From the Desk of... Miranda Siddall, Scholarship Recipient

Dear Cedar Park Neighbors, Thank you so much for awarding me this scholarship. My first year at Bryn Mawr College has been amazing beyond belief. I did not know it until I started here, but I love this school and I love college. I have already learned so much. My interest in food production and agriculture policy used to be a hobby, something I would only read books about. Thanks to Bryn Mawr, now I know it’s something you can actually study. Although I’m still unsure of my major, I have decided that to pursue my interest in food, I would like to minor in Environmental Studies.

This first year would not have been possible without your support, financial and otherwise. The care package was so thoughtful; I cannot tell you how much it meant to me in the final weeks before winter break.

I thought you might like to know where your money went. There are three books I was able to purchase this year thanks to the Cedar Park Neighbors Scholarship and that I highly recommend:

Book: My Soul is Rested by Howell Raines

Class: The Long 1960’s

This book is an incredible compilation of interviews of those involved in the civil rights movement from 1955 to 1968. The story of the civil rights movement comes through clearly in the voices of those who were involved.

Book: Homefront by Catherine Lutz

Class: Introduction to Peace and Conflict Studies

An interesting look at the interconnections between the military town Fayette­ville, North Carolina, and its military base, Fort Bragg. More generally, it explores the connection between the military and the home front, and the unexpected toll this relationship takes on those at home.

Book: A River and Its City by Ari Kelman

Class: American Environmental History

American Environmental History was absolutely my favorite class this year. It is American history, but it pays close attention to the interaction between people and land, the ways people think about land, and the effect this has on human choice and historical events. A River and Its City is a study of the complex relationship between New Orleans and the Mississippi River.

I am so grateful for all of your help. It has been an amazing first year, and I could not have done it without you!

Thank you, Miranda Siddall

Scholarship Corner: Awards + Mentoring

By Laurie Friedman and Melissa St. Pierre, Co-Chairs Greetings from the Scholarship Committee! We’ve had a wonderfully productive and successful year. Once again, our fundraising efforts paid off in a big way; through the generous support and donations of our neighbors, we were able to award eight students $800 each in scholarships. As you can tell by reading Miranda Siddall’s letter of thanks on page 5 of this newsletter, our student recipients are greatly appreciative.

We’ve also added a mentoring component to our efforts, whereby a committee member checks in periodically with one of our scholarship winners during each semester. As a committee, we’ve gained a few new members (although we are always looking for more!). Finally, we are asking our scholarship recipients to commit to giving back to our community, as a way to “pay it forward” and thank this amazing neighborhood called Cedar Park. As part of their award, they’ve agreed to participate in some CPN-­sponsored activity during the year.

But with all the work we’ve done, there’s always more to come. As our scholarship winners approach finals, the committee will be shipping them care packages filled with school supplies and home-baked goods. We are reviewing our application process, and in the next few months, will begin recruiting for next year’s applicants. The application will be posted on the Cedar Park website by February of 2012. And early in the new year, we will begin our planning for next year’s annual fundraising event at Dock Street Brewery.

Lastly, the committee would like to send a special thank you to Laura Tate-McHugh, who served as chair of the committee for many years. Her dedication to the work we do has truly been an inspiration. We are thankful for her organization and attention to detail that makes filling her large shoes a bit less daunting.

We look forward to another exciting year and once again, thank you all for your support and contributions. Questions or comments about the scholarship committee can be sent to: scholarships@cedarparkneighbors.org.

An Active Year for the CPN Zoning Committee

By Maureen Tate, CPN Zoning Committee Cedar Park Neighbors is committed  to ensuring that local residents are informed about proposed zoning changes in the community and have an opportunity for their voices to be heard. CPN’s Zoning Committee is recognized by the Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) as the representative of residents and businesses within the boundaries of Cedar Park. The committee is composed of CPN member volunteers who monitor zoning notices, solicit community input about proposed zoning changes, communicate neighbors’ positions to city officials, intervene in zoning disputes, and represent the Cedar Park community before the ZBA.

In one year alone, Zoning Committee members reviewed and processed sixteen actual or anticipated applications for zoning changes within the borders of Cedar Park. This work entails: meeting with applicants; researching particular zoning issues; writing and distributing community notifications to local residents; hosting neighbor forums to meet with applicants to learn more about the issue; writing letters informing the ZBA and Councilwoman Blackwell regarding local opinions on each issue; and appearing at the scheduled hearings before the ZBA.

Residents and businesses frequently seek a change in use for their property. If the use is other than that which is allowed by the City of Philadelphia Zoning Code, then the Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspection refers the applica- tion to the ZBA, which holds a hearing and decides on the application. Applicants are required to give public notice by posting an orange notice on the property in question, indicating the change of use requested and the date of the hearing. The ZBA also requires applicants to notify their elected officials and local community associations to inform and seek approval for their applications in order to alleviate possible tensions and disputes in zoning matters.

We invite you to read the full CPN Zoning Policy on our website to learn more about CPN’s process for addressing zoning issues. If you see an orange notice posted in your area, have questions about zoning issues in Cedar Park or are interested in joining the committee, we invite you to contact Cedar Park Neighbors.

Addressing Vacant Properties: CPN Property Housing Task Force

David Hincher, Property Housing Task Force

The CPN Property Housing Task Force is an all-volunteer working group. It studies, evaluates and develops strategies to address issues of vacant and blighted properties and land within the Cedar Park boundary, in order to move such properties toward positive occupancy and use. The task force looks to develop mitigation strategies such as connecting property owners with the critical resources needed to reduce the severity of these issues.

Recently, the task force completed a census of abandoned properties. In collaboration with the Community Design Collaborative, It also facilitated a year-long series of com­munity conversations, titled the “Baltimore Avenue Conversation,” which resulted in the Baltimore Avenue Com­munity Corridor Design Study. The Baltimore Avenue study targeted the blocks from 49th to 52nd Street and engaged neighborhood residents, businesses, and community organizations in a broad discussion of desires and goals for this area. Additional information on this conversation and the exciting ideas it generated are found within the final report, which can be downloaded from the Cedar Park Neighbors website at www.cedarparkneighbors.org/.

Since our last Baltimore Avenue Conversation, in the Fall of 2010, we have met with various political representatives — State Senator Anthony Williams, State Representative James Roebuck, and Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell — to familiarize them with the study and elicit their advice and support for advancing some of the community

priorities and desires. There are ongoing discussions with Councilwoman Black- well and the Philadelphia City Planning Commission to move the study forward, bringing in other City agencies and additional resources. We look forward to ongoing conversations with other community stakeholders that want to assist with elements of this report.

Since the study was completed, Mariposa Food Co-op has moved forward with plans for a new and larger fresh food grocery located on the 4800 block of Baltimore Avenue. A fresh food grocery was the top desire from the community conversations; and with assistance from Cedar Park Neighbors, we hope this will address that goal.

The Task Force is also in conversation with the University City District regarding their renewed commitment to community and business development. UCD is now directing staff and resources toward assisting property owners in overcoming barriers and obstacles that had prevented them from achieving their goals for their properties. Several owners of severely blighted properties are taking advantage of these resources and we look forward to seeing the results, as some formerly vacant properties are rehabbed and occupied.

Want to Have a Say About the Future of Your Neighborhood?

By Ray Murphy, CPN Board Member Cedar Park is an ever-changing, diverse and vibrant community. But it doesn’t happen on its own! Our community relies upon the contribution of time and talent from its residents to thrive.

One way to get involved shaping the future of our neighborhood is as a board member of Cedar Park Neighbors. The next board elections are scheduled for the spring of 2012, so the nominations process is open now.

From street clean-ups, to safety issues, to zoning, to the development of the Baltimore Avenue Business corridor, Cedar Park Neighbors represents esponsible for writing the organization’s annual budget and for making critical decisions about all sorts of issues that affect our neighborhood.

In order to be nominated to run for board membership, all you have to do is make sure you are up to date on your Cedar Park Neighbors membership dues. And yes, you can nominate yourself! Even if you are not interested in serving on the board, please take a minute to think about someone you know who would make a good candidate. People of color, neighbors who live south of Baltimore Avenue and young people are strongly encouraged to apply.

If you would like to nominate yourself or someone else for the board, please call CPN at 215-531-4147 or contact membership@cedarparkneighbors.org. The deadline for nominations to fill current vacancies is November 30, 2011. Nominations for the annual April election will be considered by the Nominations Committee in early 2011.

Have you gotten your copy of the Cedar Park Centennial Commemorative Booklet? The booklets were first distributed to current Cedar Park members at our Centennial Fair on August 6th. If you didn’t pick up your copy at the fair, a booklet was hand delivered by a volunteer CPN member to your house. Your next chance to get the booklet describing the history of Cedar Park Neighbors and our greenspace, Cedar Park, is by renewing your membership to Cedar Park Neighbors or purchasing the booklet for $5.

Of course, we would much prefer that you renew your membership. If you simply want to order the booklet or buy additional copies of the booklet, send an e-mail to CedarPark100@gmail.com and send your payment of $5 per booklet to: Cedar Park Neighbors, 4740 Baltimore Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19143.

Get Active in Your Community – Membership Goes a Long Way

By Laurie Friedman, Membership Chair By joining Cedar Park Neighbors, you become an active participant in helping to shape your community. It’s a great way to keep abreast of what’s going on in our neighborhood and meet new friends. Membership dues, along with other fundraising activities, are critical to support the valuable work being done by CPN.

With your help, CPN will continue to:

•           Deliver news through our website, Facebook, email blasts and newsletter

•           Introduce you to your neighbors and local restaurants at the Meet and Greet events

•           Keep you informed about local schools and daycare centers

•           Support schools in our area

•           Award scholarships to high school graduates and continuing college students and support scholarship recipients

•           Support small businesses through projects such as the Baltimore Avenue Conversation

•           Spread the word about local zoning issues

•           Provide representation before the Zoning Board of Adjustment and Liquor Control Board

•           Fund Block Improvement Grants

•           Represent CPN members at community meetings

•           Maintain the park for our enjoyment

•           Organize the annual Cedar Park Fair

•           Host the Summer Jazz Series

•           Deliver holiday food baskets to neighbors

As you can see, your membership goes a long way! If you’re not a member yet, please consider signing up today by visiting: cedarparkneighbors.org/join-cpn-donate/ or returning the form on page 15.

If you know a new homeowner or renter on your block, send their name and address to membership@cedarparkneighbors.org. New neighborhood residents will receive a free CPN membership for one year.

To save trees and cut down on costs, email membership@cedarparkneighbors.org if you would like to receive an email copy instead of a hard copy of the newsletter.

In Memoriam

Rev. Matthew Williams Cedar Park Neighbors was saddened to hear of the passing of Rev. Matthew Williams, Retired Pastor of The People’s Baptist Church. We wish to acknowledge Rev. Williams contribution to our neighborhood and we send our condolences to the congregation of People’s.

Bruce Hansen

Residents throughout the neighborhood and CPN members were shocked and saddened to hear of the sudden death of our friend and colleague Bruce Jay Hansen, who died from a heart attack at age 36.

From their arrival in Cedar Park, Bruce and his wife, Sarah, were committed to community involvement. Bruce served on the Cedar Park Board from 2005 to 2009. Bruce not only contributed enthusiasm, humor and a memorable hearty laugh, but was active in many facets of the organization. Bruce helped with the early development of the CPN website, organized CPN elections and assisted on the Fair Committee. Bruce was most committed as a member of the CPN Property Housing Task Force. Bruce brought his interest and expertise in City Planning to CPN efforts to wrestle with the problem of blighted and abandoned property and land. He was instrumental in mapping properties for the Baltimore Avenue Conversation and that map continues to be crucial in helping us analyze and communicate about properties within the area of focus for Baltimore Avenue improvement. Bruce was also active in the Chester Avenue Community Garden and the West Philadelphia Mennonite Fellowship.

Bruce was from Mechanicsburg, Penn­sylvania and earned his Bachelor’s degree in Communications at Elizabethtown College, where he met his wife, Sarah. Following their marriage in 1999, Bruce and Sarah served from 2001 to 2003 as Peace Corps Volunteers in the Ukraine. Upon returning to the U.S., they settled in West Philadelphia, and Bruce spent several years working as a web designer. In 2008, Bruce and Sarah welcomed their daughter, Sadie. Later that year, Bruce began graduate school and in 2010 earned his Master’s of City Planning from Penn.

The Bruce whom so many knew and loved had an unmatched laugh and ability to find humor in almost any situation. He lived life thoughtfully and deliberately. He accepted others openly and without judgment. He was kind and good and genuine and he will be deeply missed.

We extend our deep sympathies to Bruce’s wife, Sarah, and their daughters Sadie and Beatrice, as well as to the extended Hansen family. Beatrice Jane is a brand new Hansen baby who was born on October 14th. We extend our welcome to Beatrice as our newest Cedar Park resident and know that her arrival will be a blessing and comfort to her mom and big sister at this most difficult time.

Many have asked how they can help the family. Donations in memory of Bruce Hansen may be made to:

Bruce J. Hansen Memorial Fund

P.O. Box 724

Phoenixville, PA 19460.

Call to Artists: GO WEST! Craft Fest

GO WEST! Craft Fest’s Holiday show is tomorrow, Saturday December 3rd, at the Rotunda, 4014 Walnut Street. Forty of Philadelphia’s most amazing artisans purvey their finest handmade wares — unique accoutrements, ornaments & jewelry, art originals & reproductions, cozy hand-stitched woolens, toys, soaps, candles — special holiday gifts for the ones you treasure most. Made locally and with love, presented with pride in West Philadelphia. If you’d like to be one of 40 amazing artisan vendors for this holiday show, send your info to gowestcraftfest@gmail.com.

Cleaner and Greener: Pitch In On Community Cleanup Day

By the University City District Join your friends and neighbors on Saturday, December 3rd for the late fall  community cleanup in University City. We will be organizing special projects, increasing our green efforts, and celebrating all of our hard work at a post-cleanup party.

We encourage everyone to step outside and clean up where you live, work, learn or play. This can be outside your home, office or school, in a nearby park, or an empty lot. Even the smallest effort can make the biggest difference. If you’re looking for ideas, we’ve got ’em. We’ll be organizing a few focused efforts throughout the neighborhood and, as always, we’re here to assist anyone interested in participating. This includes providing block captains, student and volunteer groups and neighbors with trash bags, brooms, work gloves, and trash pickup.

Michael Nutter is challenging Philadelphia to become the greenest city in America. Going green is nothing new in University City, where large-scale tree plantings, farmers markets, and community gardens have been part of the landscape for years, but we’re not about to stop there. Let’s continue to move even closer to becoming America’s greenest city!

To sign up for the University City Clean­up, please contact UCD at 215-243-0555 or cleanandsafe@universitycity.org.

Presidents Message: A Century Celebrated

By Monica Allison, CPN President On Saturday August 6th, 2011, neighbors came together to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Cedar Park and the 50th anniversary of Cedar Park Neighbors (CPN). Even with overcast skies, it turned out to be a wonderful day. The children enjoyed themselves on the two moon bounces provided by Pearson Entertain­ment, and the park was full of neighbors enjoying music from local talent, including our DJ Jamar, Rosemary Fiki Band, Gretchen Elise, The Independent Rock School and, of course, the Elgins. The park was also alive with craft vendors and was well-served by a variety of food vendors. Thank you for making the day so special. The icing on the cake is the Centennial Commemorative Booklet! If you haven’t received your copy, you don’t know what you are missing. Peggy Kovich and Mara Hincher did a superb job of capturing the history of our Park and of Cedar Park Neighbors. See page 2 for details about how to receive a copy.

Our community was hit hard in September with the death of one of our neighbors, friend and volunteer Bruce J. Hansen. His wife, Sarah, helped me to appreciate how precious every moment of our lives are. We send our love to Sarah, Sadie and Beatrice, who was born October 14, 2011.

On October 4th, we had our fall Meet and Greet at Aksum, one of the newest restaurant additions to Baltimore Avenue. If you have not sampled their Mediterranean cuisine, you’ve missed a great experience. We thank the staff and owner, Saba Tedla, for their hospitality.

Cedar Park has experienced recent damage from vandals, and CPN made a plea to neighbors to help us replace the plantings. We received overwhelming support and have received more than $500 in donations. Thank you to all that contributed! You should see an improvement to the park gardens in the coming weeks.

The holidays are upon us, and one of the highlights of the season is the Holiday Basket campaign. This is one of the areas in which our neighborhood shines. Last year we fed over 150 families. With the economy in a state of flux, more families will need our help. When you receive our solicitation, give generously, and save the date, December 17, 2011, when we will pack and give out the baskets.

Cedar Park Neighbors is shifting to an annual membership renewal date. This change will help smooth our admini­stration of membership. We are looking forward to serving our larger community, and if you are not already one of our 327 members, consider joining! Your dollars go far in helping us to fulfill our mission.

Looking forward, Mariposa Food Coop is on track and scheduled to open at their new location, 4824 Baltimore Avenue, in January 2012. Check out their website for updates. Finally, I would personally like to wish you all a wonderful holiday season. Check on neighbors throughout the winter, visit the businesses along the Avenue, and remember…

Cedar Park looking beautiful again after neighbors plant new grasses & shrubs

On November 5, thanks to your support, Cedar Park Neighbors planted dozens of new plants in our park.  These plants were purchased with the financial help of members who enthusiastically and generously responded to our call for donations last month when the park was vandalized.

November newsletter is out

View it here as a online flip book coutesy of issuu.com [issuu width=420 height=272 backgroundColor=%23222222 documentId=111203164554-0edf38cc532247758fbb56fd089e432d name=1111_cpn_web username=cedarparkneighbors tag=cedar%20park unit=px id=2ab88b4e-313e-4089-282a-154a596129e0 v=2]

Back archives of past newsletters available here.

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Are you interested in advertising in CPN's quarterly newsletter?

The Cedar Park Neighbors Newsletter is produced 4 times per year.   The April, June and September issues are delivered to the 300-400 member households of Cedar Park Neighbors.  The November issue gets a blanket distribution to 2,500 residents in Cedar Park, which covers the area from 46th to 52nd and Larchwood to Kingsessing Streets. Ad space will be reserved in upcoming issues upon receipt of payment. Please submit a check or money order made payable to Cedar Park Neighbors. Mail payment to Cedar Park Neighbors, c/o Calvary Community Center, 4740 Baltimore Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19143. Once a check is received, you will be notified of the upcoming issue(s) in which your ad will appear and the deadline for artwork submission.

You may also make a payment via the donate section on our website.

Please email your ad text to be designed to judy@parallel-design.com.

Press-ready digital ads should also be emailed to judy@parallel-design.com.  PDF files are preferred, however JPEG, EPS, or Word files may also be submitted.  When making PDF files, please be sure to include fonts and set images at 300dpi in Grayscale.

Our ad rates are below:

	Member Issue (April, June, Sept)	Blanket Issue (November)	All Four Issues
Quarter page3.5 x 4.75 inchesHorizontal or vertical	$50	$100	$225
Half page7.25 x 4.75 inchesHorizontal or vertical	$95	$190	$425

Single-Issue Sponsorship     $200 You may supply your own flyer to be inserted into the newsletter.  You will be listed as a sponsor both on the newsletter and on the website.

Neighbors help to rebuild damaged Cedar Park

Dear neighbor-- Earlier this week, someone callously and deliberately tore out more than a dozen plants and native grasses that surrounded the memorial and traffic triangle garden on the eastern side of Cedar Park.  Gone were our coneflowers, autumn joy sedum, black-eyed susans, and day lillies.  Plus, over the past year, we've lost a whole section of winterberry bushes that need to be replaced.

Cedar Park Neighbors has worked hard to restore our park, planting flowers, fixing up the playground, holding our weekly jazz series in the summertime, and keeping it clean.

We were shocked that someone did this to our park.  Cedar Park is the hub of our community and a place where all residents come together.  We are determined to replace the plants as quickly as possible.  And make Cedar Park more beautiful than ever.

Early estimates put the cost at several hundred dollars.  Would you help us purchase new plants to replace those that were stolen or destroyed?

Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to replace the plants by completing the form below.  All donations received by Friday, September 30, will be used solely for purchasing new plants for the park.