►
Description
The Committee on Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs of the Council of the City of Philadelphia held a Public Hearing on Tuesday, March 14, 2023, at 10:00 AM to hear testimony on the following items:
220914
An Ordinance renaming and designating the property commonly referred to as the Hillside Recreation Center, located at 201 Fountain Street, as the "Lonnie Cohen Recreation Center” in the City of Philadelphia.
220972
An Ordinance amending an Ordinance (Bill No. 877), approved September 16, 1994, by amending an exhibit thereto, in order to increase the limit of the amount of funding any entity may receive in any fiscal year from the Philadelphia Activities Fund.
A
A
A
A
We
are
using
Microsoft
teams
to
make
these
remote
hearings
possible
instructions
for
how
the
public
May
View
and
offer
public
testimony
at
public
hearings
of
council
committees
are
included
in
public
hearing
notices
that
are
published
in
The,
Daily,
News,
Inquirer
and
legal
intelligence
year
prior
to
the
hearings
and
can
be
also
found
on
phlcouncil.com
I
now
know
that
the
hour
has
come
and
will
have
the
clerk.
Please
call
call
the
rule
to
take
attendance
members
that
are
in
attendance.
A
A
B
To
as
the
hillside
recreation
center
located
at
201,
Fountain
Street
as
the
Lonnie
Cohen
Recreation
Center
in
the
city
of
Philadelphia
number,
two
bill
number
two:
two:
zero
nine,
seven,
two,
an
ordinance
amending
an
ordinance
bill.
Number
877
approved
September
16
1994
by
amending
an
exhibit
there
too.
In
order
to
increase
the
limit
of
the
amount
of
funding
any
entity
may
receive
in
any
fiscal
year
from
the
Philadelphia
activities
fund.
A
Thank
you
before
we
begin
to
hear
testimony
from
the
witnesses
we
have
for
today.
Everyone
who
has
been
invited
to
the
meeting
to
testify
should
be
aware
that
this
public
hearing
is
being
recorded,
because
the
hearing
is
public
participants
and
viewers
have
no
reasonable
expectation
of
privacy.
By
continuing
to
be
in
the
meeting,
you
are
consenting
to
being
recorded
additionally
prior
to
recognizing
members
for
the
questions
or
comments
they
have
for
Witnesses.
A
I
will
note
for
the
record
at
this
time
that
we
will
use
the
chat
feature
available
in
Microsoft
teams
to
allow
members
to
signify
that
they
wish
to
be
recognized
in
order
to
comply
with
the
sunshine
act.
The
chat
feature
must
only
be
used
for
this
purpose
and
we
can
now
call
witnesses
to
Bill
number
220-914
Mr
clerk.
Will
you
please
call
the
first
panel
the
witnesses
to
testify
regarding
bill
number
220914.
C
C
There
were
leaks
in
the
roof,
and
things
like
that
that
he
called
elected
officials
up
pointed
out
showed
the
buckets
on
the
floor
and,
and
so
his
advocacy
lives,
long
Beyond
him
and
to
honor
him
by
changing
the
name
of
the
hillside,
Rec
Center
I
think
is
truly
appropriate.
His
sister
is
one
of
the
people
who
will
testify
today.
Thank
you,
madam
chair.
C
D
The
department
of
Parks
and
Recreation
also
supports
this
measure,
and
accordingly,
I
respectfully
request
that
city
council
approved
bill
number
220914
I'm,
also
requesting
a
suspension
of
the
rules
so
as
to
follow
for
first
reading
at
the
next
session
of
council.
I
would
be
happy
to
answer
any
questions
you
may
have.
Thank
you
for
your
time.
A
E
E
Madam,
chairperson
and
and
everyone
on
this
Council
Miss
palantino
took
a
lot
of
what
I
was
going
to
say,
but
I
did
submit
a
written
statement
and
if
I
could
just
read
that
sure
it
would
be
easier
for
me
because
of
the
emotion
for
me.
If
it's
easier
to
read
it
absolutely
so.
Thank
you
very
much
for
your
time.
E
My
name
is
Jody
Levine
and
Lonnie
come
with
my
baby
brother.
Thank
you
for
the
opportunity
to
offer
both
written
and
now
oral
testimony
in
support
of
renaming
the
hillside
recreational
center
in
Lonnie's
honor.
My
brother
is
born
and
raised
in
Northeast,
Philadelphia
and
growing
up.
His
life
revolved
around
Youth,
Soccer
basketball
and
baseball
playing
with
the
Boston
Bengals.
At
the
time.
Lonnie's
passion
for
Youth
Sports
made
him
a
natural
fit
for
a
career
with
Philadelphia,
Parks
and
Recreation.
He
was
employed
by
PPR
for
almost
25
years
and
then
there's
many
years.
E
He
was
a
Fearless
advocate
for
those
who
believed
in
and
for
bringing
quality
programs
to
the
communities
in
which
he
worked,
such
as
roller
hockey,
what
hockey,
youth
basketball,
girls,
softball,
Dance,
Yoga
and,
of
course,
indoor
and
outdoor
soccer.
His
colleagues
have
shared
with
me
that
whether
he
was
a
subject
matter
expert
in
the
program
such
as
soccer
or
if
he
was
learning
about
a
program
and
its
operations
for
the
first
time,
such
as
dance
Lonnie,
Fort,
tirelessly
to
bring
Hillside
and
all
his
many
partner
communities.
The
programming
they
needed
wanted
and
serversely
deserved.
E
Lonnie
was
larger
than
life
at
PPR
he
was
smart,
compassionate
to
both
his
staff
and
the
families
with
whom
he
was
entrusted,
dedicated
and
hard-working.
He
served
the
city
of
Philadelphia
for
close
to
25
years
with
honor
and
pride
his
work
as
a
Rec
Center
leader,
keeping
our
soccer
chair
of
the
city's
outdoor
soccer
programs.
Long
time,
member
of
the
executive
chief
of
the
Blue
Cross
Broad
Street
Run,
the
Philadelphia
Marathon
and
many
members
day,
parades
earned
in
the
respect
of
colleagues
and
Friends
throughout
the
city.
The
impact
of
his
passing
is
palpable.
E
He
has
missed
by
so
many
of
his
friends
and
colleagues
throughout
PPR,
as
well
as
the
families
of
Hillside.
Many
of
him
have
told
me
when
faced
with
a
work,
dilemma
or
situation.
They
asked
themselves
the
following
wwld.
What
would
Lonnie
do
along
his
impact
on
youth
soccer
in
Philadelphia
cannot
be
overlooked.
He
was
an
impressive
advocate
in
creating
opportunities
for
kids
to
play,
learn
and
love
soccer.
During
his
Stellar
career
in
PPR,
Lonnie
died
suddenly
and
unexpectedly
on
July
21
2021
at
his
desk
at
Hills
at
his
Hillside
office.
E
In
the
place
he
called
home
working
at
a
job
he
endured,
surrounded
by
the
people
in
the
community
that
he
loved
and
who
loved
him
right
back.
Well,
his
years
were
short.
What
he
did
with
those
years
has
left
an
indelible
mark
as
Lonnie's
family.
We
were
overwhelmed
by
the
outpouring
of
love
and
support.
We
received
from
Friends
his
colleagues,
the
hillside,
Rec
Center
families
and
the
entire
PPR
Community.
E
Following
his
death,
we
were
inundated
with
phone
calls
text,
emails,
visits,
letters
and
social
media
posts,
letting
us
know
just
how
special
Lonnie
was
to
them
and
to
the
PPR
and
specifically
Hillside
Rec
Center
communities.
Our
family
wanted
Blondie's
Legacy
of
dedication
and
commitment
to
the
Youth
of
Philadelphia.
To
endure.
We
thought
the
best
way
to
do
this
was
to
establish
a
scholarship
fund
in
his
name.
That
would
provide
grants,
scholarships
and
other
opportunities
directly
to
the
PPR,
Youth
Soccer
organizations
and
participants.
E
To
that
end,
we
established
the
Lonnie
cow
Memorial
Scholarship
fund,
a
registered
non-profit
501c3
entity
Additionally.
The
scholarship
fund
in
Lonnie's
name
contributes
annually
to
ppr's,
already
established
College
scholarships
awarded
to
one
male
and
one
female
soccer
senior
who
has
been
accepted
to
and
enrolled
in
college.
The
date
we've
awarded
multiple
scholarships
and
grants
in
both
2022
and
again
2023
an
intend
to
support
these
Awards
annually
and
indefinitely
Lonnie
was
beloved
by
his
colleagues
co-workers
and
the
numerous
communities
in
which
he
served.
E
There
are
a
few
places
that
Lonnie
love
more
than
being
on
the
golf
course.
So
this
annual
themed
event
is
perfect.
Local
businesses
who
knew
Lonnie
donated
food
and
games,
friends
and
colleagues
sponsored
the
mini
golf
halls
and
members
of
the
hillside
advisory
Council,
pitched
in
to
support
by
helping
to
secure
raffle
prizes
and
volunteer
volunteering.
Their
services
at
this
event
renaming
the
hillside
rec
center
for
Lonnie
Cohen,
would
greatly
honor
a
man
who
has
given
so
much
to
the
city
of
Philadelphia,
its
Youth
and
its
programs
during
his
lifetime.
E
Long
significant
contributions
to
PPR
Hillside
communities
are
noteworthy.
This
honor
would
obviously
mean
the
world
to
Lonnie's
family,
his
friends,
his
colleagues
and
the
hillside
families,
and
we
are
humbled
at
the
prospect
of
this
happening.
Any
consideration
you
give
to
this
is
greatly
appreciated.
We
thank
you
to
the
bottom
of
our
hearts
and
I
can
answer
any
questions
that
you
have.
If
anyone
has
them.
A
Well,
thank
you
so
much
for
your
very
heartfelt
testimony.
We
can
see
that
it's
you
know
still
very
new
and
and-
and
you
know
hard
for
you
Lonnie
said
I
have
to
say.
Lonnie
sounds
like
a
wonderful
person.
I
am
sorry
that
I
didn't
have
the
opportunity
and
the
pleasure
to
make
his
acquaintance,
and
so
we
offer
our
condolences
and
I
think
that
this
is
a
way
to
make
sure
that
Lonnie's
memory
and
the
work
that
he
did
is
always
remembered.
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
The
committee
and
the
viewing
public
for
your
patience
this
morning.
It
appears
that
there
is
no
public
testimony
or
Administration
testimony
for
Bill
number
220972,
and
so
did
any
member
of
the
committee
have
a
question
or
comment
regarding
this
bill,
which
I'm
going
to
ask
the
clerk
to
read
the
title
of
the
bill
again,
just
to
make
sure
that
everybody's
clear
on
what
this
bill
is.
B
A
B
A
All
right
very
good,
let's
see
okay
and
since
there
are
none.
This
concludes
the
hearing
and
we're
now
going
to
go
into
the
public
meeting
there
being
no
further
questions
from
members
of
the
committee
and
no
other
witnesses
to
testify
on
Bill
numbers,
220-914
and
220-972
I
will
ask
once
again,
if
there's
anyone
else
present
in
this
hearing,
whose
name
we
have
failed
to
call
and
that
wishes
to
offer
testimony
on
the
bills
being
considered
today.
A
Hearing
none
I
want
to
thank
the
panels
and
Witnesses
for
their
participation.
Today
we
value
your
opinions
and
I
now
invite
all
panels
and
witnesses
to
please
disconnect
disconnect
from
our
hearing
so
that
we
can
go
into
the
public
meeting
on
these
bills.
We
will
now
pause
the
proceedings
briefly,
as
participants
leave.
The
hearing.
A
A
As
we
now
convene
the
public
meeting
Mr
clerk,
will
you
please
call
the
roll
to
take
attendance
again,
members
that
are
in
attendance?
Please
indicate
that
you
are
present
when
your
name
is
called
also,
please
say
a
few
brief
words
responding,
so
that
your
image
will
be
displayed
on
screen
when
you
speak,
Mr
Rogers.
B
A
A
C
C
A
A
C
A
We
get
a
second
second
okay.
We
have
properly
moved
that
bill.
Number
220972
has
been
reported
or
no
has
been
proposed
to
be
removed
from
the
committee
and
that
a
favorable
recommendation
be
offered
to
this
bill
with
a
suspension
of
the
rules.
All
of
those
in
favor
of
the
motion
signify
by
saying
aye.
D
A
There
anyone
opposed
yeah
I,
have
it
in
bill
number
two:
two:
zero:
nine
seven
two
is
removed
from
this
committee:
a
reported
from
this
committee
with
a
favorable
recommendation
and
a
rule
suspension
for
the
next
session
of
counsel,
that
being
the
business
of
this
committee.
That
concludes
the
business
of
this
committee
on
Parks
Recreation
and
cultural
Affairs.
I
want
to
thank
everyone
very
much
for
their
attendance
today
and
have
a
wonderful
day.
Thank.