An estimated 750 people attended a Tuesday night meeting at Lincoln High School to get information about the methadone clinic proposed for the 7900-block of Frankford Ave.

Dennis Kulp and Carl Primavera were booed at a meeting last night to discuss a methadone clinic in Holmesburg, but neither was around to hear it.

Primavera is the attorney for Healing Way, Inc., which has plans to open a methadone clinic at 7900 Frankford Ave. Kulp owns the property.

As the meeting at Lincoln High School got started last night, Mayfair Civic Association President Joe DeFelice announced Kulp had emailed him earlier in the day to say he’d been advised by his attorney not to attend the meeting in case it should interfere with future litigation. Primavera hasn’t answered any attempts to reach him.

DeFelice and Holmeburg Civic Association President Fred Moore cohosted the meeting, which drew an estimated 750 people to the school’s auditorium, and featured guest speakers 6th District Councilwoman Joan Krajewski, 5th District Sen. Mike Stack, 173rd District Rep. Mike McGeehan, 172nd District Rep. Kevin Boyle, 202nd District Rep. Mark Cohen and Karen Grumankin, who presented a letter written by Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz. continue reading »

People lined up outside Guppies Childcare Center last week to sign petitions and T-shirts in opposition of a methadone clinic on the 7900-block of Frankford Avenue.

Organizers are expecting more than 500 people at tonight’s meeting to discuss a methadone clinic set to open on the 7900-block of Frankford Avenue in Holmesburg.

The two-hour meeting at Lincoln High School is organized by the Holmesburg Civic Association, Mayfair Civic Association, Mayfair Business Association and Mayfair Community Development Corp., sparked by public opposition to the clinic.

A panel of speakers will address the issue before taking questions from guests. continue reading »

This is part of ongoing coverage in “District 172: The Politics of Change after State Rep. John Perzel,” a collaborative effort with Philadelphia Neighborhoods funded by J-Lab.

Joe DeFelice has put a lot of effort into that little playground. And a few hundred residents and supporters have all helped in small ways.

In fall 2009, DeFelice, the Mayfair Civic Association president and now a new Mayfair CDC board member, kicked off a $50,000 fundraising campaign to renovate and reopen the Mayfair Memorial Playground at Rowland Avenue and Vista Street. More than a year and a half later, the Mayfair Civic Association has $20,000 and is seeking the opening on a smaller scale.

That fundraising was done dollar by dollar and almost exclusively by volunteers, like himself.

If fundraising for the playground, which closed in April 2008 after a young girl was injured on out-of-date equipment, was kicked off while powerful state Rep. John Perzel was still at the height of his influence, in the middle of this decade, DeFelice says the process would have been quite different.

Instead, in October 2009, Perzel was a month away from an 82-count indictment of corruption and a year away from losing his three-decade grip on a statehouse seat to a freshman Democrat who had never held public office before.

“When Perzel was in power, the CDC was buying houses, [a] movie theater, building [a] rec center, etc., so I’m sure that a little playground wouldn’t have been that difficult to come by,” DeFelice said. “So in the old days, a check may have been written, but now you have a large amount of neighbors who didn’t previously know each other coming together for a common good and coming up with new, innovative ways to raise funds.”

So what’s the biggest impact from Perzel’s indictment, the historic state budget deficit and a shake up of community leaders in a tight knit neighborhood like Mayfair? Perhaps nothing short of a change in how residents improve their blocks forever.

continue reading »

The Mayfair Civic Association met Tuesday, May 31 — the first meeting since the Mayfair May Fair, Fallen Heroes Walk/Run and Easter Egg Hunt.

All three were considered successes, and the focus is still on fundraising for the Mayfair Memorial Playground. More than $20,000 has been raised for the playground and the Civic is pursuing formal approval from the School District of Philadelphia. continue reading »

Photo by Stephen Zook for NEast Philly

It looks like the Mayfair Memorial Playground is finally being rebuilt.

The playground in front of Lincoln High School on Ryan Avenue was torn down three years ago after a little girl fell and was injured. The School District of Philadelphia was originally only supposed to replace the poor matting blamed on the fall, but ended up ripping the whole thing out, said Joe DeFelice, president of the Mayfair Civic Association. continue reading »

Turnout was high for the Mayfair Civic Association's "meet the candidates" night for the 6th Council District.

This piece is the first of three covering the 6th District Council race.

With the City Council primary elections right around the corner, candidates for Philadelphia’s 6th District seat waited their turn to speak to residents of Mayfair at Tuesday night’s civic association meeting in the John Perzel Community Center.

“What a fun experience for me! Finally got to put some faces with the names of people who are following me on Facebook,” said Sandy Stewart, the Republican candidate for the 6th District seat in City Council.

Philadelphia’s 6th District seat is up for grabs, as long-time Democratic Councilwoman Joan Krajewski decided to retire after this term. Krajewski has held her position since 1979 and the race to succeed her is heating up, as the primary elections will be held Tuesday, May 17. continue reading »

The site of Mayfair Memorial Playground. Photo by Stephen Zook.

In its continued efforts to rebuild Mayfair Memorial Playground, the Mayfair Civic Association is hosting a fundraiser tomorrow night with proceeds going to the playground fund.

The civic has been working on reinstalling a playground at Rowland Avenue and Vista Street on the Lincoln High School property, with help from the School District, local volunteers and area businesses. continue reading »

15th District Captain Bachmayer

With another snowfall on its way, Mayfair residents noted at last night’s civic association meeting that some people are already saving their parking spots.

“You’re not allowed to put anything out to block your spot,” said Capt. Bachmayer of the 15th District — especially when the snow hasn’t even begun to fall. continue reading »

Philadelphia Prisons Commissioner Lou Giorla

The Mayfair Civic Association met for the first time last night since its September meeting. Vice President Mike Williams led the meeting with board members Suzann St. Marie, Pete McDermot, Shawn Murphy and Donny Smith also in attendance.

Two of the highlighted speakers were Lou Giorla, prisons commissioner; and Ian Litwin of the Philadelphia Planning Commission. Below you can see video of both, who also spoke at last month’s Upper Holmesburg Civic Association meeting. continue reading »

The Mayfair Civic Association announced yesterday its plans to support the development of a sports complex in Upper Holmesburg. continue reading »