To 1st District Councilman Mark Squilla:
The Fels Community Center opened approximately 12 years ago and was a welcome addition to South Philadelphia residents. It has become a mainstay in the community, providing a senior center, a day care center and a pool to our area. It has been relayed to the members of the center that the facility is being sold and rumors have been that a charter school is most likely going to buy it.
The members of the community center would like to work with you to assist us in maintaining this facility as a community center due to the fact that it serves a vital part of a thriving neighborhood. The day care center, after school program, camps and senior center have been extremely well utilized. The closure of the center would cause a hardship in finding a replacement for these programs. The pool is utilized by the afterschool children, the camp, seniors, as well as people who swim for exercise. There is really no other affordable indoor pool in our neighborhood. Presently, the center serves more than 900 older adult members, 75 after school youth, 160 summer program youth and 70 early learning program children, 15 teenagers and countless members between 18 and 54 who utilize the pool.
There has been an influx of young people and new construction in South Philadelphia’s neighborhoods making the area attractive. Offering a community center like Fels can only enhance this improvement in the neighborhood.
Arguments for or against a charter school is really not the issue here, but there are two points to be made against this use. First, a charter school at that location would dramatically increase the traffic in the five-block area between Snyder and Oregon avenues on Broad Street. One only has to be in that area at about 3:30 p.m. daily to see what occurs. Secondly, with the consolidation and closing of many parochial schools, there are many viable buildings that would have an easier transition for a school than the community center.
Please consider our request. I would greatly appreciate your advice on how we can keep our community center. Thank you.
Marian Nasuti Gervasi
South Philadelphia
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1. Gloria Endres said... on Jan 26, 2012 at 02:51PM
“Agree with this letter 100%. The car line for the charter school on Broad and Oregon is unbelievable. Add another school dismissal within a few blocks and it could be downright dangerous.
I always enjoyed goint to the Fels center for exercize. I cannot imagine not having such a recreation center so close.
There are indeed a number of now available school buildings that do not need overhauling to make them into a charter school.”
2. Anonymous said... on Jan 26, 2012 at 06:58PM
“The above letter by Ms. Gervasi is well written and has many intelligent points. Yes, traffic would increase but it would increase no matter where a school is located. That is a moot point.
The Charter School is being portrayed as the bad guy because they wish to expand their school. But the demise of the center is because of financial problems by the company that owns the center. The selling off of this center would only stand to improve their bottom line.
This is a highly charged emotional issue for many people of this community. But to the company its just another business decision. Sad but true.”
3. Anonymous said... on Jan 27, 2012 at 01:22PM
“"...traffic would increase but it would increase no matter where a school is located. That is a moot point."
That point is not moot. When you locate two schools close together it increase traffic volume in that area. Ms. Gervasi's point is to find another location farther away from another school so that at 3:30 pm the traffic is not jammed up in one small section of the city but is spread out and thus less jammed.
”
4. Anonymous said... on Jan 27, 2012 at 01:43PM
“The center causes it own share of traffic congestion at different times of the day but nothing is said about that. Now that the charter school might be moving there suddenly traffic is an issue????”
5. Anonymous said... on Feb 1, 2012 at 04:26PM
“Yes, the center has its share of traffic, but not nearly as much as the school will bring. It is what it is. I hope this center can be saved. The sad thing is, nothing is concrete yet, and the charter school is spreading the word to the kids that they will be doing activities at Fels....making the children who depend on Fels for after-care and camp....basically...feeling bad. Caring People Alliance.....needs to take the Caring out of their name!”