DaVinci Art Alliance Marks Its 80th
park,” says Matt Bergheiser of University City District, the special-services district which had it built and installed last week. “They have been very successful in San Francisco and New York,” he explained. The idea behind a minipark is not to create green space, but rather to build public areas where people can linger outside; thus the tables and chairs. (It probably helps that a neighboring business is serving up tasty lattes right next to the tables and chairs.) There’s no shortage of parkland in the immediate area, as the mini-park is catty-corner from Clark Park. But it does fit in with a stroll along Baltimore Av-
enue’s lively strip, which runs from 43rd out to 50th Street. And it didn’t cost the taxpayers a dime. The $10,000 was tail end of a large, multiyear grant from the William Penn Foundation to UCD – money which was “repurposed,” as Bergheiser put it, as the grant was being wrapped up. The installation also sports the odd distinction of being the only movable park in Philadelphia. While Green Line owner Dan Thut is not complaining about it so far, UCD can, if it wishes, move it to any other site in the area where neighbors won’t gripe about losing parking spaces, and set it down as easily as a dumpster.
The Public Record • August 11, 2011
LINGERING beside – and occasionally leaning against – their new neighborhood mini-park are, from left, Democrat 27th Ward Leader Carol Jenkins, Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell and State Rep. Jim Roebuck.
by Tony West It’s the size of two cars. We know that, because it takes up two parking spaces on S. 43rd Street, just above Baltimore Avenue in West Philadelphia. A casual eye might mistake it for a wooden deck with café tables, especially since it’s parked next to a popular sidewalk café operated by the Green Line. Only a couple of planters tucked into its streetside railing betray its true nature: It is a park, officially at least. You can call it a “mini-
Page 17
City’s Smallest Park Is Literally Parked
GIVE THE GIFT OF NOSTALGIA Give the 5 Waffleman Books Memories they’ll always Cherish. They will remember you everytime they read them!
Call: Joe “Bag-A Donuts” THEN AND NOW Exhibit marked 80th anniversary of DaVinci Art Alliance celebration. Two-year-old Olivia Snyder is frequent gallery-exhibit visitor with her dad Ed. They were among scores of art lovers visiting at 704 Catherine Street. Photos by Bill Myers
Orchestra Family Tree Part 36/40
THE MEDIA: “Food Fight! The most over-covered beat in Philly isn’t crime, politics or even sports: Its restaurants... But what, exactly, are we being fed?.. ‘Just shut up and eat.’” —John Marchese, Phila. Magazine, September 2010
DaVINCI Executive Director Davis Foss shares moment with guest speaker Rickie ZinniSablove and Alliance President Dr. Debra Miller as they mark 80th anniversary.
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SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIA
Sealed proposals will be received by the School Reform Commission at the School Administration Building located at 440 North Broad St., 3rd Floor, Office of Capital Programs, Philadelphia, PA 19130-4015, until 2:00 P.M., on Tuesday, August 30, 2011. A non-refundable fee for each set of bid documents is as scheduled. The School District will only accept bids from companies that have been placed on its current Pre Qualified Contractors List as shown at psit.org. All School District Project require MBE/WBE participation as shown in the specifications.
Sareno S. Argentina, “Archie” February 7, 1917 - June 23, 2007
NICOLA ARGENTINA
1964-1968
ROBERT ARCHIE Head, The Philadelphia School Board
SARENO S. ARGENTINA (SOR—GENTI) HAROLD SORGENTI The Philadelphia Orchestra Association Chairman, 1996-2006 - Nicola Argentina (c) 2011
“You’ve Got a Friend in Pennsylvania”
Specifications and/or plans and contract documents may be examined and copies thereof obtained from the School Reform Commission, 440 North Broad Street, 3rd floor, Philadelphia, PA 19130. Information as to contract documents, etc., may be obtained at the above address, or telephone 215-400-5225. Make checks payable to the School District of Philadelphia. The School Reform Commission reserves the right to reject any and all bids and make the awards to the best interests of the School District of Philadelphia.
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“The President’s Own” United States Marine Band
FEE BUDGET B-073 C of 2009/10 General Contract Fitzsimons $1,500,000.00 $200 Roof Replacement 2601 W. Cumberland Ave. *A pre-bid conference and site tour will be held at the project location, on August 17, 2011 at 09:30 a.m.