2 WEEKLYPRESS.COM · UCREVIEW.COM · AUGUST 08 · 2012


Community revitalizes a much- needed pocket park


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the park after purchasing her home six years ago. Fanelli and other long-time residents like Blanche Paradise and Joe Hill weeded and cleaned the unused space. The neighborhood had changed in the forty years since the park was first created, Fanelli explained. Joe Hill, the owner of the house beside the park, “had his home broken into sev- eral times,” Fanelli relayed in reference to the need for a fence. In recent years however, the creation of businesses like the Side Car, spurred the neighbor- hood’s economic growth. In fact, one neighbor tried to purchase the vacant lot from the Philadelphia Department of Public Property, which owned the space, to construct a com- mercial development. Neighbors balked at this prospect. Even though they were not allowed to use it, they “valued it as pas- sive open space,” Dalzell wrote. “The


devel-


oper said she planned to install a green roof on the buildi ng,” Fanelli said of the proposed commer- cial property. At the time there were two blighted buildings nearby “so I said, why don’t you tear down those buildings?” Fanelli did a lot more than ask rhetorical questions. She mobilized a petition with one hundred signatures in opposition to the commercial project. Fanelli submitted this petition to former Councilwoman’s Verna’s Office. The Councilwoman, Fanelli explained, was unaware that the lot was a once used as a public park. But when she learned of its history and the plaque verifying its existence; she withdrew her support of the commercial project, Fanelli relayed. Soon afterwards, Fanelli began ne- gotiating with the Urban Gardens Of- fice of the Philadelphia Department of Parks and Recreation. During those discussions, Fanelli wanted to work out an agreement that would give the neighborhood the authority to recon- struct and maintain the park. Around that time, a ward leader in support of the project, told Fanelli to apply for a grant from the Pennsylvania Horticul- tural Society (PHS) for the park’s recon- struction.


“I’m a nurse. I’ve never applied for a grant before,” Fanelli said. But she be- gan to draft it. In addition, she received


“The developer said she planned to in- stall a green roof on the buildi ng,” Fanelli said of the proposed commercial property. At the time there were two blighted buildings nearby “so I said, why don’t you tear down those build- ings?” Fanelli did a lot more than ask rhetorical questions.


help for the park’s architectural render- ings from neighbors Sophie Robitaille and Elisabeth Hamill. It was then that Fanelli learned that Dalzell had ap- plied for the same grant for the same property. Due to Fanelli’s demanding schedule as a nurse, she often missed SOSNA’s meetings even though she remained engaged in the neighborhood. However, once their paths crossed, they joined forces. Neighbors continued to lend their assistance in the process. For instance, Robitaille and her husband, Andrew Curtis, did the detailed draw- ings for the final plan. Although, they did not receive the PHS grant, both Fanelli and Dalzell credit one another for making Catherine Park’s revitalization a reality. “Without her, there would be no Catherine Park,” Dalzell emphasized. And


as far as Fanelli is con- cerned, “Andrew is the driv- ing force behind this project.


Through his networking, he was able to bring together a diverse group of people.”Part of that support, Fanelli explained, included a $10,000 grant from PECO, $15,000 from SOSNA as well as the donation of wood for the park’s benches from C&R Building supply. The park’s play area equipment will be provided by KOMPAN; its brick pavers from CAVA Building Supply. Presently, $30,000 is still needed for the park’s completion. Subsequently, SOSNA is asking for the donation of any domination. Those who contribute at least $150 will be recognized with an engraved brick paver that will be in- stalled at the Catharine Park site. While the neighborhood overwhelmingly sup- ports the park, some residents have ex- pressed concern over tearing down the fences that line it. “People remember the crime that used to occur,” Fanelli relayed. Construction for the Catherine Park


remains ongoing. Local contractor Mike LoFurno of Composite Inc. is work- ing with the Northern Liberties group, Green Saw Design on its completion. For more information on the project or to make a donation, please call 215- 732-8446 or go to http://southofsouth. org/news/announcing-catharine-park- fundraising-drive.


Amtrak High Speed Train


Next Generation


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complement our existing overloaded and aging Northeast lines. As a matter of fact, it appears that, like the other top HSR lines in the world that have paid off their full construction, maintenance and ongo- ing operations costs, a Nex Gen NEC can be a money maker and help to rev up the Northeast economy which is the economic power house of America. In response to initial upgrade funding, the NEC Master Infrastructure Plan, pub- lished in the spring of 2010, lays out a 20- year investment program that would bring the existing Boston to Washington line fully up to a 21st Century state of repair, incrementally improving capacity and trip time, facilitating a needed doubling of Amtrak ridership and a 60% increase in commuter train capacity. One of the first steps actually funded is the replacement of the first segment of 1930s built catenary power wires which sag too much for faster operation on the longest stretch of the old Pennsylvania Railroad. This segment is the New York to Washington section between New Brunswick and Trenton. This would allow existing Acela trains to be unleashed to run at 160mph if only briefly reaching the lower end of the world threshold for true HS.


Amtrak’s second and more controversial plan for the NEC is the one that proposes two new true tracks on a much faster Nex Gen alignment for planned 220mph (and someday above) service that would be sep- arate but interconnected. These tracks are often adjacent and share costs and many facilities with an existing line. This plan projects train travel to NYC in 37 minutes from here and under and hour to Washing- ton. Travel to Boston which today is over a 6-hour ride, and 322 miles, would become a 2 hour train ride. A Vision for High Speed Rail in the Northeast Corridor was released in Sept. 2010 http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ ContentServer/Page/1248542787937/1237 405732517 with much of the economic case for why HSR is needed as well as many


conjectural line projections including three proposed major route changes. This Amtrak plan actually owes much of its vision and rerouting concepts to a series of earlier University of Pennsylvania student design studios that wrote several similar reports and some bold new plans like bypassing the existing NY/Connecti- cut coast routing. Amtrak’s plan rejected the partial Long Island right of way rout- ing for new unsited projections where there is no useable old surface rights of way through dense West Chester County, NY and Connecticut. It would pick up parts of I-84’s median, presumably where it is straighter, to reach Hartford and be- yond into the low density southern New England mountains for lower central Mas- sachusetts.


These visions were available just in time for a debut at the 8th World Congress on High Speed Rail which was held for the first time in America at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. The Amtrak Vision of the Northeast Corridor, 2012 Update Report was released for the Nex Gen proposal. (See http://www.amtrak.com/ ccurl/453/325/Amtrak-Vision-for-the- Northeast-Corridor.pdf) The $115 billion dollar plan, subject to a Federal Railroad Administration review of the accelerated Environmental Impact Statement – which allows public com- ments only until Sept 14th


- is combined


with parts of the Master Plan for a more attainable phased or “stair step” plan. This more expensive project envisions re- routing three tracks for the HSR via long, deep tunnels to a new Market East sta- tion, bypassing 30th St Station, to a PHIL Airport Station (for some slower trains.) There would be a bypass for the fastest trains past the Wilmington Biden Station, to reach the regional West Chester Airport. This, though, is seen to be to be difficult. Trains to downtown Providence, RI, would no longer be bypassed by the faster trains. These trains would arrive from Hartford, CT and then rejoin the predominantly fast, existing Amtrak route through the Boston suburbs. There will be upcoming articles discuss- ing the pros and cons of the proposal of a new Market East station and the projected use changes to 30th


Street Station.


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