Tacony business owner Mark Whited is part of the community effort to revitalize the Torresdale Avenue business corridor. Photo/Raymond Boyd

This is the first in a two-part series about quality of life issues in Tacony and Holmesburg, and the neighborhoods’ approach to growing stronger together.

With similar missions but different approaches, Tacony and Holmesburg are seeking a better future for their residents. Tacony is taking a business-first approach, while Holmesburg is looking to take advantage of its history.

Both neighborhoods understand that they must work in collaboration to make their goals a reality as they try to stand as pillars of Northeast Philadelphia. continue reading »

The Bridge Repair Unit of the Philadelphia Streets Department repairs part of the Pennypack Creek Bridge that was damaged in a car crash. Photo courtesy of Rich Frizell/Holmesburg Civic Association

Repairs are underway on Frankford Avenue for a wall along the Pennypack Creek Bridge that sustained damage during a weekend car crash.

Not quite six months after the installation of a historical marker for the bridge, a traffic accident sent the hard-earned plaque to the ground and damaged the nearby stone wall. continue reading »

Former Holmesburg Civic Association President Fred Moore worked for more than a decade to get historical recognition for the Pennypack Creek Bridge. Photo/Jessica Lopez

Update May 9, 2013 ConRail has agreed to allow the Holmesburg Civic Association paint the bridge, and will waive the fees, registration and insurance.

The Pennypack Creek Bridge that connects Holmesburg with Upper Holmesburg has been cleaned up and remains under surveillance by town watch and police.

But as Holmesburg works to maintain the part of the park around it, the train trestle that crosses over Frankford Avenue is still an eyesore. continue reading »

The Pennypack Creek Bridge that’s part of what is now Frankford Avenue received a state historical marker Saturday. Photo/Jessica Lopez

More than 200 years ago, soldiers of the Continental Army marched across the Pennypack Creek Bridge toward a monumental victory in Yorktown during the Revolutionary War. Saturday, neighbors marched across that very bridge to celebrate its historical marker, an honor that Fred Moore and the community of Holmesburg have worked so hard to achieve.

A celebration was held to commemorate the bridge, built in 1697. A section of Frankford Avenue between Ashburner Street and Solly Avenue was closed for the residents to walk across the bridge led by Scottish bagpiper Don Phillips and the Sons of the American Revolution Color Guard.

Moore, the chairman of the Bridge Celebration Committee and the former president of the Holmesburg Civic Association, unveiled the marker. continue reading »

Rich Frizell, new president of the Holmesburg Civic Association, leads the first meeting of the 2012-13 season. Photo/Shannon McDonald

Cars lined two full blocks of Ditman Street on either side Tuesday night. Children and their parents made use of the playground out the rec center as the Holmesburg Boys Club’s pee-wee football team practiced beneath the setting sun. Inside the rec center, Holmesburg Civic Association board members grabbed additional red folding chairs as the meeting room filled up.

And so began the group’s first meeting of the 2012-13 season. Members will meet once a month through June, and President Rich Frizell reviewed on Tuesday some of what members can expect in the coming months. continue reading »

Friends of Pennypack Park volunteers targeted Holmehust Avenue in Winchester Park as one of the hotspots for the Earth Day clean-up. File photo/Shannon McDonald

If you didn’t get out with us on April 28, then you didn’t get a snazzy Earth Day button with this year’s bird, the Osprey, faithfully drawn by Friends of Pennypack Park member Roland Williams.

You also missed hanging out with your fantastic 45 friends and neighbors (123.5 hours) and CLIP. The volunteers picked up 44 bags of trash and CLIP got 56 bags of curb-hugging trash (the stuff organic and non-organic that seems to settle in the street against curbs).

Working together on Lexington Avenue from Solly to Rhawn including curbs, street, and dirt path; on Lexington Avenue from Rhawn to Ryan, that dirt path and into Little City; the entrances to the park from Holmehurst; and the upper and lower parking lots at Little City, Pennypack Park now looks a lot better than before our Earth Day crew came out and did battle with that most devastating of insects – the litter bug. continue reading »

Animal remains were discovered Friday (A) and a body was found Sunday (B) in two Northeast Philadelphia parks. Image/Google Maps

Police in the 8th District has a busy weekend tracking gruesome discoveries in two different parks.

Sunday, a body was found floating in the creek of Poquessing Valley Park in Parkwood. The body of the young Latino male was found around 1 p.m. off the 3500-block of Vinton Road. Authorities don’t believe the death is suspicious.  continue reading »

Photo/Philadelphia Police

Police arrested three suspects over the weekend for the fatal beating death of 23-year-old Kevin Kless. One of the suspects, 20-year-old Steven Ferguson, is from Fox Chase.

Ferguson, of the 1100-block of Solly Avenue, was arrested alongside Felix Crarillo of North Philadelphia and Kenneth Santiago of Juniata for Kless’ Jan. 14 death. continue reading »

Mare Carrie relaxing in her stall at Solly Stables

The stable sits between two twin homes where Tabor Road meets Solly Avenue in Fox Chase. Tim Martin has worked at Solly Stable for almost 20 years. He is currently the Head Hostler for the stable, which he said was built in 1955. Located at 1140 Solly Ave., the stable is currently managed by The Solly Stable Riders Association a nonprofit for The Fairmount Park Commission. continue reading »

One person is dead following two car accidents Saturday night during Hurricane Irene.

The first occurred in Rhawnhurst around 7 p.m. when a tree fell onto a car as its driver was waiting to make a turn. Hugh Rawlins escaped through the back window of his truck when it fell on the vehicle as he waited to make a turn at Solly and Castor avenues. continue reading »