WINTER 2022
A New Year on Queen Village’s Horizon Remembering Kathy Conway
A master tailor and Fabric Row institution
A culinary world tour—locally sourced
O, say, can she sing!
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Contents 5
President’s Letter
6
QVNA Spotlight
8
10
WINTER 2022
QVNA welcomes its new volunteer board of directors and bids a warm thank you to outgoing board members.
It Takes a Village A labor of love transforms the Mario Lanza Dog Park, and the Queen Village canine community is doggone thrilled.
QV Life Already well-known to Philly sports fans for her performance of the national anthem, a Queen Village teen is now taking the spotlight at stadiums across the country.
16
Spotted at Carpenter and East Moyamensing, Robin Red Breast snacks on a hawthorne tree
On the cover Sunset over the city.
Photo by Peter Tobia, petertobiaphotographer.com
QUEEN VILLAGE QUARTERLY CRIER \\ WINTER 2022
12
A master tailor—and a Fabric Row institution—offers bespoke tailoring, custom upholstery, fabulous fabrics, and even sewing lessons.
Remembering the Queen of Queen Village.
22
Out and About
24
The Commons
26
School Bell
28
How It Works
Photo by Maureen Brady
Feature
Feature
Celebrate Valentine’s Day at one of Queen Village’s veteran restaurants that offer a taste of Paris, Morocco, and South China.
Mark MLK Day by visiting an outdoor exhibition focusing on African American history.
At Fleisher Art Memorial, the whole community is getting into the picture.
In Queen Village, an array of agencies, nonprofits, and private companies keep our neighborhood public spaces clean and green.
VOLUME 3 | ISSUE 4 WINTER 2022 Online at QVNA.org/crier
Nuisance has no home here
PUBLISHER Queen Village Neighbors Association EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Eleanor Ingersoll president@qvna.org EXECUTIVE EDITOR Lucy Erdelac wecare@qvna.org MANAGING EDITOR Nancy Brokaw editor@qvna.org PROOFREADER Jamie Bischoff DESIGNER Alec Meltzer meltzerdesign.net AD SALES advertising@qvna.org 215.339.0975 qvna.org/advertise
QVNA provides community stewardship, advocacy and service to help improve quality of life for Queen Village residents. BOARD OF DIRECTORS (2022–2023 TERM) OFFICERS: Eleanor Ingersoll—PRESIDENT Justin Fishman—VICE PRESIDENT Chris Mullen—SECRETARY Cait Allen—TREASURER Matt Atkins Joseph G. Brin Dan Doyle Don Finley
DIRECTORS: Michelle Grimley Philip Holzhauer Mike McPhilmy Noah Swistak
EMERITUS DIRECTORS: Kathy Conway Michael Hauptman (1983–2003) Marian Buczek Inez Green (1991–2003) QVNA OFFICE 709 S. 5th Street Philadelphia, PA 19147 info@qvna.org CALL OR TEXT 215.339.0975 © Copyright 2021. Queen Village Neighbors Association. All rights reserved.
If an ALCOHOL-LICENSED business becomes a community NUISANCE, submit your complaint at QVNA.org/nuisance. After calling 911, you can report nuisance behavior by an alcohol-licensed business on QVNA.org. Reportable nuisance behavior includes: • Alcohol from the business being brought outside • Minors consuming alcohol • Drug use • Crowd control issues
• • • •
Loud noise or music Loud and boisterous crowds Fights Trash and debris
Your submitted report notifies law enforcement and government officials of our neighborhood’s NightLife Task Force. It is not a substitute for calling 911.
Find out more information at www.qvna.org/nuisance QUEEN VILLAGE QUARTERLY CRIER // PAGE 3
Contributors
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long-time resident of Queen Village, Don Ackerman is a former member of the Queen Village Neighborhood Association Board of Directors. Before his retirement, he worked as a public defender in New Jersey. Cait and Michael Allen joined the Queen Village community in March 2019. Cait is the director of engagement at the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority, and Michael is chief operating officer of Wills Eye Hospital. Jamie Bischoff is an editor and a retired copyright and trademark lawyer, who has lived in Queen Village for the past 37 years. A Row House blogger, Suzanne Dreitlein has been a Queen Village resident since 2007. She enjoys living in a 19th-century row cottage, wearing 18thcentury clothing, and writing about the great things going on in QV! Paul Levy is president of the Center City District. As a Queen Village resident from 1976 to 1982, Paul served two terms on QVNA’s Board, beginning his term as president in 1980. Martha Morowitz is a writer who moved to Queen Village in 2016 with her husband, Cory, and their poodle, Gus. Her creative endeavors include cooking and
baking, paper arts, and the occasional acting gig. Born in Queen Village, Marge Schernecke has lived in the neighborhood for more than 50 years. A lifelong community activist, both she and her husband, Alex, have served terms as president of QVNA and remain actively involved in the association today. Noah Swistak serves on Queen Village Neighbors Association’s Board of Directors and Zoning Committee. He is employed with The Energy Co-op, a renewable energy supplier, and lives on Christian Street with his wife, Amy, his daughter, Margot, and their dog, Sunny. A staff photographer for The Philadelphia Inquirer from 1993 to 2008, Peter Tobia specializes in documentary, editorial, annual report, and corporate photography. His work can be seen at www.petertobiaphotographer.com. Active in the community in the 1970s and early 1980s, Conrad Weiler served as QVNA president and on its zoning committee. From 1982 to 1991, he sat on Philadelphia’s zoning board. Hilary Young is a Queen Village mom and owner of Hilary Young Creative, a content and marketing services for small businesses. ■
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Find out what’s up in Queen Village in QVNA’s News You Can Use For weekly news, facts, links and more, go to
bit.ly/Subscribe2eNews
PRESIDENT'S LETTER
It Takes a (Queen) Village By Eleanor Ingersoll, QVNA President
Hello Neighbors, s we approach the end of 2021 and prepare to welcome 2022, I am reminded of the closing of chapters and the beginning of new adventures. Particularly now, with the passing of beloved neighborhood advocate, Kathy Conway. I first moved to Queen Village 23 years ago and thought I had a great neighborhood just from the small dog walking clique we had on Front Street. Even though she did not have a dog, Kathy was one of the first people I met. She made me feel welcomed on Front Street, was a wonderful next-door neighbor on Pemberton, and helped us secure a home on Monroe to raise our family. As my scope in the neighborhood expanded from dog owners, to playground and preschool parents, to volunteering in the formation of the Friends of Weccacoe, and later for the Home & School Associations of Meredith Elementary and Central High School, I was always taking in historical snippets and anecdotes from Kathy about how the community had evolved and how the advocacy role of neighborhood volunteers had been essential in shaping Queen Village. In 2022, I will have two kids in high school and one off to begin college. So I’m getting to know more dog folk again, as Ember the Catahoula needs me more than the teens do! It’s so great to meet new neighbors and their dogs, see stroll-
A
ers, toddlers and preschoolers having picnics on Front Street or playing at Shot Tower and Weccacoe, and witnessing the constant regeneration that keeps Queen Village so vibrant. I am happy and feel fortunate that I got involved in the community. I was introduced not only to Kathy but to the other “keepers of the fire of advocacy” for Queen Village. Those early volunteers advocated for community gardens and more trees, murals and artistic touches, playground improvements, and historical landmarks, plus neighborhood programming and vigilant attention to zoning and urban planning. With each neighbor who joins, the capacity for neighborhood improvement grows. Civic engagement is the key. Whether it’s championing what we love about Queen Village or identifying a new call to action, it all contributes to the neighborhood’s quality of life. QVNA works to address neighbors’ concerns, seeking accountability from elected officials, enforcement agencies, and businesses. I am happy to report that a Good Neighbor Agreement has been negotiated and signed between Mirage Lounge, QVNA, and the South Street Headhouse District. This agreement outlines the expectations for conduct and keeps communications open to address any issues going forward. It’s a wonderful step in strengthening community partnerships. We also seek accountability within our community—be it respecting weekly trash collection and not short dumping
household garbage bags at the community’s public trash cans or submitting factbased accounts to our nuisance business reporting tool. We are neighbors who volunteer to advocate for neighbors. And it does indeed take a village. In the new year, pick your level of engagement and know that you’re contributing to the vibrancy here. Sign up to get the QVNA eNews—at bit.ly/Subscribe2eNews—to stay up to date with events and committee meetings or put the monthly community meeting on your calendar (third Wednesday of the month). There are regular clean-ups of pocket parks and playgrounds as well as recycling events. Volunteer at one of our youth programs through our partnership with Courtyard Apartments. You can deliver this quarterly magazine to your block or make a monetary contribution that supports our street sweeping program. You could also join a committee and create new innovations for the neighborhood. As community steward and advocate for more than 50 years, QVNA connects our multi-generational community in ways that make it stronger not only today but also for the future. I look forward to seeing you around the neighborhood—and Happy New Year!
QUEEN VILLAGE QUARTERLY CRIER // PAGE 5
QVNA SPOTLIGHT
Meet the New Board
O
ur board of directors establishes the association’s strategic direction and budget and determines our key priorities, programs,
and services. Board members work collaboratively to address issues and concerns of Queen Villagers. Each is an at-large community leader, represent-
ing the whole of our community—neither lobbying for or against a particular issue, nor representing only certain blocks within our geography. ■
Officers
President Eleanor Ingersoll (2021-2022)
Vice President Justin Fishman (2021-2022)
Treasurer Cait Allen (2022-2023)
Secretary Chris Mullen (2022-2023)
Directors
Matt Atkins (2021-2022)
Joe Brin (2021-2022)
Dan Doyle (2022-2023)
Don Finley (2022-2023)
Michelle Grimley (2021-2022)
Philip Holzhauer (2022-2023)
Mike McPhilmy (2021-2022)
Noah Swistak (2020-2021)
QUEEN VILLAGE QUARTERLY CRIER \\ WINTER 2022
QVNA SPOTLIGHT
Thank You For Your Board Service As a volunteer-driven nonprofit, QVNA salutes three neighbors whose community leadership have helped make a difference.
M
ark Grabarits has served as a member of the QVNA board since 2017. Elected in 2017 as a director, Mark served in that role until January 2018, when he completed his first two-year term. During this time, Mark was presidentially appointed and board-approved to the role of treasurer. He was instrumental in helping to draft needed amendments to QVNA’s bylaws and volunteering his expertise to review other vital association documents. In 2019, Mark was once again elected to the board in the position of director. During this term, he chaired a joint task force of board and zoning committee members to review select zoning variance issues. In addition, he initiated strategic planning for capital investments to fund future-focused projects and community needs. Thank you, Mark. Your volunteer work will bring benefits to the association for years to come. Meredith Piotrowski was elected to the position of board secretary in 2019 and in 2020 was presidentially appointed to be QVNA’s delegate for the Crosstown Coalition, a federation of volunteer-led civic associations representing communities throughout
the city. In addition, Meredith was appointed chair of QVNA’s Clean & Green committee, leading volunteer efforts to beautify Queen Village. QVNA sincerely appreciates Meredith’s community leadership and many contributions to the Association. Rosamond Howard was elected board director in 2019. During her term, Ro was instrumental in the development of QVNA’s Neighbor Complaint
Form to Report Alcohol-Licensed Nuisance Businesses as well as several board policies. In addition, she served on a joint task force of board and zoning committee members to review select zoning variance issues. Thank you, Rosamond, for your volunteer commitment. ■
QUEEN VILLAGE QUARTERLY CRIER // PAGE 7
IT TAKES A VILLAGE
Sit, Stay, Play A labor of love transforms the Mario Lanza Dog Park, and the Queen Village canine community is doggone thrilled. By Lucy Erdelac
I
The happy trio overlooking the park are Roger, Rambo, and a husky who wishes to remain anonymous.
QUEEN VILLAGE QUARTERLY CRIER \\ WINTER 2022
n September, a dynamic duo from QVK9 went to work at Mario Lanza Dog Park: sweeping up errant stones that always spill out of the dog park onto the sidewalks and leveling the stones in the park itself. Andrew Pfeiffer and Meghan Rasmussen, coleaders of this volunteer-driven group, also rebuilt the picnic table and two benches, both much loved by neighborhood dogs. But as dog park frequenters know, replacing and raking stones are only a short-term surface solution. According to Andrew and Meghan, who have done the research, there’s no middle ground between stones and K9 grass (the surface dogs love at Seger Dog Park). QVK9’s vision is to transform Mario Lanza Dog Park by installing the same high-quality turf found at Seger—one that would do away with vagrant stones. Although the heartfelt desire of all Queen Village dog parents, the project comes with a hefty $45,000 price tag. QVNA is the fiscal sponsor of QVK9. This means that memberships in QVK9
Meghan Rasmussen takes a break from sweeping up.
and donations for the park’s resurfacing are accepted by QVNA and receive the association’s nonprofit 501(c)(3) tax advantages. To donate to this volunteerdriven improvement project, visit bit.ly/ MarioLanzaDogPark. ■ Andrew Pfeiffer surveys a cleaned-up park.
The new bench and picnic table.
17 Holiday Seasons of
Neighborhood
Help
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614 S. 4th Street Philadelphia, PA 19147 215.733.9200 store3633@gmail.com
QUEEN VILLAGE QUARTERLY CRIER // PAGE 9
QV LIFE
Olivia Sings! Already well-known to Philly sports fans for her performance of the national anthem, this Queen Village teen is now taking the spotlight at stadiums across the country. By Martha Morowitz
L
On the big screen as the Phillies take on the Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park (photo courtesy of Lori Currier).
QUEEN VILLAGE QUARTERLY CRIER \\ WINTER 2022
ifelong Queen Village neighbor Olivia Currier may not be known to those of us who are not avid Philly sports fans. But if you have even a casual interest in the Eagles, 76ers, Flyers, or Phillies (to name a few), you have no doubt seen the 16-year-old singing the national anthem at many major league games. Olivia has loved performing from a very young age and began performing the national anthem at the age of nine for the women’s basketball team at Villanova, where her father was assistant athletic director. She astutely sent videos of her appearances to other teams and, seven years later, was singing the anthem at professional sporting events all across the nation. Her first nationally televised anthem was this past February for the Frozen Four 2021 hockey event, which was broadcast live on ESPN. Considering the pressure of performing in front of huge crowds in some of
O L D
S W E D E S’
Regular Weekly Services Sunday Worship
(In person and streaming on Facebook Live)
10:00am
Tuesday Evensong (Online Only)
6:30pm
All are welcome.
Upcoming Services & Events
Lucia Fest December 12 at 3:30pm No live performances this year, join us for a virtual presentation
SEXTON SIDE SHOW EVENT
Olivia with the legendary Flyers’ anthem-singer Lauren Hart at the Wells Fargo Center before the team takes the ice (photo courtesy of Lori Currier).
the best-known stadiums in the country, you may ask, “How does someone so young calm jitters and manage stage fright?” Olivia says she uses a “mental checklist that involves equal parts prayer and positive affirmations to get myself in the right mental headspace for performing.” She explains that she becomes so engrossed in giving her best that she’s not aware of standing in front of throngs of sports fans until the anthem ends and the applause follows. Each opportunity to sing the anthem, she explains, is an opportunity to honor her father—an Air Force veteran—as well as all U.S. military servicemen and women. Although she loves these opportunities to perform, Olivia has no ambition to sing professionally. Life in the spotlight,
she says, is not all that it is cracked up to be. Her plans don’t revolve around the mic but, instead, the pen as she plans to go to college to major in journalism (with a minor in theater, of course!). Olivia plans to combine her experience in the public arena with journalism to “tell stories that inform, inspire, and impact others.” She hopes to open a dialogue to address the nation’s serious issues, including distrust of the media. Her strong moral backbone compels her desire for “ethical deliverance of news and information.” No doubt, with grace and poise, this young lady will soon be a rising star in her chosen field. So, neighbors, keep an eye out for Queen Village’s own— Olivia Currier! ■
O Brother, Where Art Thou? Tribute Friday, December 17 & Saturday, December 18 Doors open at 7:00, show starts at 8:00 Tickets available on our website
Holiday Services 4th Sunday of Advent
Sunday, December 19 at 10:00am Eucharist & Carols
Christmas Eve Service
Friday, December 24 at 7:00pm Eucharist & Christmas Festal Music Christmas Day Saturday, December 25—No Service.
First Sunday after Christmas
Sunday, December 26 at 10:00am Eucharist at 10 AM Columbus Blvd. & Christian Street Philadelphia, PA 19147 215-389-1513 www.old-swedes.org
QUEEN VILLAGE QUARTERLY CRIER // PAGE 11
FEATURE
Baldwin in his Fabric Row store.
Photo by Jessica Griffin.
Best of Philly!
D Baldwin on Fourth A master tailor—and a Fabric Row institution— offers bespoke tailoring, custom upholstery, fabulous fabrics, and even sewing lessons. By Suzanne Dreitein
B
aldwin Fabric & Leather owner Larnell Baldwin has enjoyed a long relationship with Queen Village and 4th Street. Born and raised in Philadelphia, he moved to QV in the 1980s and raised his family right alongside his businesses at 755 S. 4th St. Baldwin explains that, early in his four-decade career, “Philadelphia was the mecca for manufacturing. And... there was a time when, in terms of the garment industry, Philadelphia was just
QUEEN VILLAGE QUARTERLY CRIER \\ WINTER 2022
as big as New York.” The city was full of manufacturing companies and designers shaping fashion trends. From the 19th century through the mid-20th century, workers migrated from the South to work here for companies like After Six, Botany 500, and Quartermaster’s. Tailoring was considered a steady profession, with vocational classes offered at several public high schools, including Bok Technical High School and Overbrook High School, Baldwin’s alma mater.
uring his career, Larnell Baldwin has received a lot of accolades. A Hall of Fame Member of the National Association of Fashion Accessories Designers, he received an Award of Excellence in Menswear at Philadelphia Dresses the World in 1988--just before his move to Fabric Row. In 2021, Philadelphia Magazine named him the Best Tailor in the city. The Best of Philly citation reads: “It takes a lot to stand out on a street known for fabrics and tailoring, but Larnell Baldwin does just that. His is one of the rare shops that can create custom leather jackets (along with skirts so fine they’re literally hanging in the Penn Museum) in addition to suiting.”
Baldwin’s work is featured at the Penn Museum.
In the early 1980s, though, there was a shift in the industry, and manufacturing moved away from the city and took tailoring and sewing jobs with it. Classes were phased out of high school curriculums because, Baldwin says, “some folks felt that the opportunities weren’t that great for people coming out of high school to be able to get lucrative tailoring jobs.” Meanwhile, Baldwin set up Sartorial Fine Men’s and Women’s Tailoring, Baldwin Tuxedos, and fabric stores on 4th Street, which have since been consolidated into one location at 751-755, with the addition of Baldwin Fashion Institute, which offers a full curriculum of professional tailoring and power sewing classes. Baldwin says when he first arrived here, there were many stores selling fabric, trimming, and notions on 4th St. Sewists could get everything from upholstery to bridal fabrics. Many stores were second- or third-generation-owned. But there are far fewer today. “Around the early ’80s is when I think that it basically stopped. I don’t think that there were too many more traditional stores that opened up, where the children took over after the parents retired.”
To the Rescue With the rise of “fast fashion,” clothing production increased and prices decreased, making it more affordable to buy instead of make. Women, the primary sewists, had also joined the workforce full time, leaving them less time for sewing; that meant a decrease in the need for fabric and the closure of sewing stores. And Baldwin acquired much of his fabric stock and sewing machines from the businesses that closed. Occasionally, some of those machines are displayed in his window. “I’m the sewing machine rescue guy,” Baldwin jokes. However, Baldwin says he has noticed that shows like Project Runway have sparked an interest in sewing and fashion design. “Now what I see is the interest
During the pandemic, Larnell Baldwin created some 60 different mask designs to keep the community safe. His favorite depicts Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. For Eagles fans, The Philly Special design features Trey Burton throwing a pass to QB Nick Foles.
coming back,” he says. “A lot of young folks went into the tech business and other different professions, but, especially since I’ve started doing the classes, I’m seeing the interest in really learning the trade again.” Queries for online sewing classes have skyrocketed in the past few years. However, it’s hard to capture the skill and artistry digitally, and in-person classes can help take sewing skills to a professional level. Baldwin offers a full complement of classes from design to construction, using professional-grade machines at the Baldwin Fashion Institute. “These small schools offer an alternative [to college],” he says, “and not only that—they offer an opportunity to get into your passion without making a long-term commitment.”
The Fabric of Change COVID has also had an impact. “The pandemic changed a lot of people’s thinking—particularly younger folks,” says Baldwin, adding that for the new generation, there has been a shift from a focus on income to doing something creative as a career, one that makes a person happy. Change is also happening in the home. “It used to be that people got more involved with their homes, in terms of decorating,” he explains. “People would have
curtains made. People would have slipcovers put on their sofas. The drapery business was booming.” By the 1990s, people weren’t having things made as frequently. But now, particularly since the pandemic, with more people at home, he notes that there is a renewed interest in home decor. It’s nearly impossible to replicate the experience of buying fabric in-person. “Online is not the way to go for fabric shopping. There’s no way to see how fabric behaves—you need to touch it; see how it moves,” says Bernadette Banner, a historic costume and history-influenced modern clothing seamstress. And, with only so much display space in a storefront window, the best way to experience a fabric store is to go inside and walk up and down the shelves upon shelves of fabric. Chances are there is more than meets the eye, at first, with bolts and rolls stacked in the basement as well. As the focus of Fabric Row shifted over the past 20 to 30 years, some of the fabric and notions stores have been replaced with art galleries, boutiques, and restaurants. But Baldwin has no intention of leaving 4th Street any time soon. He’d like to continue providing excellent tailoring and developing his school as a viable alternative to college. ■
QUEEN VILLAGE QUARTERLY CRIER // PAGE 13
2021 in Review:
What QVNA did for
A
s 2021 brought ever-changing conditions throughout the city, QVNA remained steadfast in our mission to help improve quality of life for residents. We addressed issues of importance to neighbors. We also continued to provide the programs and services that neighbors have come to expect. Neighbors brought hundreds of unwanted electronics to QVNA's Spring eCycling event.
Advocating for Quality of Life As spring’s warm weather brought neighbors outside, it also led to an ever-increasing number of ATVs, dirt bikes and motorcycles. In response to this escalating safety issue, QVNA sponsored two multi-community town halls with city leaders. We invited city council members and enforcement agency officials to address the issue, answer questions and most importantly, take action to help solve this urgent problem. More than two thousand neighbors attended these meetings, adding their voices to our challenge for accountability from City Hall. After our first meeting, new legislation was signed into law, making driving dirt bikes illegal on city streets.
Keeping Neighbors in the Know QVNA community meetings provide timely information on topics of importance to neighbors. In 2021, we addressed street repaving in Queen Village; received updates on legislative issues in Harrisburg; and learned about a pilot program to open South Street for dining and pedestrians only. Our meetings shared progress reports on two long-standing projects: the I-95 cap and the Bethel Burying Ground Memorial—to let neighbors hear from and ask questions of the professionals working closest to these projects. Equally important, we discussed health in the time of COVID. Twice we hosted a distinguished immunologist and medical researcher of rare diseases for question and answer sessions about COVID variants, vaccines and boosters. And as always, we shared community happenings via eNews on topics of note such as new city programs, free
food giveaways, emergent matters and volunteer events.
Getting Cleaner. Being Greener. In 2021, QVNA: n Removed 12 tons of litter from Queen Village’s curbs n Erased graffiti throughout the neighborhood
Recruited and organized volunteers for clean and green events n
Helped Queen Village Tree Tenders plant 20 new trees n
In addition, we hosted two electronic recycling events that kept hundreds of pounds of toxic waste from polluting the environment. And thanks to neighbors who shredded their unneeded documents, we provided 18 trees' worth of paper—ready to be recycled into new consumer paper products.
Supporting the Work of Volunteers As community organizations, schools and volunteers continued to plan for the future, QVNA helped fund their projects and programs with $20,000 in Community Grants. In addition, we fiscally sponsored volunteer groups dedicated to supporting QVNA’s mission of service. In 2021, we sponsored: n
Courtyard Mentor Network
n
Friends of Beck Park
n
Friends of Moyamensing Point
n
Friends of Weccacoe Playground
n
QVK9 (for Mario Lanza Dog Park)
n
Statue of Peace Plaza Committee
Our Sources of Funding QVNA is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit. For more than 50 years, our programs and services have been paid for through fundraising. Our current funding sources include parking lot rentals, advertising, sponsorships, donations, and our most important—association memberships.
Please Renew Your Membership or Join QVNA We depend on neighbors like you, not only as volunteers, but also as QVNA members. Our work is made possible in part through the generosity of tax-deductible memberships. You can renew your membership or join us online at QVNA.org/ join—or use the envelope in this magazine. Every membership in QVNA collectively supports our community in a meaningful way: Donation $40 $60 $120 $250 $500 $1,000
What Your Membership Supports 50 leaf and yard bags One month of QVNA eNews Two truckloads of tree mulch One month of graffiti removal 50 blocks of litter removal One modest community grant
At QVNA "it takes a village" because all that we do depends on neighbors like you.
QVNA loves volunteers.
Community Service:
The Heart of Our Mission Queen Village Neighbors Association cares about and for our community. Neighbors like you decide everything we do. As volunteers, our Board of Directors determines the programs and services we provide. QVNA’s committee members volunteer their skills and experience in other important areas of community service. And QVNA’s “Friends Group'' volunteers clean and green our parks and maintain Weccacoe Playground. As volunteers working together, QVNA lives our mission: QVNA provides community stewardship, advocacy and service to help improve quality of life for Queen Village residents.
Always at Your Service Community Stewardship. Advocacy. Service. 709 S. 5th Street 215.339.0975 QVNA.org/join n QVNA.org/volunteer Subscribe to eNews: bit.ly/Subscribe2eNews Watch community meetings: YouTube.com/queenvillage n
Do you have questions about Queen Village or city services? Do you know why downloading the free Philly311 app to your phone is important? Just ask. We're available by email, phone and text. In 2021, QVNA once again moved to a new office. But this time, we're here to stay at 709 S. 5th Street. See you there!
FEATURE
Neighborly Acts of Love We pay tribute to Kathy Conway, who generously served the Queen Village community for more than 50 years.
The Spirit of Community Service By Lucy Erdelac
O
n the morning of September 29, family members, friends, and neighbors of Kathy Conway gathered at St. Philip Neri Church for her funeral mass and in celebration of a life well lived. In recent years, Kathy was known as an award-winning real estate professional. And so it was fitting that in his eulogy Father Edward Kuczynski pondered the doors of life that each of us walk through, starting from birth and ending in rebirth—a meditation of sorts on how our lives touch one another along this universal journey. Woven into this invitation
QUEEN VILLAGE QUARTERLY CRIER \\ WINTER 2022
for self-reflection were remembrances of Kathy: “How many doors have you walked through? How many times did Kathy walk through your door?” Like others of her generation who grew up here, Kathy had family and friends who lived in “the zero-hundred” blocks. Their homes were taken by eminent domain for I-95. Although modest homes, many were memorable for the charm of their woodwork or fireplace surrounds. Before highway construction began, what charms remained were salvaged and re-homed on higher-numbered blocks. Kathy sold about a dozen
homes in Queen Village that had mantelpieces from these demolished homes. When Kathy shared this story with me, I wasn’t surprised that she recognized those mantelpieces—she had a keen eye for detail—but that she could match each one to the address it had come from. Matchmaking was second nature to Kathy. Reverend Dr. William Green, pastor of Phillips Temple Christian Methodist Church, served with Kathy on QVNA’s Board in the ’90s. He recalled telling her that church members wanted a library, and Kathy, whose clients often downsized belongings before they moved, col-
FEATURE
The Best of Queen Village By Don Ackerman lected hundreds of books for the church. Rev. Green describes the library as “filling the community room with books on almost any topic—and not just for adults, but for children as well.” Kathy’s generosity is what stands out in the mind of Joel Spivak—architect, historian, former member of QVNA’s Board, and founder of Philly’s National Hot Dog Month. Joel describes Kathy as a generous sponsor of the celebration’s hot dog giveaways to summer campers in at-risk neighborhoods. Indeed, Kathy walked through many doors in Queen Village, and each time, she turned and held it open for others to enter. Thank you, Kathy, for your generosity of spirit and for the love that you shared with an entire community. ■ It’s an odd twist of fate that QVNA pays tribute to Kathy here, in the Queen Village Quarterly Crier—The Crier started as a four-page newsletter that Kathy conceived and nurtured. In the ’70s, newsletters were the most efficient media to keep neighbors informed of community happenings. Kathy’s typewritten articles were cut and pasted to paper, mimeographed, and folded before distribution—mostly by her own hands. Time moved on, so did Kathy and the Crier. Kathy embraced her new career, and the Crier embraced new technology. Throughout these years, one constant remained: Kathy always helped to distribute every issue of QVNA’s newsletter/magazine. Until our fall issue, Kathy was one of Queen Village’s 93 door-to-door magazine delivery volunteers. The Crier lives on as one of Kathy’s many legacies to Queen Village.
I
remember Kathy Conway when she was QVNA’s executive director in the ’80s. However, my closer association was when we both sat on its board, first as board members in the ‘90s and later when she became a non-voting director emeritus in the early 2000s. I can think of no other person who was more important to the development of Queen Village as we know it.
A Special Connection Kathy was born in Queen Village before it was called Queen Village. She raised her family here. She remembered Queen Village when it was a poor workingclass neighborhood where many people worked on the docks and factories along the Delaware. As a young mother, Kathy was one of the activists who fought the destruction of many blocks of our neighborhood with the building of I-95. It was her activism, along with that of others, that mitigated the damage caused by the highway’s construction—making sure that a buffer zone was installed and that the on and off ramps were kept away from the neighborhood. After that, she became the first executive director of QVNA. Kathy had a special connection with the poorer members of the community, many of them elderly. As executive director, she kept up-to-date about government programs to help neighbors in financial need. I remember Kathy assisting people who needed help paying for utilities and who needed food assistance.
Kind, But No Pushover When we served together on the board, I remember Kathy’s steady hand and
unfailing kindness. I also remember her strength. Kathy, though kind, was no pushover. Her experience and her knowledge of Queen Village history was invaluable. One of the most important issues we dealt with was the state’s intention to build two casinos on the Delaware River. One of them was Foxwoods, which was to be located just south of Washington Avenue. We joined with other communities up and down the river wards to stop these casinos. Given her history of activism, Kathy was adamant that we not allow a casino to impact our neighborhood. She knew that individuals and community groups could work together to stop these casinos and the powerful people behind them. She was right. We couldn’t stop Sugar House, but we did stop Foxwoods, which would have been just a mile south of Queen Village.
The Neighborhood Needs You We also can’t forget Kathy’s role as a realtor in our neighborhood. So many in this neighborhood have bought or sold their houses through Kathy and her son Patrick. At one point, my wife and I thought we wanted to move to the suburbs. We listed our house with Kathy in the early 1990s. Luckily because of economic conditions, it didn’t sell. Kathy kept telling me not to move and that the neighborhood needed me. Can you imagine a realtor trying to talk you into not selling? In the end, I can’t think of anyone who was more important to our community in the last few decades than Kathy Conway, who personified the best of Queen Village. ■
QUEEN VILLAGE QUARTERLY CRIER // PAGE 17
FEATURE
Trusting What She Believed In By Marge Schernecke
K
athy and I grew up together in the neighborhood, and there’s a lifetime of stories I could share. But it was the early 1970s that set the trajectory for Kathy’s immeasurable role in Queen Village. At that time, our neighborhood was going through gentrification. There was a lot of development, some positive, some negative—more than in adjacent neighborhoods. QVNA had just been formed, and it was mostly made up of new neighbors. It was a time for new beginnings, and Kathy and I were determined to establish an office in Queen Village. We struggled to get funding. Ultimately, the city agreed to fund our community office. QVNA had a well-earned reputation for strength in organizing neighbors for action—we had, of course, already won our fight with City Hall to kill the crosstown expressway. We opened the office,
Kathy and I ran it, and our next goal was to build QVNA’s membership. Many of the older residents were reluctant to join QVNA. They didn’t trust the organization. Kathy came up with the idea that the best way to get the neighbors involved was through the local churches and synagogue. We knew members of Nezinger Synagogue and the Catholic churches: St. Philip Neri and St. Stanislaus. We also knew Reverend Green from Phillips Temple Christian Methodist Church. We introduced ourselves to the pastor of Emanuel German Evangelical Lutheran and to those of other churches in the area. We promoted planting street trees and setting up committees to deal with myriad issues that impacted Queen Village but were being planned by the city without community input. QVNA’s membership and volunteer involvement grew. We created a strong foundation for the
association and were poised for action. Soon QVNA was recognized by the city as the designated voice to oversee planning and development in Queen Village. What an achievement! Working together enabled us to plan our own future. Kathy was committed to helping neighbors through her work with QVNA and later in her real estate career. She was known in every religious institution in the community. She touched many lives. In fact, a saying was created because of her work and all the people she helped. The saying goes, “We all knew growing up and going to the Irish School that the Blessed Mother is Irish. Of course the Blessed Mother is Irish. She looks just like Kathy Conway!” God bless you, Kath, our dearest friend. Now we know you have a seat at the right hand of Our Lady, still looking out for those in need here in Queen Village. ■
A Quiet Determination and Concern for Others By Conrad Weiler
I
t was a great shock to learn of Kathy’s passing; she was such a presence in the neighborhood for so many years. I worked closely with Kathy in the ’70s and early ’80s while she managed the Queen Village Neighbors Association office, and I was QVNA president and head of the Neighborhood Preservation Coalition, working to get noise barriers along I-95. I also chaired QVNA’s zoning committee. At that time, Queen Village
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faced a broad range of challenges: from highways and noise barriers to facilitating loans and grants to homeowners. We faced parking, public safety, crime, and liquor license issues. In some weeks, we held multiple public meetings about construction projects seeking zoning variances. Still, we also convened monthly neighborhood meetings and held an annual block party. Needless to say, we had a lot of activity, and the office was always busy.
Shaping a Vision—and a Reality Kathy was a major part of our responding to challenges as well as proactively and positively shaping a vision—and reality—of Queen Village to be a livable, diverse, walking-scale neighborhood that older and newer residents and businesses wanted and shared. In the office, Kathy was often the first to hear of a problem facing individual residents or businesses, and she strived to find ways to handle their concerns
FEATURE herself, often working far beyond office hours to help neighbors. In addition, she gathered information to prepare for the hundreds of meetings we had each year—zoning and liquor licenses, tax appeals, highway and other issues. She made countless phone calls, wrote letters, contacted the media, and kept neighbors informed. Kathy wrote and produced our monthly newsletter, The Queen Village Crier. Over the years, she distributed probably hundreds of thousands of Criers as well as flyers for each of our meetings, delivering them into individual mail slots. Often Kathy would do this in the evening, with one or more of her children accompanying her, and in all kinds of weather. She
also prepared for and attended many, many meetings in City Hall and the office and QVNA’s occasional civil-disobedience demonstrations—again, sometimes with children or a babycoach. Looking back, it is a marvel that she was able to do so many things for the neighborhood while also raising a wonderful family and having a personal life.
Sincerity, Warmth, Humor Everyone who dealt with Kathy in those days and afterwards in her business capacity appreciated her sincerity, warmth, and humor, her love of the neighborhood, her quiet determination, and, most of all, her wonderful smile, the twinkle in her eyes, her warm, friendly voice and
manner, and her concern for others. She was well known to city bureaucrats and elected officials, and she was always the soul of politeness and humility. Kathy was full of good ideas and information; had a vision of the neighborhood that included new and old, residents and businesses; gave good advice that was very helpful; and was moreover a great companion in the hours spent driving to City Hall or waiting for meetings, with lots of insightful, humorous, and sometimes irreverent stories. She always had a good word to say to cheer someone up, including me, during difficult times. Most of all she loved her family, her neighborhood, life, her religion, and helping others. She will be sorely missed by everyone. ■
We Shared History By Paul Levy
I
met Kathy in 1977 when I joined QVNA’s board. She was the same warm and outgoing person that countless home buyers and sellers have met over the years, but in a very different place in her life and career. Kathy worked for QVNA, then at 736 S. 3rd St. She not only handled the administrative work of the association, she managed real estate tax and gas rebate programs that helped senior citizens in the neighborhood. Kathy called herself a social worker then, but her connections were deeply personal, to extended families like hers— Irish, Polish, Lithuanian, Jewish, and African American—who had lived for generations in this part of Philadelphia. Like many “old-timers,” Kathy had watched with dismay as the entire east side of Front Street, across from her home,
was demolished for I-95 in the 1960s. She watched with ambivalence as many “newcomers” moved in and many longer-term residents departed either for the suburbs
or farther south into Pennsport and Whitman. Fortunately, she and husband Herb made the decision to stay in the “old neighborhood” and raise their four sons. Kathy talked openly about the challenging process of change when I interviewed her for an oral history of Queen Village (online at www.QVNA.org/QV-oralhistory). She had a unique perspective and deep understanding of its impact on longtime neighbors and generously shared both so that others might learn from it. Kathy’s personal experience and insights contributed greatly to my published writings: When Worlds Collide: Philadelphia’s Queen Village—A Glimpse at a Community in Eclipse, (bit.ly/When-Worlds-Collide); and Queen Village: The Eclipse of Community. A Case Study of Gentrification and Displacement in a South Philadelphia Neighborhood (bit.ly/QV-case-history). ■
QUEEN VILLAGE QUARTERLY CRIER // PAGE 19
FEATURE
An Honor to Celebrate: Director Emeritus An Excerpt from the Queen Village Crier, January 2004. “December’s holiday party held a special surprise for Kathy Conway, who has ended her QVNA tenure as a QVNA board member. At its December 4, 2003, meeting, the QVNA Board voted unanimously to honor Kathy with the title Director Emeritus and presented her with a plaque to recognize her many years of service to the community. While newer residents may know Kathy as a real estate agent (perhaps
QUEEN VILLAGE QUARTERLY CRIER \\ WINTER 2022
having looked at or purchased a house through her), her ties and commitment to the neighborhood go far deeper. Kathy is a third-generation Queen Village resident. She was the first executive director of QVNA, running the office from 1976 until 1986. There wasn’t anything she didn’t do, from helping low-income residents access services and organizing fundraisers for neighbors displaced by fire; to typing, editing, and helping deliver the Crier.
Over the years Kathy served on the association’s board as corresponding secretary, treasurer, and director. But that only touches the surface of her contributions. Kathy has been involved in some of the biggest battles over development in the neighborhood.” —January 2004, edited for brevity
We r ou s r e e t n u l o V !!! With vision and compassion for future generations, volunteers care for our our parks, playgrounds and trees. When powerful forces threatened to divide our neighborhood, volunteers unified, fought and won the battle and saved our community. Whether cleaning and greening; serving on a committee or the Board; contributing to our magazine; distributing the Crier; helping in the office—whether regularly or for an hour here and there—QVNA appreciates your volunteer service.
Thank You Queen Village Volunteers
Your Caring Enriches Our Community. Since 1969, QVNA has depended on volunteers to lead and advance our mission of community stewardship, advocacy and service to help improve quality of life for Queen Village residents. To those who have helped bring positive change to our community, and to the volunteers who sustain it today,
thank you for your service.
Community Stewardship. Advocacy. Service. Find opportunities @ QVNA.org/volunteer
QUEEN VILLAGE QUARTERLY CRIER // PAGE 21
OUT AND ABOUT
No Passport Required Take a culinary world tour—right here in Queen Village— with stops in Paris, Morocco, and South China. By Michael and Cait Allen
W
Marrakesh, 43 years, 517 S. Leithgow St.
hether you need a taste of warm-weather travel in the dark winter or a place to kindle Valentine’s Day romance, a decision like in those old adventure books stands before you. Do you turn to page 25 and follow your fancies to France? Do you cross the Mediterranean for North African shores on page 50? Or perhaps you sail the ports of the South China Sea on page 66. Bon voyage as you fall in love again, Queen Village-style, with these three long-treasured getaways.
Bistrot La Minette, 13 years, 623 S. 6th St. Owner Peter Woolsey hails from a family of artists, each of whom has added to the authenticity of the bistro—from the bar assembled from antiques with his father, to the scenes captured by Peggy, his photographer wife, to the architecture absorbed during more than two years studying in France. “If you ripped the restaurant off its foundations on 6th Street and dropped it into the middle of Lyon, the locals could not tell that it was foreign. That was my goal,” says Peter. Achieved, sir. Well achieved. We start with the mixed greens of the salade verte, with its creamy, soft dressing that has a bite like the first fall breeze at the end of summer. The oeuf du pêcheur is a true artistic creation: fresh-baked toast, mussels in a cream sauce, and a poached
QUEEN VILLAGE QUARTERLY CRIER \\ WINTER 2022
Escargots bathed in garlic butter.
Photo by Peggy Baud-Woolsey egg atop, ready to richly burst. Next, a first for us—for shame!—escargots à la Bourguignonne. Bathed in garlic butter, each nestles in its own custom tureen. They are delicate and delicious. For the business end of the dinner, we cast a line for the truite meunière, a beautifully prepared trout dish over a sea of sauteed greens and fingerling potatoes. The wine-braised boeuf bourguignon is a blend of hearty short rib chunks, bacon, and a decadently savory dark sauce. Don’t miss the mac-and-cheese, baked with a tang of Gruyère. But the night is not ready to end. There may need to be sips of rosé and a shared thousand layers of mille feuille aux framboises. With all respect to the residents of Lyon, we’d prefer to keep Bistrot La Minette safely mortared right here!
Sitting on cushions under the mosaic of colored lights, owner Sameer Albaroki talks of the warmth and friendliness of his native Morocco as we are offered rose water to rinse our hands. We reflect on the ancient trade routes that crossed the Mediterranean and brought so many visitors and cultures to the coast of Africa. There’s no experience more immersive than this in Queen Village. Mint tea and course after course of traditional fare is served by lantern light. Zaluk—a roasted tomato, garlic, and eggplant salad—is served first. Next is the Moroccan favorite, bastilla, prepared with chicken, egg, and cinnamon inside a crispy, sugared shell. The braised chicken
A taste of Morocco at Marrakesh.
iberty
ree
by Thomas Paine In a chariot of light, from the regions of the day, The Goddess of Liberty came, Ten thousand celestials directed her way, And hither conducted the dame. A fair budding branch from the gardens above, Where millions with millions agree, She brought in her hand as a pledge of her love, And the plant she named Liberty Tree. The celestial exotic stuck deep in the ground, Like a native it flourished and bore; The fame of its fruit drew the nations around, To seek out this peaceable shore. Unmindful of names or distinctions they came, For freemen like brothers agree; With one spirit endued, they one friendship pursued, And their temple was Liberty Tree.
Bastilla, Morocco’s famous chicken pie.
with cumin sauce is perfectly balanced in spice and salinity. The lamb with honey and almonds is delicate, sweet, and careful on the palate. These are followed by chicken couscous, with raisins more grape-like than the withered ones in those little red boxes. After all of this incredible hospitality, the tea, baklava, and bowl of fruit invite a casual wind-down to the evening feast. Sameer himself will then bid you a heartfelt farewell back into the city night.
Mustard Greens, 29 years, 622 South 2nd St, Owner Bon Siu hails from South China and the megacity of Guangzhou (once anglicized as Canton). The cuisine of this warm, seafaring region is light and accessible, not fierce and arresting like the spicy North. “I like clean and simple,” says Bon, as he explains the décor, which intentionally departs from the traditional red and gold of old Chinese restaurants. Once an aspiring artist, Bon brings a philosophy of Modernism not only to his interior design but to his culinary creations as well. “Simple flavors allow the taste of fresh food to shine through,” he says.
Top: Skate wing steamed to perfection. Below: Mustard Greens’ delicious dumplings.
We love the chew of the wrapper of the meaty pork dumplings zipped with a tang of vinegar. Amazingly plump barbeque shrimp almost jumps from the fishing net into an intriguing dark glaze of smoky and sweet. Here, the bed of julienned vegetables glistens like sunshine on water with that signature Cantonese essence. The crab-fried rice has been on the menu since the restaurant’s opening, and its lump crab is gigantic and sweet. “Do you like fish?” Bon asks. The fabulous sauce on the steamed skate wing punches with pungent, complex spice but pulls back before becoming overly hot or unsettling. Once you’ve reached the end of the adventure book, if you are like us, you will turn back the pages to each decision again. What happens on the other adventures? If I turned left instead of right? Well, don’t miss a thing! All of these destinations await. Might as well embark on all three! ■
Beneath this fair tree, like the patriarchs of old, Their bread in contentment they ate, Unvexed with the troubles of silver or gold, The cares of the grand and the great. With timber and tar they Old England supplied, And supported her power on the sea; Her battles they fought, without getting a groat, For the honor of Liberty Tree. But hear, O ye swains (’tis a tale most profane), How all the tyrannical powers, Kings, Commons and Lords, are uniting amain To cut down this guardian of ours. From the East to the West blow the trumpet to arms, Thro’ the land let the sound of it flee; Let the far and the near all unite with a cheer, In defense of our Liberty Tree.
215.886.6111 (Glenside, PA) 215.725.3637 (Philadelphia, PA) 215.572.6937 (Fax) www.libertytreecare.com MIKE DUFFY Certified Arborist PD-1766A
QUEEN VILLAGE QUARTERLY CRIER // PAGE 23
THE COMMONS
A Monumental Moment A traveling exhibition focusing on African American history lands in Philadelphia.
A
Hank Willis Thomas’s All Power to the People with the PMA in the background.
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traveling, outdoor art installation, now in the city, offers an opportunity to observe Martin Luther King Jr. Day by exploring aspects of the African American experience. The installation and its sculptures invite people to consider issues of colonization, Black middle-class labor, the decline of industry, and the prison pipeline. But it also illuminates Black power, Black pride, and Black joy. Called Monumental Tour and mounted by the cultural equity initiative Kindred Arts, the exhibition features sculptural works by Arthur Jafa, Coby Kennedy, Christopher Myers, and Hank Willis Thomas at four carefully considered locations around the city. Their pieces have rotated through cities around the country—New York, Atlanta, Chicago, and elsewhere. In Philadelphia, the exhibition has been dedicated to the city’s first African American architect, Julian Francis Abele. For Thomas’s All Power to the People, this will be its second appearance in Philadelphia. The sculpture, which joins together two symbols of Black identity—the Afro pick and the Black Power salute—was part of the 2017 Monument Lab project. Today, it sits in Eakins Oval, just across from one of Abele’s most famous buildings, the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Christopher Myers’ Caliban’s Hands, referencing the enslaved character in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, addresses the suppression of indigenous cultures
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Christopher Myers’ Caliban’s Hands in the Free Library
Arthur Jafa’s Big Wheel IV at the Cherry Street Pier.
Queen Village
installation, which runs through January 30, 2022, has been supported by the City of Philadelphia and the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation. To learn more, visit www.monumentaltour.org. ■
Volunteers
of Philadelphia’s Shakespeare Park.
by colonialism. Myers’ piece is situated at Shakespeare Park, in front of the Central Branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia, also designed by Abele. Coby Kennedy’s steel and glass Kalief Browder: The Box replicates the dimensions of a solitary confinement cell and incorporates texts and graphs that critique the American incarceration system. (Browder was a Black teenager who died by suicide after spending three years on Rikers Island without being convicted of a crime.) Kennedy’s piece is situated at Thomas Paine Plaza, where the statue of former mayor and police chief Frank Rizzo once stood. The exhibition ends just north of Queen Village, at the Cherry Street Pier with Big Wheel IV, an installation of four monster-truck tires shackled by a mesh of iron chain. For the artist, Arthur Jafa, the piece speaks to the process of deindustrialization and the way it dashed the aspirations of the Black middle class. Big Wheel includes a sound component—a loop of songs by Philadelphia’s own Teddy Pendergrass. There are many ways to experience the exhibit, whether by walking to the locations accompanied by an audio tour or by taking a virtual tour from home. The
Sign up @ QVNA.org/Volunteer
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Working with Deidre was AMAZING. She and her team are so organized and on top of things. Up to date on market trends, takes a zero-pressure approach, has an amazing photographer that took the most gorgeous photos of my home, and handled some unforeseen issues with ease, positivity, and reassurance. This is the team you can feel great about trusting when buying/selling your home. I have nothing but wonderful things to say about my experience in working with them.
QUEEN VILLAGE QUARTERLY CRIER // PAGE 25
SCHOOL BELL
Art for All Fleisher Art Memorial gets the whole community into the picture. By Hilary Young, with photos courtesy of Fleisher Art Memorial
S
chool is back in session for arts as well as for academics. If art is on your New Year’s resolution list, the Fleisher Art Memorial may help you achieve your goal. That’s because its mission is to “make art accessible to everyone, regardless of economic means, background, or artistic experience.” And when it comes to providing more community access to art, Fleisher’s tuition-free offerings take the intimidation factor out of creating art. There are 20 tuition-free classes each term, including First Steps to Drawing, to Figure Sculpture, Printmaking, Ceramics, 2D Design, and film and art history seminars. “Our tuition-free classes are geared towards beginners, folks who are just starting out on their creative journey or coming back to the visual arts after a long hiatus,” says Vita Litvak, Fleisher’s director of education. Fleisher’s Teaching Artists are encouraged to be supportive of all levels of experience and to create a non-judgmental classroom space. So what to take? Vita helps break it down: “Do you like dance and movement? Then you might want to try a wheel-throwing class, where movement and coordination of the body is a big element of the practice.”
QUEEN VILLAGE QUARTERLY CRIER \\ WINTER 2022
At the Saturday Children and Youth program, young artists paint on a large scale in a mixed media class.
“Do you like small details, puzzles, and delicate materials? If so, you can find that same satisfaction in mosaics or jewelry making,” she tells us. “Are you the family photographer looking to improve your photos and compositions? Try a 2D Design class or a Portrait Photography class.” For kids, Fleisher offers low-cost classes to children aged 5 to 18 on Saturdays. “I’d also recommend our award-winning Teen Lounge program,” says Vita. “It is an awesome free, drop-in program for teens 13 to 18 that serves youth from all over the city. It focuses on lifting teen voices and supporting young people’s agency to make decisions, build commu-
nity, become creatives, and make their voices heard in the world.” To sign up for the free classes, you do have to be a Fleisher member, but students can take up to two tuition-free classes each term. Should you be interested in registering, act quickly, as classes fill up quickly. Registration for Spring tuition-based classes opens on February 14, and, for tuitionfree classes, on February 22. If you are still struggling to figure out which classes are best for you to pursue, reach out to Vita via email at vlitvak@fleisher.org. “I love advising students on where they should begin their journey at Fleisher, so don’t hesitate to reach out to me!” ■
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Teaching artist Bernard Collins gives pointers to a student in a basic drawing class for adults.
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QUEEN VILLAGE QUARTERLY CRIER // PAGE 27
HOW IT WORKS
The Parks Department In Queen Village, an array of agencies, nonprofits, and private companies keep our neighborhood public spaces clean and green. By Noah Swistak
E
ver find yourself wondering about a specific parcel in Queen Village— whether it be along Front Street, adjacent to I-95, or along Delaware Avenue—and thinking, “Who maintains that? Who’s responsible for that particular piece of land?” You’re not alone! A number of public agencies, nonprofit organizations, and contracted companies are responsible for upkeep throughout the eastern areas of the neighborhood. Let’s review a few of the different entities that provide vital services on some of Queen Village’s public parcels. The publicly funded nonprofit Interstate Land Management Corporation (ILMC) maintains parcels along a stretch of I-95 between the Benjamin Franklin and Walt Whitman Bridges. If a piece of land abuts or is located directly over or under the highway, it’s likely ILMC oversees its landscaping and upkeep. The organization coordinates with civic groups to identify potential improvements to lighting, painting, and sidewalks. In Queen Village, ILMC’s work includes mowing and removing litter from green spaces on either side of the Queen Street tunnel and tending to vegetation along the east side of Front Street. Additionally, as is the case with other parking lots along the I-95 corridor, the group is the lessor of the QVNA Community Lot between Front Street and Water Street.
QUEEN VILLAGE QUARTERLY CRIER \\ WINTER 2022
The Delaware River Trail.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) oversees major planning and construction projects involving the highway, including the long-planned cap of I-95 and subsequent park development near Penn’s Landing. Recent delays have pushed that project’s groundbreaking to 2023. While PennDOT owns the parcels adjacent to its highways, certain types of upkeep are contracted to ILMC. This model is not consistent statewide, and, in fact, it’s PennDOT personnel who mow grass and control vegetation alongside many Pennsylvania state highways.
The Delaware River Waterfront Corporation (DRWC) designs, develops, and manages projects along a six-mile stretch of the riverfront that includes Queen Village. The group is currently overseeing two projects with substantial direct impact to the neighborhood: the Delaware River Trail and the Washington Avenue Connector. Implementation has been underway on the former for some time now, with improvements already evident along Delaware Avenue. When it comes to graffiti removal, the city’s Community Life Improvement Program (CLIP) is often the most effective outlet for providing a prompt response. Citywide, CLIP’s Graffiti Abatement Team has removed graffiti from over one million properties and street fixtures and addresses most requests within three to four days. QVNA advocates for neighbors by maintaining relationships with all of these organizations, including board member representation on the Community Coalition of Interstate Management (which works directly with ILMC) and the Central Delaware Advocacy Group (which advances implementation of DRWC’s Plan for the Central Delaware). We look forward to continued partnerships with these groups and more as we foster clean, safe, and enjoyable public spaces for residents of Queen Village. ■
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Four QVNA office moves since 2018 ? Yes! Moving the association from ou r 4th Street office , makes voluntee r Ted Mader four for four.
What’s Hall oween with out pumpk carving? QV in NA volunte ers gave 32 children fin ger-lickin’ fu n. Photo by Cat rina Johnsto n-Zimmerman
Volunteer Gail Chapman made a surprise appearance at Mario Lanza Park’s fall clean-up event. Who knew leaf bags could be so much fun?
Volunteers from the Statue of Peace Plaza Committee hosted The Bellevue Quartet to entertain neighbors at their summer concert series.
Chris M ullen, J ustin Fis D uncan hm an , S p e n ce and r helped our new QVNA m 5th Stre ove into et office .
thwark illage/Sou V n e e u Q , ated more This spring eners don rd a G y it n A for Commu lbs to QVN u b ly li a n n rs. By fall, than 50 ca to neighbo n o ti u ib tr e free dis arfed by th lia was dw g a ir M r Pete . full bloom cannas in
QUEEN VILLAGE QUARTERLY CRIER // PAGE 29
Kathy, you made our world a better place.
On behalf of myself and my family, we would like to express our sincerest gratitude for the overwhelming support, which included hundreds of notes, phone calls, text messages, and sentiments received after our profound loss and during a challenging time for us. Our Mom was a loving mother, grandmother, friend, and neighbor who cared for this neighborhood so much. Although she will be sorely missed, and our hearts are broken, we are comforted in knowing that Mom is no longer suffering, and now a bright, beautiful light is shining in the universe for all of us to love. -Pat
“
They whom we love and lose are no longer where they were before; they are now wherever we are.
Patrick Conway 215.266.1537 215.627.6005 215.440.8190 conwayteam.com conwayteam@gmail.com
