It was a night of fun and celebration on Aug. 28 at Burholme Park, 401 Cottman Ave. (at Central Avenue).
The evening started with the long-awaited dedication of a disability bench, followed by a family movie night organized by City Councilwoman Katherine Gilmore Richardson.
Nancy Ostroff purchased the bench, located near Ryerss Museum and Library, with money left over from the Burholme Park Community Coalition following its battle with Fox Chase Cancer Center over parkland.
As the ribbon-cutting ceremony was taking place, there was a bookbag giveaway and vendors handing out water ice, pretzels, snacks, water and information on resources. Later, a DJ played music and folks watched a screening of the movie Sing.
Richardson sponsored the event in partnership with Councilman Brian O’Neill, state Rep. Sean Dougherty, state Sen. Joe Picozzi, Fox Chase Civic Association, Fox Chase Town Watch, Acme, the city Department of Parks and Recreation and Temple Health.
Vendors included Archwell, SEPTA and the Water Department.
As for the fight for parkland, it was a five-year battle after Fox Chase Cancer Center initially asked the Fairmount Park Commission for 39 acres in the 65-acre park, drawing the ire of Ostroff and park advocates. The final proposal was for 19.4 acres for a $1 billion expansion. The city and the park commission supported the plan.
But Ostroff and others pointed to a will dated June 25, 1895, when Robert Waln Ryerss gave the park to the city “for the use and enjoyment of the people for ever.”
Common Pleas Court Judge John W. Herron, of the Orphans Division, ruled against Fox Chase in 2008 In his conclusion, Herron cited a common rule of law known as the “public trust doctrine,” writing that so long as dedicated parkland is actively used, the city cannot divest the land.
After a Fox Chase court appeal failed, Ostroff wanted the remaining park coalition money to be used for a bench, and the city agreed to install it.
In Ostroff’s remarks at the dedication ceremony, she remained bewildered at the attempt to significantly alter the park.
“How do you break a hundred-year-old will?” she said.
Ostroff encouraged continued public use of the park by residents of Burholme and adjacent city neighborhoods and suburban towns.
“Every inch of this 60 acres belongs to us,” she said.
Ostroff recognized a number of people who helped either in the park fight or the effort to install the bench – Gerald Waln (a cousin of Robert Waln Ryerss), the late Councilman David Cohen, the late state Sens. Shirley Kitchen and Phil Price (also a member of the Fairmount Park Commission) and current and former parks and recreation officials Aparna Palantino, Susan Slawson, Kathryn Ott Lovell, Sue Buck and Francesco Cerrai.
“Every one of them has a part of this bench,” Ostroff said.
The plaque on the bench reads, “Donated by Burholme Park Community Coalition In Honor of Nancy Ostroff,” though Ostroff said others were instrumental in preserving the park and placing the bench.
“There’s another 12 or 13 names that should be on it,” she said.
Ostroff thanked Acme and ShopRite for donations for the movie night, along with state Rep. Jared Solomon and Richardson “and her entire staff” for their support in recent years
Acme employee Liz Thomas, a friend of Ostroff, brought her flowers. Richardson counts Ostroff as part of “Team KGR.” Meanwhile, Solomon aide Mary Dougherty reads remarks written by the lawmaker.
The ceremony attracted an impressive group of people – Richardson, Waln (who brings his family to the mansion for an annual reunion), Picozzi, Dougherty (who said he’ll visit the bench whenever he walks his dog Lucky in the park), Palantino, former Councilman Al Taubenberger, Municipal Court Judge Sherrie Cohen (daughter of David Cohen), City Controller Christy Brady (who said she had her wedding photos taken at the park), city managing director Carlton Williams, Fox Chase Civic Association president Kate Friend, Fox Chase Town Watch president Steve Phillips, Friends of Ryerss president Cheryl McQuade (who invites the public to the mansion’s Victorian Christmas on Dec. 12), Temple-Jeanes executive director Matt Shelak and Miss Philadelphia Teen Ksenya Wong.
Attendees lauded Ostroff’s tenacity, with Picozzi describing her as “one heck of a fighter” and managing director Williams pointing to her lawsuit against Fox Chase Cancer Center and then-Mayor John Street.
“Nancy, who says you can’t fight City Hall?” Williams said. ••
