"my question is, could the inclusion of nam in uccc have helped secure the community's stance on the catchment area? what, if anything, was done to include nam in uccc? it's interesting to see how uniting the 'diverse civic and cultural groups and organizations' actually works, esp. towards the stated goal of representating the interests of university city." Good Question Ray
I believe Spruce Hill had the most to gain with a catchment area. Time has proved them correct. Yet, the school has shown some benefit to other areas of UC. This would include Walnut Hill where housing sale prices have reached new highs. At the same time most of the area of Walnut hill has not gone yuppie. Thanks Mark -----Original Message----- From: L a s e r B e a m <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: May 31, 2004 8:01 PM To: University City List <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [UC] Re: Working Together: UCCC [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > Bruce, an umbrella organization for most of the U.C. volunteer community and > special interest groups was formed in 1997. Though it has never gotten into > issuing joint membership forms, the idea was that it would be helpful to all > groups if they worked together on shared interests and needs. Its current > Mission Statement reads: > > "The University City Community Council is a voluntary coalition which seeks > to unite diverse civic and cultural groups and organizations in University > City, to facilitate communication on subjects of mutual concern, and to present, > whenever possible, a unified voice in representing the interests of University > City to the representatives of City government, local institutions and the > media." > > [snip] > > Current members include: > COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION MEMBERS: Cedar Park Neighbors, Garden Court Community > Association, Powelton Village Civic Association, Saunders Park Neighbors, > Squirrel Hill Community Association & Walnut Hill Community Association > SPECIAL INTEREST MEMBERS: Friends of Clark Park, Friends of Walnut West > Library, 18th District Police Advisory Council, Squirrel Hill Police Substation, > University City Arts League, West Philadelphia Partnership Town Watch Network, > West Powelton Concerned Citizens Council. When they were active, PFSNI and UC > Pride were also members. > > UCCC regrets the loss of two former member groups who left the UCCC at the > end of the controversy over the catchment area for the new public school. These > groups are the Spruce Hill Community Assn. and the University City Historical > Society this was interesting to read, and got me curious, because what little I remember about opposition to the catchment area seemed to be reported in terms of groups like neighbors against mcpenntrification (nam), but not in terms of groups like uccc vs shca/uchs ... so I did a little digging and found out why I had that impression. it seems that early on, in 2000, the uccc opposition to the catchment area was going on and then quieted down, to be replaced regularly in the news by the nam opposition to the catchment area as late as the groundbreaking in march 2001. [see below for examples] my question is, could the inclusion of nam in uccc have helped secure the community's stance on the catchment area? what, if anything, was done to include nam in uccc? it's interesting to see how uniting the 'diverse civic and cultural groups and organizations' actually works, esp. towards the stated goal of representating the interests of university city. for example, uccc's opposition in sept 2000: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - sept 20 2000 <http://www.dailypennsylvanian.com/vnews/display.v/ART/3af96d82b7d74?in_archive=1> Departure of strong community organization questions validity of UCCC by Peter Ruscitti September 20, 2000 The withdrawal of the Spruce Hill Community Association from the University City Community Council last week may not have been a surprise to some area residents, but it has nonetheless managed to shake up what used to be a strong and stable organization. And even more importantly, it has raised concern over how much power the UCCC deserves. Spruce Hill -- one of the six community groups that made up the UCCC's voting membership -- decided to separate itself from the umbrella organization last week because of what Spruce Hill President Barry Grossbach called a "philosophical difference" over what the UCCC's role should be. Since the separation, several of the community groups have met individually, but there have been no major developments since Spruce Hill's withdrawal. The rift began when Spruce Hill voiced its opposition to the UCCC's position on a catchment area for the new Penn-assisted school to be built at 42nd and Spruce streets. Grossbach's organization did not agree with the UCCC's call for a lottery-determined catchment area and instead advocated a defined boundary for the attendance zone. But in a five-to-one vote, the other council members overrode Spruce Hill's objection and put the UCCC's support behind the catchment lottery. However, by endorsing a position that did not have universal approval, Grossbach says the UCCC overstepped its bounds and misrepresented the community. [more...] for example, nam's opposition in march 2001: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - mar 2 2001 <http://www.dailypennsylvanian.com/vnews/display.v/ART/3af9725f60447?in_archive=1> Area residents arrived at the groundbreaking yesterday with posters to protest what they say is gentrification at work. Neighbors Against McPenntrification, a community activist organization, claimed that the Penn-assisted school will divert funds from an already struggling school district. The group also alleged that the catchment area for the new public school will not reflect the diversity of the surrounding neighborhood. "This school seems like it will have great opportunities for kids that will get to go to it. It's that there are very few kids that will get to go to it," West Philadelphia resident and Neighbors Against McPenntrification member Josie Campbell said. "The neighborhood around here is being displaced. My neighborhood kids aren't going to get to go to this school, because they can't afford the rent, because U. Penn is buying up all the properties... and raising rents," she continued. [more...] ......... laserbeam [aka ray] ---- You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named "UnivCity." To unsubscribe or for archive information, see <http://www.purple.com/list.html>. ---- You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named "UnivCity." To unsubscribe or for archive information, see <http://www.purple.com/list.html>.
