©2006 The Chestnut Hill Local

Mt. Airy Town Watch meet to clean
by KRISTIN PAZULSKI

Lt. Raymond Jackson of Philadelphia’s 14th District (left) spoke at the June 27 community meeting discussing initiatives to deter crime and clean Germantown Avenue in Mt. Airy. Meeting coordinator Steve Stroiman, head of the Mt. Airy-Nippon-Bryan-Cresheim Streets Town Watch, sits on his right. (Photo by Kristin Pazulski)

Steve Stroiman, leader of the Mt. Airy-Nippon-Bryan-Cresheim Streets Town Watch, kept more than 30 residents and community leaders who met Tuesday, June 27 focused on the issues of crime prevention and Avenue cleaning, issues of rats in the street and parking issues arose.

The meeting was a follow up to a community meeting in April, when about 70 people gathered at Sedgwick Cultural Center to discuss issues of crime and litter on the Avenue. From that meeting, three initiatives emerged:

A continuation of sit outs at the corner of Durham Street and Germantown Avenue.

Project Clean Sweep, which attempted to organize volunteers to clean the Avenue of litter, trash, etc.

A coordinated effort from the various Mount Airy Town Watch groups to patrol the neighborhood in monthly turns.

The goal of last Tuesday’s meeting, said Stroiman, coordinator of the community meetings, was to “see if we have the will and the people power to make [these initiatives] happen.” Stroiman said that while the three efforts had taken off running after the April meeting, the volunteers and initial enthusiasm has sputtered, and if the community wants to continue these efforts, more volunteers and energy are needed.

“The most success we’ve had is sweeping away the enthusiasm for doing this,” joked John Siemiarowski, who is heading the Clean Sweep effort and walked straight into Tuesday’s meeting at the Sedgwick Cultural Center, broom in hand, after cleaning the Avenue. Siemiarowski said after the meeting that it seemed to have “reignited community interest” in the Avenue cleaning.

Neighbors did note the positive influence the activities have had on the Avenue so far. “I think it has caused some chatter among groups that usually hang out [on the street],” said neighbor and head of Durham Street Town Watch, Diane Scutti. Others commented that the Avenue was cleaner and they’ve noticed less criminal activity and loitering on the corners, but most agreed that more of an effort was needed.

Stroiman encouraged those who wanted to keep the efforts active to volunteer in one or more aspects. “I don’t pressure because they are all volunteers,” Stroiman told the Local. “But if they say they can [be involved], I expect them to follow through.” He said the community response far exceeded his expectations and he hoped that the efforts would continue.

Stroiman added that the sit outs would continue one evening, every other week, and he and other volunteers are looking for “creative ideas” to attract residents to the corner to help make a larger presence. “We can’t have the same people sitting each week,” he said, adding that there have been anywhere from four to 30 people on the corner of Durham Street and Germantown Avenue, outside of the Imperial Chinese Takeout, a site of suspected criminal activity involving marijuana paraphernalia.

Other issues had neighbors riled at the meeting – including the lack of parking on the Avenue and rumors of rats roaming among local businesses’ outdoor trash. “That’s enough to make me move out of here,” said Diane Scutti of Mount Airy, referring to the rat sightings.

Scutti said at the meeting she’d be willing to organize a committee to look into the trash regulations that businesses along the Avenue need to follow.. Siemiarowski said the volunteers of Project Clean Sweep will also talk to and watch businesses to ensure trash is being regulated.

In answer to the parking issues on the Avenue, Ken Weinstein, who is part of the leading effort in creating Mount Airy’s Business Improvement District, said the BID will have a parking committee, possibly a system paralleling the Parking Foundation in Chestnut Hill. They will also address Avenue cleaning efforts.

Already, an “ad hoc” committee has been formed, said Weinstein, to address the parking before the BID is established, as expected, in January of next year. He said members of this committee have been talking with the city’s Parking Authority and looking into potential lot areas along the 7100-7200 blocks of Germantown Avenue.

Contact staff writer Kristin Pazulski at 215-248-8819 or kristin@chestnuthilllocal.com.