March 2013
Cedar Park Neighbors Newsletter President’s Message: Cedar Park — A Great Place to Raise a Toddler n an unusually mild Saturday in O March 2009, I took my daughter Zora to Gojjos. We sat out in the backyard and ate a delicious dinner. It was Zora’s first visit to a restaurant in West Philly. It was also her first visit to a restaurant ever. She was 10 days old. Like me, Zora’s a big fan of Cedar Park. I can’t imagine a better place to raise a three year old. For the past two summers, we’ve planted sunflowers in front of our house, and she’s excitedly tracked their growth as they grew taller — much taller! — than her. When it’s warm enough, we go for a walk around the neighborhood, and I tell her the names of the flowers and trees that we walk past. She loves hydrangeas and lilies and pansies. So far, she can tell the difference between a London plane tree and a Norway maple, but that’s about it for her tree knowledge. We go to Desi Village for a mango lassi. We buy a book at Bindlestiffs. We watch the cats sleeping in the window of the Baltimore Pet Shoppe. I let her choose a cookie at the Gold Standard. She’s just begun to climb the steep, steep stairs at Studio 34 on her own, when we go up to listen to music or to see an art show.
Elementary School and Malcolm X Park and Clark Park and Barkan Park and Wilson Elementary School and Kingsessing Rec Center and the new Walnut Hill Community Playground. Zora’s a bit of a playground connoisseur, so take her recommendations seriously. (For more on her playground visits, check out zoraplays.com.) She rides her bike in the protected alley behind our house. Her two closest friends live within three blocks of our house. And every Sunday night for the past two years, we have dinner, with three other families with young children, in a rotating Dinner Co-op. All of our families live close by — the furthest, in fact, is at 51st and Osage. I worry, of course, about the usual dangers of raising a child in a city. But for now, I feel lucky to live here with Zora, surrounded by great friends and neighbors and fun things to share with her... because there is always something
good happening in Cedar Park! . GROUNDBREAKING NEWS!
She knows that we take the 42 bus to her daycare when it’s raining and the 64 to the Please Touch Museum. She thinks that the 34 is her own personal trolley and can’t wait to put the token in the box all by herself as we get on. She’s a big fan of the free kids’ concerts sponsored by Crossroads Music in the chapel at Calvary. She grooves to the jazz on Friday nights at Cedar Park. She’s taken a few ballet classes at The Studio at Take the Lead on 47th Street. And when she was younger, she laughed and danced at All Around this World music classes held in Jay’s living room over on Pine Street. Don’t get us started on playgrounds. She’s a big fan of Cedar Park playground and the two playgrounds at Lea
Left to right: Darin Edwards, Architect; Cassie Glinckowsky, Right-Sized Homes staff person; J. Fred Kauffman, TBI Board Chair; Ms. Sheila Rider and grandson Saadiq Tuggles; and JoAnn Jones, Deputy Director of the Office of Housing and Community Development. See story on page 3.
CPN President Michael Froehlich
SAVE TH E D AT E Monday, April
22
The Cedar Park Neighbors annual meeting and Board of Directions election will take place on Monday, April 22, 2013 at 7p.m. at the Calvary Community Center. All members whose memberships are current may vote in the election. All memberships must be renewed at the beginning of the year, so make sure your membership was renewed. More information on nominees and meeting agenda will be sent in a special communication before the meeting. Stay tuned!
CPN has a new phone number: 267-BALT-AVE (267-225-8283)