The Parker administration recently opened two Neighborhood Community Action Centers in the Northeast.
One is located in the 10th Councilmanic District at Officer Robert Hayes Memorial Playground, 9945 President St. The other is at Russo Park Playground, in the former Mayfair Athletic Club building near Edmund Street and Bleigh Avenue.
The offices are open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Mayor Cherelle Parker attended both ribbon-cutting ceremonies and was joined by members of her administration, various city and state elected officials and neighborhood leaders.
City Councilman Brian O’Neill, who has a City Hall office and four neighborhood offices to handle constituent services, did not attend the opening of the Hayes Playground site.
O’Neill issued this statement: “I would like to congratulate Mayor Parker on placing these outreach centers in each of the 10 Council districts and I have instructed my four district offices to work cooperatively with them.”
The new centers handle issues such as graffiti, potholes, sinkholes, abandoned vehicles, trash pickup and broken street lights.
Tom Campion manages the Hayes Playground center, with James Green also working there.
Basil Lester manages the Russo Park site, with Terry Devlin and Oscar Lopez also on staff.
Staff, backed by an advisory board, will reach out to every block in the district.
As for the Russo Park site, Councilman Mike Driscoll hopes to bring a Code Court to the building. A Code Court is intended to settle disputes between landlords and tenants and improve quality of life in neighborhoods. The court would operate on Wednesday nights, with the idea to make it more convenient for landlords and tenants so they do not have to travel to Center City.
In all, there will be 11 Neighborhood Community Action Centers. Each of the 10 Council districts will have one, while the 6th district will have two, once the center at Samuel Recreation Center in Port Richmond opens.
Seven of the centers will be at recreation centers, with two at libraries and one apiece at a school and a church.
Parker said the centers are needed to complement the work of busy Council offices. There will be community meetings at the centers every five weeks. Once a constituent files a complaint, they will be given an expected completion date and kept up on the progress of the claim.
Joe Carson, president of the East Torresdale Civic Association, credited the 6th district center with removing an abandoned car along the riverfront. ••
