Terms

Lower North Philadelphia: Section of Philadelphia just north of Center City.

http://www.philaplanning.org/data/datamaps.html


Historical: Something dated that has significance.

http://www.kennethwmilano.com/KensingtonHistory/KensingtonMaps/MapofPortRichmondKensingtonNorthofLehigh/tabid/245/Default.aspx


Port Richmond: An area east of North Philadelphia, in the direction towards the Delaware River.

http://www.inportrichmond.com/home.htm


Crack Epidemic: A problem dealing with the introduction of crack cocaine being introduced into the United States and usage begining to grow at a steady rate.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kensington,_Philadelphia,_Pennsylvania


Kensington Welfare Rights Union: Group that fights to uphold the basic rights of the citizens residing in Kensington.

http://www.kwru.org/


Survey: Questionare adminstered by city official to the residents.

http://www.philaplanning.org/data/nhbd/pasg.pdf

Kensington, Port Richmond, Harrowgate area

Gregory Powers

GUS 150

Community Write-up

Temple University lies in what is known as North Philadelphia or more properly known as the section of “Lower North Philadelphia”. Within in this area there are even smaller specific neighborhoods and planning districts. Not too far away to the east is Kensington and Port Richmond in an area that has been historically referred to as the River Wards. This was at one time a thriving section of the city and still to this day retains historical significance. The area was thriving when the Delaware River coal piers were still being actively used. An area of the city that was one time primarily Irish has turned into a multi-racial hub in Philadelphia. It is not the exact same neighborhood it was when the K and A Gang was around. 129

One of the largest problems facing this area is the constant trash and other various things littering the streets and sidewalks. Port Richmond takes pride in its community and how well kept many of its homes are. However, the further west you go towards Kensington Avenue and onward to North Philadelphia that totally changes. It is interesting how by just driving through the neighborhoods the scenery changes. Just taking a walk towards Allegheny Avenue and the Harrowgate neighborhood makes one wonder why something isn't done and why there is such and abundance of it on the streets. The area needs to step up the police protection as well, primarily at night. There have been crimes near and around Coral Street where Kensington High School is located and children are constantly vulnerable to coming in contact with vilolence. In the 1990's the area experienced the "crack epedemic" and has since then been a large heroin area. 155

The natural landscape of the Kensington and Port Richmond areas are virtually identical with the topography being flat. All throughout Kensington even leading up towards the Harrowgate neighborhood you see residential housing that is fine on one block and vacant and crumbling on the next. Small buisness cater to primairly the imediate local residents and there is not much room for growth and expansion. Tearing down old buildings to make space for new ones costs lots of money. Philadelphia is struggling right now with an over abundance of vacant buildings. 90

Unfortunately some people in the area in and around Kensington live in dwellings and fincial situations that may be considered below means to some. The Kensington Welfare Rights Union plays a large role in efforts to shape and better the community. The KWRU constantly fights for the rights of its residents and has been an important part of this community by being a watch dog group to make sure that human rights are not being violated and that equal opportunity is maintained. 82

The areas of Kensington, Harrowgate and Port Richmond have all seen a somewhat steady decline since 1960. According to a 1998 home buyers survery only 42% of all home owners in Kensington were satisfied with the neighborhood. These older nieghborhoods ahve been around long before Philadelphia expanded west of the Schuylkill and before the Northeast became populated. Revitalization has to take place in this historic section of the city. It residents needs have to be heard and action needs to occur before more damage is done and more population is lost.

Medical Waste in Landfills

Though incinerators do help get rid of waste, they also create bi-products that are pollutants to the environment. At the same time we can not just keep allowing waste material to be disposed like ordinary trash. Incinerators although thouught to be a good way of disposing waste just really put it into the air as airborne wastes. These wastes can then also go on to pollute water systems and soil systems. According to one of the sources I researched, can be a source of 210 different compounds. People really need to think about what is going into the air, water and soil. Waste that is burned up is still particulates of waste in the air. Hospitals need to continue efforts to make sure that harmful medical waste and used medical supplies do not find their ways into the soil and then possibly into water sources.

As I mentioned before even if you incinerate medical waste, it can still become permanently lodged into someone's lungs. So therefore it does not solve a problem but creates another one. Pertaining to Pennsylvania we offer to take trash from other states for money. It gets shipped here and we are left to dispose of it which further pollutes our air, water and soil. Until hospitals can have a sure way of disposing their wastes without burning it or just burying it we will have the constant risk of acquiring an illness through our own environment.




http://www.shea-online.org/Assets/files/position_papers/Med-Waste92.PDF
http://www.zerowasteamerica.org/Incinerators.htm

Ethical Dilema in the Environment

I think a significant ethical dilema in the environment is the idea that we can just keep puting medical waste and used medical supplies into ordinary landfills and not conisder the fact that it may penetrate through the soil over time and get into our water systems.

http://www.nhlink.net/enviro/scp/medical.html
http://www.zerowasteamerica.org/Incinerators.htm
http://www.shea-online.org/Assets/files/position_papers/Med-Waste92.PDF

My Neighborhood Map

Horse and Carriage Controversy

After hearing about the incident and evaluating the situation and information given I came to the conclusion that it would be better if there were no horse and carriages allowed in New York City. If you eliminate the horses you eliminate any chance of an accident of that nature all together. It creates a safer environment for humans and takes the animals out of an environment that can end up being hazardous to their health and fatal.

I do believe that a complete ban and a petition to do so is a good step in the right direction for the city of New York. That is the only way that these senseless tragedies can be completely avoided. Is the city waiting for a massacre to happen?

Some may argue and look at the situation from a historical perspective and say that "this is the way it has always been so why change it?" However, I do believe as a strong amount of people do that the ban should be implemented not as a punishment on the city, but as a way to ensure the safety and well-being of its residents.

New York is not the only place where this topic has stirred up significant amounts of discusuions and controversy. In Florida there have been lawsuits to ban the usage of horse and carriages in and around the Orlando metro area. So as we can see this is not by any means an isolated incident within the boundairies of New York but it also has been occuring in other locations across the country, and will continue to be a posible hazard if it continues.

Urban Landscape Juxiposition

The Urban Landscape Juxiposition I came across was homeless people in front of City Hall. City Hall is a major symbol when people think of Philadelphia and that idea is looked at differently with homeless people living around it.