GreatExpectations2007 - St. Joe's REPORT ON CITIZENS FORUM

Date: Jan. 7, 2007

Location: St. Joseph's University

Citizens attending: 48 participants from a number of city neighborhoods and the Main Line townships of Lower Merion and Haverford. Among city neighborhoods, Overbrook Park, Overbrook Farms and Wynnefield were well-represented.

Inquirer observer: Carolyn Davis, Editorial Board

Check out reports from the dialogues:

Group One: Led by moderators Stacie Molnar-Main and Jose Morales.

Group Two: Led by moderators Dick Gross and Sally McAfee.

Participants in each group were first asked to describe one hope or one fear as the city enters its election year. Then each group did an exercise that asked participants to imagine they were giving a good friend’s family advice on whether to move to Philadelphia.

What would be the pros and cons of that move?
What forces and factors underlie those pros and cons?
What steps could the city and region take to strengthen those pros or weaken those cons?

For a full description of the exercise, see http://go.philly.com/friendsdilemma

Observer's Notes:

Carolyn Davis

Editorial Board

     One of the intriguing aspects of this forum was its location on City Avenue. Participants repeatedly noted differences, including in schools, between Philadelphia on one side of City Ave. and Lower Merion on the other.
     One group of participants came up with the phrase "cultural shopping" to describe the many choices that Philadelphia offers residents and visitors. Among the two break-out groups, there was a broad definition of culture that included art institutions, theaters, museums sporting teams and multicultural assets.
     Both groups said the city - and region - needed a strategic plan and long-term funding for arts institutions in Philadelphia.
     Neighborhoods was another attractive, though under-publicized, asset. They saw them as intimate, yet connected to the city's broader array of amenities. Neighborhoods showcase different immigrant and cultural groups. Many folks outside of the city said Philadelphians have an image of being cold, but the neighborhoods contradict that image with residents who are friendly and usually fans of their communities. It was noted that some neighborhoods were in deplorable shape.
     One other observation that struck me: Both groups acknowledged that while the Philadelphia School District has plenty of problems, charters, magnets and private schools give residents an increasing choice of exciting schools to attend. And the citywide sending patterns of these schools makes them diverse incubators of tolerance and cultural understanding.