Members meet to discuss
the future of Frankford

By Diane Villano-Prokop
Times Staff Writer

Members of the Future of Frankford met last week to discuss some upcoming neighborhood activities and events.
The committee, composed of representatives from Frankford’s business, civic and social-services groups, convenes quarterly to discuss interests vital to the neighborhood.
During their get-together at Frankford Hospital, Tracy O’Drain, manager of economic development services for the Frankford Community Development Corp., told attendees that the May 19 Frankford Festival, an annual community extravaganza, needs both volunteers and vendors. She also invited community organizations to take part by distributing their brochures and fliers or hosting activities for the kids.
A table and two chairs will be provided to those participants, O’Drain said.
Thanks to Frankford Hospital, she added, this year’s festival will get a boost from Radio Disney, which will run commercials on 640 AM to promote the event. Radio Disney staff will be at the festival to play music and greet festival-goers.
"Disney should really be a catapult for a bigger turnout," O’Drain said.
Terry Tobin, the New Frankford Y executive director, said during last week’s meeting that the committee is seeking additional $1,000 sponsors to help fund a concert series and fall festival.
Tobin also reported on a crime summit held last month, and attended by community, police and political representatives, to address public safety issues in Frankford. A meeting in May will result in the formation of committees to formulate strategies to address crime in Frankford as well as a public perception that the neighborhood is not safe.
"We’ll work on it over a period of time . . . whatever it takes," Tobin said.
Catherine Bowers, executive director of the Frankford Group Ministry, reported that the 15th District Curfew Center will open this week at FGM headquarters, 4620 Griscom St., with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 2 p.m. Thursday.
The center will serve the 15th Police District as a facility where police can bring youngsters who are picked up for violating the city’s curfew laws. The center is one of a dozen that Mayor John Street plans to open across the city by this summer to get children off the streets at night.
"It gives us a chance to intervene in the lives of young people before they get involved in worse trouble," Bowers said.
Staff Sgt. Peter Hartman, of the Pennsylvania National Guard, was on hand to inform the community of the mentoring services available for young people through the National Guard.
Attendees at the meeting also heard from Julia Chapman, who distributed fliers for Zoning Matters, an organization providing education about the May 15 primary ballot question that calls for the creation of a zoning commission to reform Philadelphia’s zoning code.
Chapman said the growing consensus is that the current zoning code, which was drafted in 1933 and last underwent a major revision in the late 1950s, is not working. She said residents can get more information by visiting the Web site www.zoningmatters.org ••
Reporter Diane Villano-Prokop can be reached at 215-354-3036 or dvillano@phillynews.com