 640 Water Works Drive Sept. 16-18 at Mt. Pleasant Mansion, 3800 Mt. Pleasant Drive Sept. 30-Oct. 2 at Lemon Hill, Sedgley and Lemon Hill drives

July 20-25 at Aviator Park at Franklin Institute, 263 N. 20th St.

Continued on Page 4.

Parks on Tap runs from 1 PM-11 PM Fridays and Saturdays and noon10PM Sundays, with evening weekday hours at some locations. Parks and Rec commissioner Kathryn Ott Lovell said the program grew

The Spirit of Penn’s Garden – July 13, 2016

Page 2 Continued from Page 1.

Photos by Michael Hanisco

Spirit News reached out to the owners of Crime & Punishment to get a sense of their experience since opening their Brewerytown location last summer. Michael Wambolt, co-owner of Crime & Punishment, echoed Mr. Roller’s sentiments about the importance of gathering places in up-and-coming neighborhoods in a recent interview. “I believe we have been well received by the neighborhood. We have finally been able to bring people to a once-empty commercial corridor consistently for the first time in many years,” he said. “Our work with our local CDCs has also helped to facilitate positive interaction within the neighborhood. I think people are just happy to have an interesting, locally oriented, and comfortable place to come and meet with each other.” The positive impact on the community does not end with simply providing them a gathering place, however. Equally important to the owners of Crime & Punishment is the ability to use their platform to raise awareness and funds for local causes. “We consistently work with local non-profits, musicians, and artists to foment a culture that is community centric,” Wambolt stressed. “We have raised money for Give N Go athletics on several occasions to provide for sporting goods and tutoring supplies for kids in the neighborhood. We have fundraised for Kelley Elementary School to raise funds for their art and music programs. We recently hosted a fundraiser to raise awareness around those who have been wrongly incarcerated with the Pennsylvania Innocence Project.” When prompted to name his biggest successes to date, Michael Wambolt’s answer was inextricably linked to a sense of community. “We have been able to grow the business from day one, with hiring more staff, expanding our menu, purchasing more fermenting and conditioning vessels, purchasing the building we operate out of, and consistently working to foster a space [that] is community centric by hosting fundraisers, concerts, and art exhibits,” he said. “We like to hold a different fundraiser every month, usually on Mondays or Wednesdays. This is our way of taking the success we’ve had and giving back. We also regularly host a First Friday that features a new local artist every month and is often accompanied by local musicians or DJs. Interacting with our community in this way is something [that] I believe is important for every business, especially those in gentrifying neighborhoods.”

No one understands small business like small business. We may be getting a bigger staff and more readers, but we’re still just like you. Work together with Spirit News to help grow your business and inform your neighbors. ads@spiritnews.org 215.423.6246

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The Spirit of Penn’s Garden – July 13, 2016 FORECAST FOR PENN’S GARDEN

accu-reggie TWITTER: @ACCUREGGIE • FACEBOOK: ACCU-REGGIE

he heat came and pummeled us last week. We had thee straight days in the middle 90s with nasty levels of humidity. Thankfully, the refreshing air mass after the heat wave was stronger than expected, leading to a spectacular weekend finish Don’t get used to the easy going weather, however — summer heat is still king. The 90s roar back during this forecast period along with more humidity. Like last week, we will cool down heading into the weekend and the start of next week. We have a splattering of rain chances this week. First, thunderstorms and showers are likely west of the City on

Wednesday. They could creep into Philadelphia proper too. The excessive heat and humidity could spark some storms on Thursday. Don’t change your Thursday plans, but be aware that they are possible. Sunday looks like the wettest day of the week as we could get a few hours of rain and thunderstorms. Tuesday throws us a shower chance as well. Wednesday kicks off the weather period warm and humid. It won’t be extreme heat so enjoy it! Thursday and Friday are very hot and humid as another heat wave grips the region. Be careful doing activities outside.

Saturday looks like the better day of the weekend. It will be warm, but daytime temps will back off of extreme levels. It also should be dry for just about everyone. Sunday will feature continued warmth, but also rain. A couple rounds of showers and thunderstorms should be expected, especially in the afternoon. Temperatures will finally retreat into the 80s on Monday; sunshine will be plentiful as we go back to perfect summer weather. Rain chances come back for Tuesday but the extreme heat stays away. The weather winner of the week is the Saturday; the weather loser is Thursday.

Is there something going on a that’s a little funky in your neighborhood that you want us look into? Have something juicy you want to leak? Know of something fun or interesting going on that you think we should know about? We rely on sources like you for news that effects our neighborhoods. No tip is a bad tip. Drop us a line at news@spiritnews.org.

1428 East Susquehanna Avenue Philadelphia, PENNSYLVANIA 19125 TELEPHONE: 215.423.6246 EDITORAL INQUIRIES: NEWS@SPIRITNEWS.ORG ADVERTISING INQUIRIES: ADS@SPIRITNEWS.ORG OFFICE HOURS: MONDAY–FRIDAY, 9AM–5PM MATTHEW ALBASI

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DAN O'NEIL

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The Spirit of Penn’s Garden – July 13, 2016

Continued from Page 1.

Aviator Park/Patrick Clark out of the growing popularity of pop-up public spaces, such as The Oval, which features a beer garden, live music, movie nights and more each summer at Eakins Oval. That effort, also a joint venture of Parks and Rec and Fairmount Park Conservancy, was slated to run for three years, but is now in its fourth year. “The Oval was insanely successful,” Ott Lovell said, noting officials wanted to parlay that idea into a travelling effort to encourage Philadelphians to utilize city parks. “We thought mobile pop-up beer gardens could be a great way to activate our parks; active parks are safer, healthier and better-stewarded by the people using them.” Organizers put out a request for proposals, ultimately bringing on board FCM Hospitality’s Avram Hornik, who conceived of Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s first popup garden in 2013, as well as Morgan’s Pier and other outdoor spaces. Officials met with park groups from around the city in the last year to generate their buy-in and created a schedule that invites locals into parks with which they may not be familiar. “It’s a unique experience that innovates the traditional park picnic and also helps you get to know your city,” Ott Lovell said of Parks on Tap. “A lot of these parks aren’t places you might normally go on your own, so it’s almost like a curated tour of city parks.” At each venue, guests will have the opportunity to partake in five draft beers while noshing on sliders and snacks craft- Lemon Hill/Patrick Clark ed by Mitch Prensky of Global Dish Caterers and Scratch Biscuits. Program organizers will provide activities at each locale, including live music, games and Saturday yoga, the latter of which is offered at noon on a pay-what-you-can basis. Each park will also offer its own activities. Water Works will invite guests to its Sunday Cinema series, which will feature ecological documentary “Oceans” Sept. 11. Dionne Watts-Williams, communications and special-events manager at Water Works, said the Parks on Tap program is a good opportunity for the venue to reach new audiences. “We often host school groups and summer camps, but this will be a more mature, professional audience,” Watts-Williams said, noting that many adults may recognize the Paines Skatepark/Patrick Clark Water Works’ iconic name or building, but aren’t familiar with its rich history and ongoing mission. “We’re always looking at different ways to draw attention to not only our site’s history but also the importance of being what we call watershed stewards — understanding the impact of our actions on land on our water resources, and how important it is to take care of our environment. We’re looking forward to reaching out to a different demographic with this event.” Depending on how the inaugural Parks on Tap program goes, Ott Lovell said, officials will consider returning, and even expanding it, next year. It may also generate discussions about installing permanent concessions stands in some of the parks, she added. “This is a fantastic opportunity to look at some long-term plans for our city parks,” Ott Lovell said.

Mt. Pleasant/Patrick Clark

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The Spirit of Penn’s Garden – July 13, 2016

WRITTEN BY THOMAS BECK

development news FIND OUT WHAT’S BEING BUILT ON YOUR BLOCK

North Central

Building at Willington and Jefferson Streets/Patrick Clark

Members of the Civic Design Review (CDR) voted 5 - 3 in favor of the renderings for Temple University’s new Student Health and Wellness Center. The building will be constructed on the soon-to-be obsolete track and athletics field west of Temple’s main campus. Residents opposed to the proposal addressed a handful of potential issues, including parking and an effective drainage system. Some also suggested redesigning the facility to blend more coherently with the adjacent Amos Playground on North 16th Street. Committee members pointed out that these issues could have (and perhaps should have) been addressed sooner. In 2014, Union Housing Developers purchased a vacant building at the intersection of Willington and Jefferson Streets several blocks off Temple University’s main campus. Nothing has become of the structure so far. There is still much potential for development on the 1500 block of Willington. West Poplar L&I has posted violation notices on a number of homes slightly north of 9th and Jefferson Streets. The southernmost property, 1515 North 9th Street, is in fair condition; the same cannot be said, however, about the four homes next door. The Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) owned these four homes for a number of years before selling them in 2012 to a limited liability company called Teach Solais.

Bache-Martin

PA R E N T S A N D C O M M U N I T Y J O I N T O G E T H E R T O F O R M F R I E N D S O F B A C H E - M A R T I N

he administration, parents, and community supporters of Bache-Martin Elementary School, located in the Fairmount, are pleased to announce the formation of “Friends of Bache-Martin” – a registered 501c3 non-profit corporation committed to enhancing the educational opportunities offered at the school to create a community of lifelong learners. Friends of Bache-Martin will operate in cooperation with the school administration to offer financial assistance beyond what is provided by the School District of Philadelphia via grant writing and relationships with individuals and corporations. "Our students and teachers are so grateful for the additional resources and support this group of dedicated community members, faculty, parents and guardians has already offered to Bache-Martin,” said Principal Mark Vitvitsky. “I'm excited about the potential the group offers to our school because we just don't always have the resources we need to do as well as we can for our students. Friends of Bache-Martin will help us do just that!” Prior to the group’s official formation, the founders of Friends of Bache-Martin successfully community-funded a new science curriculum at the school for Kindergarten through 4th grade classrooms. Furthermore, Friends of Bache-Martin has already received a generous on-going pledge of support from local pediatrician Dr. Alexis Lieberman and her practice Fairmount Pediatrics. With the collective efforts of the newly formed group, the immediate focus for fundraising will be on professional development and a teacher coaching program, a structured recess play program and support of music education via the purchase of new instruments. “We are fortunate to live in a community where we have the opportunity to send our children to a school that is one of the most socially and culturally enriching elementary schools in the city. Part of the reason Bache-Martin is so successful is that the parents and guardians of the children who attend the school are involved and truly committed to helping the school to realize its potential,” said Jerilyn Dressler, Board President of Friends of Bache-Martin, a local resident, accountant, and parent of an incoming kindergarten student. "By forming Friends of Bache-Martin, we’re giving that involvement greater focus and structure and we’re increasing the ways

in which we can harness the expertise of the community to make a difference. We are creating a movement that builds on our past success and this is a great opportunity for the school, the students, and the entire community." “The formation of Friends of Bache-Martin is a natural extension of the hard work and dedication begun by the Home and School Association,” said Nina Liou, president of the Bache-Martin HSA. “Working hand-in-hand with the school administration and teachers; parents, guardians and the local community have proven the value of investing in their local elementary school. This group will only further contribute to the educational opportunities Bache-Martin can offer our children.” Financial support of Friends of Bache-Martin can be made in the following ways:

lishment of partnerships with local and city-wide organizations. Currently, Bache-Martin has in place a number of in-school and afterschool programs to provide value-added educational opportunities for its students, the most long-standing of which is the Philadelphia Reads program that has been a partner of the school since 1998. Visit www.friendsofbachemartin.org to learn more and to support Bache-Martin Elementary. The group can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.

Make a donation: Donate on-line or send a check payable to “Friends of Bache-Martin” to P.O. Box 15032, Philadelphia, PA 19130 Support us while you shop: Via Amazon Smile, select “Friends of Bache-Martin” as your charitable organization Via Goodsearch.com: Select “Friends of Bache-Martin” as your charitable organization Bache-Martin Elementary School is a K-8 neighborhood elementary school serving approximately 450 students with anticipated enrollment growth to more than 500 students in the 2016-2017 academic year. The school has a long history of serving students both in the Fairmount/ Francisville/Spring Garden communities as well as the city as a whole. Founded as a school serving students with disabilities, Bache-Martin continues that tradition today and houses several self-contained special education classrooms for students requiring autistic or life skills supports, and new hearing support classrooms in 2016-17. Over the last 15 years, as the School District of Philadelphia has found itself in increasing financial turmoil and as a result, fewer resources are available at the school level. Bache-Martin has worked diligently to supplement the educational environment at the school through the estab-

Photos courtesy of Friends of Bache-Martin

The Spirit of Penn’s Garden – July 13, 2016

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WRITTEN BY MAX PULCINI

flying fish

NJ-BASED BREWERY OPENING UP PUB IN BREWERYTOWN

rewerytown is beginning to live up to it’s namesake again — well, sort of. Flying Fish Brewery, the Garden State’s largest craft brewer, has announced it will open a new pub at 31st and Master Streets this fall. The bar will call the new Fairmount @ Brewerytown rental community its home. Dubbed the Flying Fish Crafthouse, the new location features a menu developed by Chef Brian Duffy of “Bar Rescue’’ fame and includes two bars serving Flying Fish seasonal and small-batch beers. While the beer won’t be brewed locally (the company’s brewery is located in nearby Somerdale, NJ), it will available for takeout, along with growlers and six-packs, as well as delivery to the 119 residences inside the Fairmount @ Brewerytown building. According to the Courier-Post, the new location will offer 16 taps, 14 of them with Flying Fish brews, while the other two taps will be reserved for other local breweries. The Flying Fish Crafthouse will feature “sustainable’’ decor using reclaimed wood and industrial lighting and restaurant seating for about 190 guests. Flying Fish Brewery originally launched in 1996 in Cherry Hill before moving to a larger facility in Somerdale in 2012. According to the Courier-Post, recent investments in the company have made it easier for the brewery to grow while maintaining independence. “We’ve been looking at a number of projects over the years and never really found a good fit with a partner or a location,’’ Flying Fish Founder and President Gene Muller told the Courier-Post. “In this case, the developer (McSpain Properties) approached us. One, we like being in Brewerytown, and two, it is a really up-and-coming location. It’s an old Acme warehouse (built in 1923), and there is an old, industrial feel, which sort of echoes what we have in Somerdale. We’ll be the first real restaurant (in the development).’’ Muller hopes the pub will be open by November, saying that, “Construction is moving along. The apartments are being rented out. It’s a good group of people and I’m really happy with it… This gives our brewers an awesome opportunity to stretch out and try a something a little different in terms of beer. It’s fun for us and it’s fun for our customers, too.’’ While not technically a brewery, the The Flying Fish Crafthouse joins Crime & Punishment as one of the new local business bringing the brew back to Brewerytown.

The new Flying Fish Crafthouse will call the Fairmount @ Brewerytown Building it's home this upcoming fall./Patrick Clark

WRITTEN BY DAN O’NEIL

Movies at the Pearl S H O R T R E V I E W S O F M O V I E S P L AY I N G A T T H E P E A R L ( 1 6 0 0 N B R O A D S T. ) The Secret Life of Pets “The Secret Life of Pets” comes at a time in animation where Pixar is winning just about every time it puts out a movie. They’re constantly changing the way we see animation, winning our hearts over and over again, while also ensuring that we’ll be crying by the end. It’s a formula that works time and time again, and it’s no surprise that other animation companies have been struggling to meet the same sucess that Pixar has. Illumination Entertainment's “The Secret Life of Pets” is fine enough because it takes what is, essentially, the plotline to “Toy Story”, but switches out the toys for pets. That’s basically it. The story goes that Max (Louis C.K.), a spoiled and beloved dog, goes missing in the big city. The plot is not entirely original, nor does it bring out the best ideas for the movie. People who love their pets will go to this movie and most likely enjoy it, as will families and especially kids. However, those who have been learning to expect more from animation, especially with what Pixar has been bringing to the table, will walk away feeling disappointed — pet-lover or not.

The Legend of Tarzan The tale of Tarzan is as old as time. Now for the latest live-action reboot, Alexander Skarsgard stars as the titular jungle man, who returns back to save Africa from the evil and cruel Leon Rom (Christoph Waltz). Of course, there's his wife Jane (Margot Robbie) and a sidekick of sorts (Samuel L. Jackson), both of whom are very good in their roles. However, the one big issue with "The Legend of Tarzan" is that it's way too serious at times, without remembering that this sort of story can still have as much wonder and excitement as it should. Director David Yates worked on the "Harry Potter" franchise and brings that same sort of epic feel to this story, which does work at times. Other times, however, it just feels way too dark and dramatic for its own good.

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The Spirit of Penn’s Garden – July 13, 2016

COMMUNITY

calendar N E W S @ S P I R I T N E W S . O R G • 1 4 2 8 E . S U S Q U E H A N N A AV E • 2 1 5 . 4 2 3 . 6 2 4 6 Second Thursdays GBCDC MONTHLY MEETING The Greater Brewerytown CDC holds monthly public meetings on the second Thursday of each month at 6:30. Meetings cover a variety of community news and initiatives, and features new guests each month. Meetings are held at the GBCDC office at 3000 Master Street. Every Saturday From June-September 9AM-12PM BREWERYTOWN GARDEN ORGANIC FARM STAND At 27th and Master Sts., the Brewerytown Garden will host a farm stand selling seasonal organic produce. Past sales have included collard greens, kale, mustard greens, broccoli and more! For more info, visit Brewerytown Garden’s Facebook page. May 4 – July 15, 2016 HOPE GINSBURG Tyler School of Art (2001. N 13th Street) is pleased to announce the 2015/16 Distinguished Alumni Mentoring Program exhibition: Hope Ginsburg: Breathing on Land: Bay of Fundy and Misha Wyllie: Out to Lunch. This is the culminating exhibition of Tyler’s fourth annual Distinguished Alumni Mentoring Program. These exhibitions are the result of the work produced during a six-month mentorship between Hope Ginsburg (BFA ‘96) and the exceptional recent Tyler graduate, Misha Wyllie (MFA ‘14). The exhibition will open on May 4, 2016 with a reception from 6:00 – 8:00 pm and will continue until Friday, July 15, 2015. For more info, http://tyler.temple.edu/temple-contemporary/ whats-happening# June 22-July 16 CERULEAN ARTS’ 4TH ANNUAL EXHIBITION Visit Cerulean Arts’ 4th Annual exhibition and see over 20 local artists share their work with the community. On Friday, June 24 from 5-8PM join the artists and the curators at Cerulean Arts for the opening reception. 10AM-6PM (Wed-Fri) & 12PM-6PM (Sat-Sun) For more info, contact Cerulean Arts at 267-514-8647 Friday July 15, 5-8PM PHILLY FOODWORKS SUMMER BASH (2901 W HUNTING PARK AVE) Join Philly Foodworks for a relaxing night of food and fun. Bennett Compost will offer tours and Pop-Up Polaroid will take pictures. There will also be music and community workshops to be announced. For more info contact, info@phillyfoodworks.com. Saturday, July 16, 5:30-8:30 PM BASTILLE DAY AT EASTERN STATE PENITENTIARY Join the Bearded Ladies cabaret for some historical fun and Monty Python inspired laughs. The free performance culminates in the storming of the Bastille. Following the show, visitors can take a twilight tour of the penitentiary ($10) or can visit one of nearby restaurants serving French food and drinks. For more info visit http://www.easternstate.org/bastille-day

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING: Notice is hereby given that the Greater Brewerytown Development Corporation (GBCDC) in Philadelphia, on July 14th, 2016 at 6pm at 3000 Master Street will conduct a public meeting to consider and discuss the redevelopment of the Pyramid Electric Building, located at 3101-27 W Glenwood Avenue, Philadelphia, PA, 19121, and the related submission of an application for $500,000 in Keystone Communities Program funding through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. Public comment is invited at the meeting. If any person who wishes additional information or whose attendance requires as auxiliary aid, service or other accommodation to observe or participate in the proceedings, should contact MMPartners at info@mmpartnersllc.com

July 20, 6-7:30 PM SUMMER SOCIAL & NEW MEMBER MEET + GREET Enjoy the warmer and longer summer months while networking with friends and colleagues from the Greater Art Museum Business Alliance. It's our way of saying thanks for renewing and to share what promotions, events and seminars we have planned for the coming year. Meet at Jack's Firehouse, 2130 Fairmount Avenue. Free for members, $25 for non-members (non-members can apply their registration fee to member dues if they join on-site). Saturday July 30, 12-8:30PM TENTH ANNUAL JAZZ ON THE AVE Join Patty Jackson and Dyana Williams at the intersection of Broad St. and Cecil B. Moore Ave. for a day of free live music. The "Jazz on the Ave" stage will feature live music by Philly's own Trombonist, Jeff Bradshaw & Friends with special guests. The Philly Soul Stock stage will showcase upcoming, talented, young artists from the Philadelphia and

Metropolitan area. The artists lineup will be listed soon. The festival will feature health and wellness screenings, and HIV/AIDS testing. For more info, call 215-763-8868. Monday, August 1 FCA SUMMER SOCIAL The FCA Summer Social event will be on Monday August 1 at Jack’s Firehouse. There is no charge for members, but it will require an online signup because of space limitations. More details will be available soon. NETWORKING EVENTS 1st Tuesday of the Month, 6:30-8:30 PM DIG - Philadelphia Commercial Sub Group Diversified Investors Group Meetup for London Grill 2301 Fairmount Avenue For more info, contact Joe Scorese 215-290-5108 jscorese@ firstrust.com

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The Spirit of Penn’s Garden – July 13, 2016

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WRITTEN BY JORDYN CORDNER

Kidchella

C O N C E R T F O R K I D S C O M I N G T O S M I T H P L AY G R O U N D T H I S F R I D AY, 6 / 1 5

or youngsters who are ready to rock, Smith Memorial Playground & Playhouse will be hosting an event on Friday, July 15th: The 3rd annual Kidchella, an annual children’s concert. “[Kidchella] has grown since its inception," said Zoe Hillengas, Smith Memorial’s Communications Manager. "In 2014, it was a small concert on the front porch of our Playhouse and about 300 people enjoyed the concert on our front lawn. Last year, we got a 15’x20’ stage and moved the concert inside of our 6.5 acre Playground. That concert drew 1,500 people." This year Kidchella has expanded to a three-concert series, with a concert on the 3rd Friday of June, July, and August. Each show features two nationally acclaimed children’s music performers per concert in varying genres and emceed by Kathy O’Connell of WXPN’s Kids Corner. Smith Memorial Playground is located in Fairmount (3500 Reservoir Drive, East Fairmount Park). Founded in 1899, Smith’s mission is to be Philadelphia’s foremost resource for play by providing opportunities for unstructured creative play for children 10 and younger. The next event will begin on July 15th at 5 PM, when families are invited to bring their own picnics or purchase food from the variety of available food trucks. Music begins at 6, featuring Shine and the Moonbeams, an R&B / soul group, and Moona Luna, a bilingual Latin rock group. Both are nationally acclaimed children’s performers. “Our June kickoff concert was great,” Hillengas said. “We had a variety of food trucks and craft activities on our front

lawn beginning at 5 PM (and this) event will be set up the same way.” The concert costs $10 for children 1+ and adults or $5 for Smith members. Tickets are available at https://smithplayground.ticketleap.com/kid2016.

The Kidchella stage at Smith Playground/ Courtesy Zoe Hillengas

WRITTEN BY JACK GRAUER

hazmat laundromat

A R B I L L R E P S A N D S TAT E O F F I C I A L S P R O V I D E N E W I N F O A B O U T G L E N W O O D AV E L E A K

rbill representatives and state officials have provided new information about the Glenwood Avenue leak since the first part of this article printed in our June 22 issue. In an e-mail, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP) has explained that the leak resulted from “poor handling practices of the process tanks, lines and washers.” Dangerous chemicals released in unknown amounts at the site include but aren't limited to Stoddard Solvent, or paint thinner. A PA DEP inspector in 2012 observed groundwater presence of the following chemicals in amounts that exceeded state-enforced limits at the Glenwood Avenue site: acetone ethylbenzene 1.1-dichloroethane tetrachloroethylene chloroform 1.3.5-trimethylbenzene bis(2-ethylhexyl) vinyl chloride

napthalene benzene 4-methyl-2-pentanone cs-1.2-dichlorethene methylene chloride 2-butanone toluene trichloroethylene

State officials identified “chronic release[s] from the entire system,” not just the storage tanks. A company called Compliance Management International handles most of Arbill’s onsite cleanup. Phil Gray, an employee of that firm, responded on Arbill’s behalf to Spirit’s questions about the contamination. Gray in an e-mail wrote that Arbill “has been conducting site investigation and remediation activities at 2207 Glenwood Avenue since January 2009 under the direction of the [PA DEP]... Arbill Industries has complied with all requests by the PA DEP for additional data and anticipates closing this case in the near future.”

Arbill installed three underground storage tanks at the site in 1982. Together, those three tanks held about 8,000 gallons of hazardous material. The firm, in 1999, dug them up and stored them above ground, inside the facility until the laundering operation’s 2006 closure. PA DEP determined that Arbill employees dug the tanks up without proper certification. The firm “has been out of compliance with Department requirements for a number of years,” according to a 2000 state report. Another state inspector in 2005 found the “containment structure, for all three aboveground tanks, is not sound due to a number of cracks. The integrity of the containment structure has been compromised for some time now. Problems with the containment area were identified in several inspections.”

The tank system more generally bore visible “structural damage due to flooding and problems with damaged structural supports.” The “tank supports are broken off,” another inspector wrote. “Dents are present,” they continued, in the top of the tank from pressure when the tank was lifting [sic.] upwards from recent flooding conditions in the containment area. There is coating failure on the nozzles and shell. Most of the nozzles and piping are bent… The containment also has numerous cracks where moisture or the product can ingress or egress.”

PA DEP, during a 2004 walk-on inspection, observed a “drainpipe with liquid flowing out near [a] dumpster. Liquid was cloudy and dark brown in color… [and] was flowing on asphalt under the dumpster and into a drain.” Arbill had difficulty with record-keeping and monitoring at this site until its 2006 closure. The firm’s president was at that time “unable to provide manifests for hazardous waste shipments,” according to another state report. Inconsistent groundwater monitoring presented “a problem for properly characterizing the site,” according to a 2012 PA DEP inspection. Arbill on their website claims, “We view sustainability as our commitment to the environment, society, the economy, our employees and the communities we serve.”

This photograph was taken during Arbill’s excavation of one of the three waste containers at the Glenwood Avenue site. It's on file at the PA DEP’s Southeast Regional Office in Norristown, PA./Photo on file with PA DEP