►
Description
Dec. 1, 2014: The Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Committee of the Philadelphia City Council met to discuss bills regarding the authorization of the Commissioner of Public Propertyto lease from the Philadelphia Housing Authority a parcel of land bounded by a portion of Brown Street, a portion of 47th Street, Aspen Street and Markoe Street, along with the improvements thereon, to be known upon the completion of its construction as the Lucien E. Blackwell Community Center, all under certain terms and conditions. Additionally, authorizing the Public Property Commissioner, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to accept from The School District of Philadelphia title to certain parcels of land located within an area bounded by Media Street to the North, N. 52nd Street to the East, Master Street to the South, and N. Peach Street to the West, all under certain terms and conditions. Finally, authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to accept one or more deeds to parcels of land, located at 1114-18 Locust Street, 1127-31 Waverly Street, 831-839 South Street; amending Chapter 15-200 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Fairmount Park," to include the gardens under the jurisdiction of the Department of Parks and Recreation; and authorizing the Commissioner of the Department of Parks and Recreation to enter into an agreement to lease out such property.
A
This
hearing
is
called
to
order.
This
is
the
public
hearing
of
the
City
Council
Committee
on
parks,
recreation
and
cultural
affairs.
The
purpose
of
this
public
hearing
is
to
hear
testimony
on
bills.
Number
140,
853,
140,
854
and
140
948
I
want
to
recognize
the
presence
of
a
quorum
of
committee
members,
members
of
the
committee
and
attendance,
our
councilman
Maria
quinones
Sanchez
councilman,
Majority,
Leader,
Curtis,
Jones,
jr.
and
Councilman
David.
Oh
also
joining
us
is
councilman
Janie
Blackwell,
and
are
there
any
opening
remarks?
A
C
Afternoon
concern
bass
and
members
of
the
parks,
recreation
and
cultural
affairs
committee.
My
name
is
Rebecca
Reinhart
and
I'm.
The
budget
director
for
the
city
I'm
here
to
testify
on
behalf
of
bill
number
140
853
with
me,
is
Michael
Debora
Diniz,
deputy
mayor
for
environmental
and
community
resources,
as
well
as
Michael
Johns,
representing
the
field
of
your
Housing
Authority
bill
number
140
853
will
authorize
the
city
to
enter
into
a
99-year
term.
C
Lease
agreement
to
lease
from
the
PHA
a
parcel
of
land,
along
with
improved,
is
made
on
this
land
to
create
the
Lucian
Blackwell
community
center.
The
parcel
of
land
is
bounded
by
a
portion
of
brown
street,
a
portion
of
forty-seventh
Street,
aspen
street
and
Marco
Street.
The
new
Lucian
Blackwell
community
center
will
have
a
gymnasium
with
courts,
bleachers
a
commercial
kitchen
and
a
community
room
for
activities
in
programming.
C
Certain
documents
will
be
executed
as
part
of
the
lease
agreement
structure,
including
a
ground
lease
between
the
city
and
PHA,
a
grant
agreement
between
paid
in
the
city
and
the
sub
grant
agreement
between
paid
and
the
PHA.
The
grant
and
subgrant
structure
is
necessary
with
paid
in
order
to
transfer
the
city
funding.
I
respectfully
request
that
you
report
bill
number
140,
853
out
of
committee,
with
a
favorable
recommendation
and
I
further
request
that
the
rules
of
council
be
suspended
so
as
the
permit
first
reading
at
the
next
session
of
council.
A
D
Just
want
to
say
thank
you
to
them
without
the
input
from
those
very
important
and
vital
participants.
Now
we've
been
at
this
since
around
01.
That's
right,
councilman
Jones,
we're
not
for
it
we're
not
for
them.
We
would
not
be
here
I'm,
so
grateful
it's
my
early
Christmas
present.
It
means
everything
and
thank
you.
Thank
you.
Thank
you
to
each
of
you
for
bringing
us
this
board.
Thank
you.
Thank
you.
Madam
president.
I
hope
that
the
chair
and
the
committee
will
report
this
out
with
them
with
a
suspension
of
the
rules.
Thank
you.
Thank.
E
Beyond
Rebecca's
testimonial
I
would
like
to
add
it
we're
very
excited
about
the
this
process
and
the
idea
of
having,
in
a
few
short
years,
having
a
wonderful,
gymnasium
and
multi-purpose
facility
in
the
area,
and
we
also-
and
if
you
look
at
the
three
or
four
blocks
there,
we
have
we're
developing
the
park,
they're
working
with
the
water
department.
So
that
be
so.
We
have
a
sort
of
an
outdoor
green
space
and
with
the
help
of
the
Councilwoman,
we
just
completed
significant
improvements
to
the
playground
that
is
adjacent
to
the
future
Lucien
Blackwell
community
center.
E
F
Yes,
I
just
want
to
add
that
this
particular
project
is
a
long
time
coming.
I
happen
to
have
worked
on
the
Lucian
e
Blackwell,
Mill,
Creek,
hope,
6
project
back
in
nineteen.
Ninety
nine.
This
was
a
commitment
that
the
Councilwoman
made
and
the
housing
authority
made
to
that
community
to
build
a
community
center
to
work
with
the
city
to
build
a
park,
and,
although
it's
taken
a
decade
or
so
to
get
to
this
point,
eight
we
never
stopped
taking.
We
never
stopped
our
commitment
to
the
to
the
councilman's
district
and
we
never
had.
F
A
F
Members
of
the
committee,
my
name
is
jihad,
ollie
I'm,
here
to
testify
on
behalf
of
the
lucini
Blackwell
community
center.
You
know
it's
an
honor
to
be
here
too,
just
to
say
what
I'm
about
to
say,
because
Lucien's
blackwell
he's
a
great
man
and
he's
a
great
man,
regardless
of
the
what
his
race
was,
but
the
fact
that
he
was
in
african-american.
F
F
One
thing
I
would
like
to
ask
the
Councilwoman
to
consider
is
that
if
there's
some
money
that
you
can
extract
from
Parks
and
Recreation,
that
we
produce
a
video
and
show
it
so,
the
young
people
can
know
what
kind
of
man
he
was
and
how
he
came
through
all
this
stuff.
So
just
something.
If
there's
money
left
over
from
the
budget
that
you
can
do
that
with,
but
I
think
he
was
a
great
man
is
a
great
honor
to
be
here
to
speak
to
the
record.
Thank
you.
Thank.
A
B
E
Philadelphia,
Parks
and
Recreation
has
been
maintaining
and
programming
at
this
site,
and
we
would
appreciate
the
opportunity
to
have
this
I
transferred
to
us
just
a
quick,
we're
doing
a
special
project
here,
part
of
green
2015.
We
discovered
during
the
process
that
the
land
we've
been
caring
for
playground
build
on.
It
was
school
district
property.
So,
in
order
to
complete
the
renovations,
we
already
raised
the
money.
So
the
money
is
in
the
till.
We
need
to
transfer
the
land
to
the
city
and
then
we'll
be
able
to
complete
the
project.
E
Essentially,
that's
the
deal
so
therefore,
I
appear
before
you
to
pledge
support
of
the
department
for
this
legislation
and
respectfully
ask
that
City
Council
approved
the
bill.
140
854.
In
addition,
I
respectfully
request
a
committee
vote
this
bill,
both
the
bill
out
of
committee
with
a
favorable
recommendation
and
that
the
rules
be
suspended
to
permit
first
reading
at
the
next
council
session.
Thank
you.
Thank
you.
D
Blackwell,
thank
you,
madam
chair
and
committee.
This
is
a
long
time
coming.
This
is
in
my
district
as
well,
and
anybody
who's
around.
It
knows
about
the
school
and
the
activities
there
when
right
across
the
street,
and
it
would
just
be
a
perfect
conclusion
to
these
these
actions
and
we
thank
the
Recreation
Department.
It
certainly
is
your
consideration.
Thank.
You.
A
A
B
Number
140
948
entitled
an
ordinance
authorizing
the
commission
of
public
property
on
behalf
of
the
city
of
Philadelphia,
to
accept
one
or
more
deeds.
Two
parcels
of
land
located
at
11,
14,
1,
Locust,
Street,
11,
27,
31,
waverly
street
831,
839
south
street.
Amending
chapters
15
dash
200
of
the
philadelphia
code
entitled
fairmont
park
to
include
the
gardens
under
the
jurisdiction
of
the
department
of
recreation
recreations
and
authorizing
the
Commissioner
of
the
Department
of
Parks
and
Recreation
to
enter
into
an
agreement
to
lease
out
such
a
property.
Okay,.
A
E
Afternoon
again
to
everyone
chairwoman,
Bay's
committee
members,
my
name
is
Michael
de
berardinis,
deputy
mayor
Commissioner
parks
and
recreation.
I
am
pleased
to
appear
before
you
today,
on
behalf
of
the
department
to
testify
in
support
of
Bill
140
948,
which
authorizes
the
public
property
commissioner,
on
behalf
of
this
city
of
Philadelphia,
to
accept
one
or
more
deeds.
Two
parcels
on
land
located
at
11,
14,
18,
Locust,
Street,
11,
27,
31,
waverly
and
8
31
dash
8
39
south
street
to
include
the
gardens
under
the
jurisdiction
of
the
Department
of
Parks
and
creation.
E
Just
can
break
up.
Do
a
quick
summary
here.
These
gardens
have
been
in
place,
1
for
2
for
19
years
and
another
for
39
years.
This
would
give
sort
of
them
sort
of
protection
and
the
kind
of
business
certainty.
One
needs
to
continue
to
put
all
the
volunteer
time
and
to
sort
of
build
the
values
that
these
gardens
provide
to
the
neighbors
and
not
only
of
the
neighborhood
but
residents
around
the
city.
We
are
happy
to
accept
these
properties
into
our
inventory
and
to
begin
to
build
a
system
of
supports.
C
E
Gardens
all
over
the
city
and
to
work
with
council
in
some
of
these
transfers,
which,
with
RDA,
are
necessary.
So
with
that
in
mind,
I
therefore
appear
before
you
to
pledge
support
of
the
Department
of
Parks
and
Recreation
for
this
legislation
and
respectfully
as
City
Council,
to
approve
bill
140
948.
In
addition,
I
respectfully
request
that
this
committee
vote
this
bill
out
of
committee
with
a
favorable
recommendation
and
that
the
rules
be
suspended
to
permit
first
reading
at
the
next
council
session.
Thank
you.
Thank
you.
H
H
The
three
properties
identified
in
the
bill
and
proposed
for
transferred
to
the
Department
of
Parks
and
Recreation
are
all
located
in
washington
square
west.
All
of
these
properties
are
community
gardens
that
have
been
part
of
the
neighborhood
fabric
for
decades
and
have
been
administered
by
the
Civic
Association
as
lessee
since
the
late
1990s
wash
West
has
had
a
long
and
very
positive
relationship
with
council,
as
it
pertains
to
the
gardens
going
away
back
to
nineteen.
H
Seventy
six,
then
councilman
Jimmy
Choo
put
its
foot
to
a
shovel
and
a
derelict
lot
on
Locust
Street
and
put
his
hand
to
pen
and
paper
in
this
building
to
establish
our
first
community
garden
in
the
early
1990s,
then
councilman
Frank
DeCicco
helped
to
have
years
of
debris
and
rubble
removed
from
a
vacant
lot
on
South
Street
to
establish
another
community
garden
and
fast
forward
to
the
year
2014.
We
so
very
much
appreciate
councilman,
mark
schools,
support
and
advocacy
on
behalf
of
all
the
community
gardens
and
wash
West.
H
H
Moving
these
parcels
into
the
property
inventory
of
the
Department
of
Parks
and
Recreation
will
ensure
that
the
quality
of
life
is
preserved
in
our
vibrant
neighborhood
and
protect
the
public
access
to
open
space.
We
support
this
bill
and
urge
council
to
enact
it
into
law.
Thank
you
very
much
for
the
opportunity
to
testify
before
you
today.
A
G
A
Okay,
it's
been
moved
and
properly
seconded
that
bill.
Number
140
140
853
be
report
from
this
committee
with
a
favorable
recommendation
and
further
move
that
the
rules
of
council
be
suspended
to
permit
first
reading
of
this
bill
at
the
next
session
of
council.
All
those
in
favor
of
the
motion
will
signify
by
saying
aye
aye
any
opposed.
Okay
guys
have
it
in
the
motion
carries
bill.
A
G
D
A
Been
moved
and
properly
seconded
that
bill
number
140
854
be
reported
from
this
committee
with
a
favorable
recommendation
and
further
move
that
the
rules
of
council
be
suspended
to
permit
first
reading
of
this
bill
at
the
next
session
of
council.
All
those
in
favor
of
this
motion
please
signify
by
saying
aye
those
opposed
the
eyes
have
it
in
the
motion
carries
bill.
G
A
Been
moved
and
properly
seconded
that
bill
number
140
948
be
reported
from
this
committee
with
a
favorable
recommendation
and
further
move
that
the
rules
of
cows
will
be
suspended
to
permit
first
reading
of
this
bill
at
the
next
session
of
council.
All
those
in
favor
of
the
motion
will
signify
by
saying
aye.
You
know
in
opposed,
ok,
the
eyes
have
it
and
emotion
carries
bill.
Number
140
948
will
be
reported
from
this
committee
with
a
favorable
recommendation
with
request.